Server virtualization has brought many companies substantial savings by allowing the conversion of an initial group of physical servers to virtual servers, and thus the consolidation onto fewer physical servers in the data center. However, in order to virtualize the remaining servers and to reap the true long-term value of virtualization -- IT agility and improved service delivery while reducing cost -- these organizations need to implement the appropriate management capabilities layered onto the virtualized infrastructure. Consolidation is only the first step. Virtualization management focused on automation and optimization is the key to unlocking the full potential that virtualization offers.

This FOCUS White Paper is an introduction to the different management capabilities available and necessary for managing virtualized infrastructures. It explains why management of the virtual infrastructure is different from traditional IT management and why IT should evaluate specialized management capabilities for virtualization. This FOCUS paper defines the virtualization management areas that are required to achieve the promise of a cost-effective, efficient and responsive IT organization. These areas include Virtual Machine (VM) Life Cycle Management and Provisioning, Capacity Management, Performance Management, Fault Management and Root Cause Analysis, Storage Management and Data Protection, and Security Management. Each area brings a set of requirements that IT must consider in order to develop a well-managed virtual infrastructure.