The applications in this category are represented by file and print server, directory infrastructure, web servers, firewalls, NAT/ DHCP servers and so on.

Although most of these servers are only utilized by 10-15%, architectural, security, and compatibility issues lead to recommendation to dedicate a separate physical platform to each of these applications.

Managing, patching, and securing these servers takes valuable IT time. In addition, proliferation of physical servers drives operational costs for facilities, power, and cooling.

Because of the low server utilization and the combination of low CPU and medium I/O requirements, IT Infrastructure servers are prime candidates for virtualization and associated consolidation.

Virtualization allows enterprises to realize:

• Consolidation ratio of 4 workloads per CPU or higher
• Lower capital and operational costs
• Dramatic improvements in server management, including add, moves, and changes, provisioning, and re-purposing
• Infrastructure which is more robust and disaster resistant