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2Process and People
3Train the IT Staff
4Plan for Application Deployment
How are you going to allocate applications across a bladed environment? Develop a plan for deploying software based on how critical they are and what availability they need. You don’t want to put an application that needs to be running 24/7 in the same enclosure as a less critical app. Having a clear app allocation strategy will make it easier for the IT staff to plan downtime for scheduled maintenance.
5Take Charge of Change Management
Change is inevitable in any data center environment, from new patches to new firmware levels. In a bladed environment, where different blades may reside in the same enclosure, you not only need to be able to make necessary changes to the blades, but you have to ensure that such changes don’t impact other systems within the enclosure, Hanna said.
6Look Ahead
Make sure that you deal with issues before they become problems that impact your business, Hanna said. Anticipate what problems may arise, not only with the technology, but with the people and processes as well. In addition, make sure you are getting the proper level of support from your vendors on proactive measures, such as patch analysis and change management support.
7Proper Installation
8The Total Environment
Many data centers already are tight on space, and are dealing with power and cooling issues. Putting new blades in inefficient facilities will hamper their ability to solve those problems, Hanna said. Assess the data center’s capabilities and requirements. “It’s a delicate balancing act,” he said.