For most organizations today, the possibility of consolidating Information Technology Data Center (IT-DC) out of remote offices and into the main data center is an idea that has been on the table to cut costs and boost productivity. After all, isn't consolidation supposed to produce these benefits with nothing more than a small one-time effort of some time and money?

While consolidation IT Data Center can certainly bring a number of benefits to organizations - and by this point you've already created the ROI calculations that show a year or less payback period - it will take more than just a Friday afternoon to ensure that your consolidation project IT Data Center is truly successful. As far too many IT Data Center managers will tell you, a poorly-planned consolidation project will have your executives screaming, users threatening mutiny, and IT Data Center in the hot seat to quickly undo all the effort that went into the project in the first place.This paper lays out 5 steps to a successful IT Data Center consolidation project. While you'll still be doing the hard work of actually consolidating infrastructure, following these steps will enable you to make sure that you've covered all the issues in order to ensure that your organization experiences the full benefits of IT Data Center consolidation.