Windows Server 2003 Drives Consolidation

Organizations that previously deployed a separate server for each application or business group are moving to consolidate these applications and groups onto fewer servers. Consolidation reduces the number of physical servers to increase efficiencies and savings by reducing the number of physical locations, servers, software licenses, and points of management. Improvements in the capacity of hardware, such as multiprocessor-based servers; software, such as Windows Server 2003 and Windows Storage Server 2003; and storage, such as storage area networks, are facilitating consolidation, but if a consolidation effort is not well-planned and executed, the anticipated benefits may not be realized.

Windows Server 2003 Supports Consolidation

In addition to improved availability and performance, Windows Server 2003 also boasts a number of technical improvements that make it easier to consolidate servers for file and print networking, Web and application servers, messaging, database servers, and core infrastructure. The actual opportunities and benefits of consolidation vary by the role the server performs.