Many IT departments are turning to server consolidation and virtualization to simplify their infrastructures. But getting the most value from these initiatives requires that companies first address the inherent inefficiencies that plague their infrastructures. A growing number are turning to a three-step process: first standardize, then simplify, and, finally, automate.

This final installment of a three-part series explores how automation builds on the stable, efficient base formed by a standardized, simplified, virtualized infrastructure to create a scalable resource to serve business needs.