Virtualization? Yes. The Cloud? Maybe Not Quite Yet
If there is any advice to be given when it comes to launching a cloud, it would probably be to start with baby steps. For most, that would mean a small test environment that allows existing personnel to gain experience in the fluid nature of the cloud. Fortunately, there are a number of simplified platforms geared toward low-cost cloud experimentation. Platform Computing, for instance, has the Platform ISF Starter Pack, an end-to-end software stack to let you set up a cloud sandbox in less than 30 minutes. The system offers application workload management across multiple virtual machines and includes features like self-service and auto-provisioning for platforms ranging from ESX and Hyper-V to Red Hat Satellite and IBM xCAT.
