If complexity is the underlying cause of problems such as higher operating costs, decreased responsiveness, and greater security risks, simplicity must be the answer. While many point solutions attempt to simplify the IT environment―think system monitoring solutions and patching tools― the only way to achieve the level of simplicity needed to truly impact and alleviate the problem is to standardize your infrastructure.

Despite attempts to standardize around certain configurations and versions, the reality is that, in most cases, it's not enough. The goal must be to create a standard operating environment, known as an SOE. An SOE is an operating system and its associated hardware and software that cost-effectively and efficiently facilitates IT maintenance, support, and management by enabling you to take back control of your budget, resource availability, and security risks. Creating an SOE means that your organization:

• Defines a standard set of components, interfaces, and processes to be used throughout the entire IT infrastructure.
• Dramatically reduces the number of variations in core technologies such as operating systems, virtualization software, storage software, and administration tools.