I’m very pleased to share the news that Dummies Press has just published my latest book, “Virtualization for Dummies.” Written in the well-regarded Dummies style, this book provides an easy intro to one of today’s hottest IT topics.Important topics in the book:Overview of virtualization applications and technologiesChoosing hardware for your virtualization projectManaging a virtualization projectFuture directions for virtualizationAlso included are three hands-on chapters on installing and using virtualization featuring VMware Server, Fedora Xen, and XenSource XenExpress. All three provide the opportunity to begin exploring virtualization at no charge, because each is available for free download.I wrote the book because I view virtualization as very complementary to open source, not only because of the obvious connection that a number of virtualization solutions are available as open source, but for a more significant reason. Both virtualization and open source represent the trend of enormous reduction in the cost of IT foundational technologies. To my mind, this represents the most significant issue IT faces today: the shift from high-cost, vendor-centered technology offerings to low-cost, user-centered technology offerings, with all that entails. Among the implications of this new low-cost world:Less vendor education in the form of marketing and pre-sales activities. Impact: more need for IT organizations to develop internal expertise or identify outside providers of technical knowledge.Confusion in the SI sector as established players attempt to see how they can create economically sustainable practices while preventing conflict with established partners. Impact: IT shops need to identify new service providers who wholeheartedly embrace the new technology approaches; more bluntly, find new providers who can deliver value without larding fees on top of mega-licensing fees.Enormous growth in the opportunity to create IT-powered business offerings. As foundational technologies get cheaper, more systems can surpass the hurdle rate of return. Impact: more opportunity for IT organizations to walk the walk of what they talk about — partnering with business units to focus on business value; stronger project management processes to cope with increased number of IT projects; greater need for robust enterprise architecture programs to facilitate “snap-in” of increased number of cheaper applications.I really enjoyed writing the book and found the process confirmed what I intuited before beginning it: virtualization is sweeping through IT infrastructures and is poised to transform IT practices. In five to ten years, we’ll look back on pre-virtualized IT practices the way we look back on operator-assisted long-distance calls — the relic of an age in which such practices made sense, but thank goodness we’ve progressed beyond them. Related content BrandPost Retail innovation playbook: Fast, economical transformation on Microsoft Cloud For retailers, tight integration of data and systems is the antidote to a challenging economy. By Tata Consultancy Services Mar 24, 2023 3 mins Retail Industry Digital Transformation BrandPost How retailers are empowering business transformation with TCS and Microsoft Cloud AI-powered omnichannel integration and a strong, secure digital core lets retailers innovate across four primary areas while staying compliant, maintaining security and preventing fraud. By Tata Consultancy Services Mar 24, 2023 4 mins Retail Industry Cloud Computing BrandPost How to Build ROI from Cloud Migration This whitepaper and webcast can help you calculate the ROI and create a business case for modernizing your legacy applications to the Microsoft Cloud. By Tata Consultancy Services Mar 24, 2023 1 min Retail Industry Cloud Computing BrandPost How to power a sustainable enterprise on Microsoft Cloud In this eBook, we’ll follow the journey of Amal Skye, a fictitious woman who is committed to living in a way that preserves the planet for the future —and how businesses like Tata Consultancy Services and Microsoft are making that possi By Tata Consultancy Services Mar 24, 2023 1 min Retail Industry Green IT Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe