Fundamentally, the meta-OS makes the pool of resources, consolidated logically, available to the applications. Only the computing power which is really required at any particular time is made available to each application and subsequently returned to the pool. This concept can raise average utilization of capacity to well above the mark of 70%. The scaling problems of the legacy applications (existing applications) have been surmounted.  

This technology is a great help in combining various large ­server systems into one large pool of computing capacity. It can protect investments which have been made, and the restructuring or ­expansion of the landscape can be carried out faster in ­relation to the normal utilization term of server systems. At the same time, it permits the implementation of modification by means of a successive reutilization of systems, avoiding the risks of a start-up conducted by switching over all of the systems on one day (big bang approach).  

Since a meta-OS is at this time used only for special areas such as high-performance computing, e.g., within the framework of scientific projects, and is not yet available as a solution for commercial standard applications and operating systems (commercial off the shelf), IT decision-makers must create flexible general conditions in preparation for the difficulties of an operational optimization through application consolidation.    

The instruments described below can provide positive advance support for the realization of an application consolidation. The pursuit of a consolidation strategy and the derivation of goals should be presumed as a given here because the precise definition of goals is highly dependent on the general conditions specific to the situation and on the possibilities available to an IT organization.

Instruments for a sustainable application consolidation strategy   

The instruments briefly described in the following support the securing of an application consolidation strategy planned for the long term.  

Instrument 1: Standardized monitoring using measurement ­criteria which are known and understood. The starting point for an optimization during the conduct of a consolidation process is knowledge of the precisely measured current status. Unless exact data about response time behavior, throughput, utilization of capacities, and free capacities are known, any response to changes in business requirements will be solely of a reactive nature. Monitoring offers the chance to carry out a structured conversion of the application landscape according to plan. The definition of key performance indicators (KPIs) for measurement must be in close step with the set goals and should not be oriented to the available means of measurement. A measurement system which is capable of expansion must be set up and utilized as early as the planning stage of an application. Quality assurance measures of this nature are best handled at an early stage by the centralized demand management.