======= Profiling Workloads =======

In any consolidation, abstraction, and virtualization project, it should be standard practice to use profiling tools to measure workloads over a significant period of time.  Important metrics to measure include utilization of:
  - RAM
  - Disk I/O (input/output)
  - network
  - CPU

It makes sense to use a tool like [[http://www.netiq.com/products/recon//|Platespin Recon]] to measure these things. \\
http://www.netiq.com/products/recon/

Citrix article on profiling, mentioning PlateSpin Recon: [[http://blogs.citrix.com/2010/04/02/the-importance-of-knowing-your-environment/|The importance of knowing your environment]] \\ http://blogs.citrix.com/2010/04/02/the-importance-of-knowing-your-environment/

Novell has a [[http://www.platespin.com/powerstore/|Project Edition which can be used to measure a server's workload at $2/day per physical server]]. \\
http://www.platespin.com/powerstore/

If you have a VMware partner, they'll be able to use the [[http://www.vmware.com/products/capacity-planner/|VMware Capacity Planner]] for you. \\
http://www.vmware.com/products/capacity-planner/

If you have an all-Microsoft environment, you might consider their [[http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/solutionaccelerators/dd537566.aspx|
Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit]] (free!). \\ http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/solutionaccelerators/dd537566.aspx

Other options are:
  * [[http://www.5nine.com/p2v-hyper-v-vmware.aspx|5Nine HyperV and VMware Planner]] \\ http://www.5nine.com/p2v-hyper-v-vmware.aspx
  * [[http://www.5nine.com/p2vhyper-v-vmware-free.aspx?|and free edition]] \\  http://www.5nine.com/p2vhyper-v-vmware-free.aspx?
  * [[http://www.cirba.com/|Cirba]], which seems aimed at large consolidation projects \\  http://www.cirba.com/
  * [[http://www.lanamark.com/|Lanamark]], which has many inventory and management features as well \\  http://www.lanamark.com/