Before Using Container Manager

Prior to installing and using the Container Manager software, you should make an assessment of your resource consumption needs. As part of the container creation process, you will provide a minimum CPU reservation and a physical memory cap for the processes that will run inside the container. The creation process is best done if you have already evaluated your needs, developed your goals, and have a resource plan in place. Additionally, a master list of the specifications of all the hardware involved is also useful before you begin.

Server Consolidation

A key component for undergoing a successful server consolidation is to have a master list of all the servers, storage, and applications that are candidates for consolidation. Once your consolidation plan has been finalized, you can begin to implement the plan with this list.

If you are planning on performing a server consolidation in your data center, you will need to perform several tasks prior to installing and using the Container Manager software. A partial list of tasks to be performed includes the following:

• Determine your server consolidation plan.

• Trend the resource usage of the software applications involved in the consolidation plan.

• Develop a plan to migrate all software applications to the appropriate servers.

• Determine which Solaris operating system version is running on the servers involved in the consolidation plan.

For more discussion about how to plan and execute a server consolidation, you can read the Sun Blueprints book Consolidation in the Data Center by David Hornby and Ken Pepple.