How To Build A Virtualization Practice

FOLLOW THESE steps and you'll be on your way to building a virtualization practice.

1. GET THE VIRTUALIZATION BUG: Maybe you see the market is hot, maybe you are being pushed by your customers. In either case, get going!

2. CONTACT THE VENDOR(S): VMware has the vast majority of the market, but several other vendors are growing fast with lower-cost products and offer solution providers a chance to differentiate their products. Some of these other vendors include XenSource, Virtual Iron and SWsoft.

3. GET QUALIFIED AND CERTIFIED: It may be as simple as a phone call, if you have the right experience. Sales certification is quick and easy, usually taking just a few hours online to learn the material and take a test. For services and training certification, the process may take a couple of days. Server virtualization vendors each take a different approach to certification and training, with some offering free courses and others charging for them.

4. KNOW THE MARKET: Your vendor can point you to a wide range of market information, including white papers and research reports, to give you a breadth of knowledge. Such research firms include the Burton Group, Forrester Research and Lehman Brothers.

5. PARTNER UP: The fastest way to get into server virtualization is to let someone else do the hard work. Once you get your sales certification/authorization, you can find other solution providers that will do the implementation and training for you.