You may also have the ability to try out production workloads in the lab to get a feel for how the setup will perform in the real world. You might build a database server and use a backup of a real data set to run some reports, or use a Web server benchmarking tool to measure the performance of a Web application server. This practice will not only familiarize you with the day-to-day functions of the virtualization platform but also give you some insight as to what resources your virtual servers may need when they enter production.

After all this, you've likely settled on the arrangement you want to use in production. You've gotten a feel for the , and you've mapped out how you want to proceed with the real deal. Now is not the time to dismantle the lab, however.

Once you've started procuring new hardware for the production infrastructure, you'll want to reference settings you've made in the lab to ensure that the virtual servers you plan to deploy will be able to handle the tasks assigned to them.

Furthermore, after you've completed the production build, you can use the lab to test new functionality, updates, and beyond, which will only bolster the stability and reliability of the production platform.