A grid infrastructure may not be the case for certain organizations. The reasons for this may be one of enterprise size, IT policy, outsourcing model, lack of budget, or ISV certification. In these circumstances it is generally recognised as good practice for applications with non-intensive workloads to use server virtualisation in order to consolidate. However, where maximising consolidation, availability and agility are of paramount importance, a combination of server virtualisation and grid-based solutions are the best way to maximise the benefits of consolidation, availability and agility. Working in tandem, they can ensure enhanced server virtualisation, the ability to dynamically scale within and across nodes, and the dynamic resizing of virtual nodes. Compared to other models of computing, IT systems designed and implemented in the grid style deliver a higher quality of service, at a lower cost, with greater flexibility. Higher quality of service results from having n...