Centralize or distribute your applications? At one time, the question may have been answered by the prevailing IT manager's personal philosophy, but these days it's more likely that an impending layoff or acquisition is the guiding light.

For those of you looking for ways to centralize, this calculator provides a high-level look at the return on consolidating data centers.

To see the details behind this calculator and fill in your own estimates, click on the Tool icon above and download the interactive worksheet.