What does the first phase of implementing security in virtualized data centers consist of?

The first phase of implementing security in virtualized data centers primarily revolves around consolidating servers within trust levels. This approach focuses on organizing and managing resources based on their security posture. By consolidating servers that share similar trust levels, organizations can create a more manageable security environment where policies and controls can be uniformly applied. This minimizes the risk of exposing sensitive data or applications to potential threats from less secure servers.

The reason this is vital in a virtualized environment is that it helps to maintain a clear boundary around resources, thereby reducing the attack surface. It allows for better monitoring and management of security threats specific to the trust level of those servers. In contrast, other options might involve integrating systems or functions that could complicate the security architecture if not aligned with the trust levels.