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Linux in the Enterprise
Butler Group, Sep 2004, Pages: 252
Although many organisations make use of operating systems (OS) such as Microsoft Windows, in its various flavours, or the enterprise-level variations of UNIX, in recent years a new OS has appeared to challenge the market domination of these systems – the open source platform, Linux. Linux has a mixture of advantages and disadvantages in comparison to its more well established competitors, for example whilst it is lower in cost to run and more adaptable in terms of being modified to respond to changing conditions (such as being modified to prevent a hacker attack), it can also be more difficult to operate, requiring a higher level of knowledge from administrators.
In recent years, Linux has begun to win support from some of the largest and most influential hardware and software providers in the world, including IBM and HP, and in spite of fierce resistance from Microsoft has gradually begun to take its position as a credible and useful enterprise platform.
One of the key messages of this report is that although Linux is a credible enterprise platform, businesses should be closely assessing their own needs to see exactly what pieces of technology should be fitted where – in some cases, Windows is still superior to Linux, for example, and organisations must always be careful never to deploy technology on a ‘must have’ basis. The report looks in depth at some of the leading Linux offerings in the market today, and also assesses associated services, in order to inform organisations considering a Linux evaluation (or looking to expand on a test) of their best course of action going forward.
The key findings from the Report can be summarised as follows:
- Linux is a credible alternative now for the core of the data centre, and for the client within two years.
- The most important attribute of Linux is the independence afforded from the hardware platform.
- Linux is a cost-effective UNIX replacement, and a worthy competitor to Microsoft Windows Server in many areas.
- Linux on the client is gaining credence, with offerings available from Red Hat, IBM, Novell, and Sun.
- Ignore generalised Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) evaluations, the TCO of Linux varies dependent on an individual organisation’s circumstances.
- The Linux ecosystem is developing quickly and is a major driver of the adoption of Linux, especially for the main enterprise distributions from Red Hat and Novell.
- The public sector is showing leadership in this area, and beginning to embrace Linux and Open Source in a major way.
- Open Source software tends not to be innovative, but does produce efficient, secure, and robust code.
- For many that already using Windows, it remains the best strategic choice, as does proprietary UNIX at the very high end.
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