Linux can provide excellent protection against virus attacks such
as last week's Nimda outbreak, according to Stephen Way, a senior
IT manager with chemical and precious metals specialist Johnson
Matthey.
Way, who uses a Linux server to run part of the company's intranet
and domain name-serving operations, says Johnson Matthey has found
that the operating system is more robust than similar Microsoft
offerings.
"With the recent Nimda outbreak we could see the attacks on the
Linux server but it had no impact on it whatsoever," he said.
Johnson Matthey does not use Windows 2000 servers for
business-critical applications, he added. Way, who is also director
of the Common UK User Group, an IBM i-series 400 forum, believes
that companies face a real challenge to keep their Microsoft
servers up to date with the latest patches.
He said, "Our use of operating systems other than Windows 2000 has
reduced attacks such as Code Red and Nimda to an irritation rather
than a business-threatening occurrence."
Linux has earned an increasing reputation for robustness among the
user community.
Ray Titcombe, chairman of the IBM Computer Users' Association
(CUA), commented, "Companies that are well down a Microsoft route
now seem to be vulnerable to electronic terrorism but Linux could
provide greater protection against this."
Linux could help companies to become more secure, Titcombe
said.
Microsoft maintains that its operating systems are secure and
scalable for business-critical use.