The debate on the merits of open source, Unix and
Microsoft rages as fiercely as ever among organisations looking to
streamline their systems and platforms
Simplifying infrastructure via server consolidation is still
high on the IT directors' list of priorities this year - whether on
Linux, Unix or Windows servers, substantial savings can be
achieved.
Bola Rotibi, senior software development at analyst Ovum, said,
"Whenever you do some consolidation you are going to make savings.
Microsoft has an integrated environment, but anyone doing a review
of their internal structure will find out where they are wasting
resources."
With IBM and Novell supporting enterprise Linux, and open source
support firms like SourceLabs starting up, open source will become
a safe and low-cost option for more companies, she said.
Gartner vice-president Andy Butler said that open source
operating systems, such as enterprise Linux, offer users a strong
alternative to Microsoft Windows, and will soon be on a par with it
in terms of scalability and security.
Consolidation on open source products has attracted
organisations as diverse as European financial services giant MLP
Group and the UK's De Montfort University.
Other users continue to cite cost savings through server and
software consolidation and better standardisation as the main
reason for staying with Microsoft technologies.
Last year, Richard Steel, head of IT at Newham Borough Council
in London, published figures to back up his decision to choose
Microsoft over open source. Newham carried out an independent,
though controversial, study which found that staying with
Microsoft, was cheaper than moving to open source systems.
Marine safety organisation Lloyd's Register, and the Isle of Man
Government (IoMG) both said that the main reasons they chose a
Microsoft route over Linux or Unix were to consolidate disparate IT
infrastructures, cut IT operating spend and have a relationship
with a single software supplier.
Microsoft also appears to be focusing on making Windows work in
heterogeneous IT environments rather than trying to encourage users
to adopt a Windows everywhere policy. Nick McGrath, head of
platform strategy at Microsoft, said, "We know that if we do not
continue to have an open platform that allows for integration,
people will no longer look at it."
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