Linuxhas traditionally been ignored by the larger systems
integrators because of its slow organic growth, and the niche has
largely been filled by two-man bands enjoying their moment in the
spotlight, writes Peter Dawes-Huish. Neither has
contributed much to the success of Linux in the
enterprise.
As a result, the market has predominantly been shaped by
mid-sized organisations developing their own infrastructure, using
in-house skills to replace ageing
Unix kit with commodity PCs
running Linux. But this has made choosing the right Linux and
open source partner to
implement a solution a real challenge.
Software suppliers
If you want the most informed partner, then the people who
provide the software are going to be the best and most
knowledgeable, right?
Well, in most circumstances, yes, but in the Linux and open
source world lots of
the software included on the CDs from suppliers itself comes
from other sources that's the nature of the open source beast. So
software suppliers may not be particularly well informed on all
elements of the software they ship.
Software development also requires a different approach to that
adopted by solutions delivery and ongoing support teams. If you
have a problem, the answer from the developer normally runs along
the lines of "fixing it in the next version" of the product.
However, a solutions provider can use its independence from a
manufacturer to choose the correct software component from any
source to meet its customer's requirements.
Many users will trust the software manufacturer for software
updates but look elsewhere for support. Suppliers' support packages
may also be top-heavy and expensive insurance schemes that seldom
deliver.
Systems integrators
"Systems integrator" is a very broad term covering everything
from hardware partners to systems consultancies and integrators
such as Dimension Data
or Logica.
True systems integrators recognise the value of competencies in
each of the disciplines required to execute a successful project.
The successful ones tend to be upfront about their skills and clear
about where they need third-party experts. To that end the most
important element of the solution that a systems integrator can
provide is a professional project manager.
If you can afford it, a systems integrator offers the best
option for a large project. You pass some of the risk of failure to
the project manager, who will orchestrate the components. Some
organisations have access to have a huge library of information
gleaned from years of project implementation. Each project team is
often made up of experts in their field, because the size of the
organisation allows them to consolidate business and projects, with
functions split out for each expert.
Hardware partners
Another type of integrator is the hardware partner, mainly for
HP
and IBM hardware. With
shrinking margins, hardware partners need to offer some value-added
services or die. Their wish to include some level of customer
service, combined with the relatively slow take-up of Linux in the
past, has meant that their internal investment typically amounts to
one or two locally based people with a limited knowledge of Linux,
although both HP and IBM also have offshore centres of
excellence.
Hardware partners cannot consistently generate enough Linux
project business to employ dedicated local experts. In this case
your "Linux engineer" is probably also the engineer for lots of
other products that the integrator carries.
An added complication is that as Linux is an open source system,
Red Hat and Novell make extensive use of non-commercial software
components, so some of those traditional and proprietary skills are
not so easily transferable, although there is a thriving online
mutual help community.
If you have a simple implementation with the main investment
into hardware, then a hardware partner is probably right for you.
But if your project includes any level of complexity, such as
setting up a
San, an Oracle
solution,
clustering or
blade systems, then either ask such a partner to engage with an
expert third-party company that really understands Linux in this
environment, or be prepared for a lot of trial, error and potential
failure.
Mid-tier support specialists
Each country appears to have one or more mid-tier specialists
that provide specialised and expert support around Linux. They are
normally open source advocates and business consultants who offer
independent advice based on a customer's needs rather than being
tied to, or evangelising for, a particular technology or
solution.
The Linux server world is still a specialised area and these
companies have had to define their value proposition more clearly
than software suppliers or system integrators. They will also have
the skills and experience to integrate your Linux solution with
your existing IT systems.
The mid-tier specialists focus on support and consultancy for
Linux systems. Their target audience and where they can deliver
most value to the customer is those organisations with 50 to 250
servers running Linux. At this level most organisations experience
difficulties in managing basic operations, including updates,
patching and offering
business-critical uptime reliability.
The specialists' support offerings range from break/fix to fully
managed services. Linux is moving into the mainstream but the
traditional support mechanisms from software suppliers and hardware
partners have often been lacking. A local presence with the option
of a partnership model, based on shared goals, can be met with real
service level agreements and on-site assistance when required.
The ownership and resolution of problems related to the complex
interaction of hardware, software and operating system are best met
by these organisations.
Open source evangelists
Many open source evangelists buy into Linux's faintly
anarchistic position. They typically have fewer than 10 employees
and yet profess to offer all kinds of services from 24-hour support
(a man on a mobile phone) to consultancy (read engineering). They
are often very active in the public sector and academic world. Open
source advocates ignore most of the real world and live in the
world of delivering basic IT infrastructure, often just services on
systems such as
DNS or
DHCP.
If you are a small organisation with one or two servers, this is
probably right for you. An evangelist will appreciate your small
budget and be able to tailor an open source alternative to
Microsoft at a fraction of the price. You are paying for their
expertise not for software.
But more than a couple of servers to deal with and the solutions
are unreliable and not resilient. The relationship becomes strained
when your systems are either a testbed for the open source guru's
latest interest or inability to understand that systems crashing
twice a day is more than a mere inconvenience to you.
These guys live a troglodyte existence working with other open
source gurus, because they believe that contact with proprietary
software will taint them. Don't be afraid to challenge them and
don't be baffled by the techno bull. If they cannot talk to you in
simple business terms, then don't work with them.
How to spot an open source evangelist
Look for extensive reference to open source on the website, and
if they are involved with community project interaction. The
website may look impressive and try to leverage big customers'
names, but ask if those Times Top 100 customers have bought
anything other than a few days' engineering or a DNS server. It's
the equivalent of a newsagent who sells a box of matches to a nurse
putting up a sign saying "supplier to the NHS". You've got to smile
but it's best to move on.
Typically, such organisations are strong advocates for Linux
projects with strange names. If they actually lead the project or
user group, steer clear: their advice will be to avoid the great
Satan, Microsoft, and only use Baboon-nix even if it doesn't really
work.
Who's for you?
The best choice of partner for your organisation will depend on
the size and complexity of your project, and the kind of
relationship you are looking for.
Major corporates with a skilled internal IT department or
dedicated IT support contract may need no more than the software
supplier's upgrades and support.
If your internal IT department is already overloaded, or has
other priorities, and you have larger time- or business-critical
projects, then the strength in depth offered by the larger systems
integrators could be the lowest risk option.
If your organisation likes a one-stop hardware shop, then you
have already made your decision. Just be prepared to demand the
level of support you need and back it up with enforceable SLAs.
If you are a mid-sized organisation, or an independent part of a
large one, looking for real expertise and the ability to integrate
your open source projects with your existing IT infrastructure,
then go for the mid-tier specialist.
And finally, if you are a small organisation, or operate in a
specialist niche, then find a good local small independent. Just be
careful it doesn't end up as more of an adventure than you'd have
liked.
Peter Dawes-Huish is CEO and founder ofLinuxIT Europe