Open source might not be poised to kill off proprietary applications, but it is positioned to raise the caliber of enterprise software. One IT executive put it, "Open source should be one arrow in the quiver, basically, and an important one."
If you're not testing open source software, or at least figuring out where it could fit in your data center, it's time to start looking. As the Linux operating system matures out of its geeky adolescence, there is no shortage of open source tools - application servers, databases, content management systems, CRM - riding its coattails.
Not that you should be rushing to throw out systems to bring in free software, but you should be taking a hard look at where open source can work in your data center.
In our Open Source special section , we aim to provide a good foundation on which you can build an open source strategy. Our collection of stories consider all sides of the issue: where and how open source is being used; what successes IT managers are finding; what hurdles they're facing; and what's in store in the years ahead.
It's clear that open source software is making inroads, but the transition is slow. Gartner says by 2010 open source products will account for no more than 10% of the overall software portfolio in Global 2000 companies. The research firm also predicts that "despite the inherent challenges ... the majority of mainstream IT organizations will successfully adopt formal open source management strategies as core IT disciplines."
Which is to say that while open source might not be the software of choice all the time, it will be deployed often enough to warrant special management attention.
In our lead story, we talk about this growing interest in open source software as enterprise users comfortable with Linux begin moving up the stack. In "Getting There: Migrating to Open Source," we offer a laundry list of good advice.
In "Real Deal ," we look at a handful of companies that have had success with open source tools, including a healthcare facility that had enough faith to deploy an emergency medical records system based on open source.
Not that open source software is without pitfalls. In "Risk," we talk about the downsides of open source, including legal vulnerabilities, support issues and performance questions. Our piece on security outlines the controversy over whether open source is more secure than closed source alternatives.
Open source might not be poised to kill off proprietary applications, but it is positioned to raise the caliber of enterprise software. One IT executive put it, "Open source should be one arrow in the quiver, basically, and an important one."