By Andy McCue, 16 December 2003 14:50
NEWS Linux is ready for business IT systems – although there are still concerns about the cost, compatibility and security of migrating systems to the open source software, according to the latest silicon.com CIO Jury.
Following recent desktop Linux trials announced by the NHS and the government and recent IDC figures that showed the open source software continues to eat into the Unix market on the server side, we asked our panel if Linux is ready for the enterprise.
Two-thirds of our 12-man CIO Jury said Linux is now a viable part of the IT strategy, with the remaining four still harbouring major concerns.
Consumer goods manufacturer Unilever is one firm that has firmly nailed its Linux credentials to the wall, having already committed to achieving £66m in savings over three years by moving from Unix.
Martin Armitage, head of the global information organisation at Unilever, said: `"This is an evolution starting with appliance devices such as name servers, firewalls, internet sites, then to non mission critical applications and finally to large scale mission critical applications. The evolution commences in 2002, and we expect by 2006 all new systems which were previously Unix will be Linux based."
Gavin Whatrup, IT director at Delaney, Lund, Knox, Warren & Partners, said that while Linux is ready for mainstream business use, its proven track record is limited to the application server environment, where it offers the ability to be customized for specific tasks.
"We have implemented Apache on Linux plus we have a roadmap for the migration of our Domino infrastructure to Linux," he said. "This will be, however, within a Windows directory managed infrastructure. No flavour of Linux yet has the general server omnipotence to compete with Microsoft or Novell's directory offerings."
But the University of Strathclyde's director of information services Dr Stuart Brought claims Linux is not yet ready for mission critical systems. "Linux, as a middle tier or on departmental servers, is OK but within our main machine room infrastructures, it is not quite there yet. But keep watching," he said.
The desktop also remains an area where CIOs are still uncertain about the viability of Linux, despite Sun's recent Java Desktop System and NHS announcements.
Frank Coyle, IT director at John Menzies, said Novell's acquisition of SUSE Linux and Sun's JDS have taken away some of the uncertainty. "We are, however, left with our legacy of Microsoft products currently in place, thus, while Linux is ready for mainstream business use, it will not necessarily be taken up by many companies unless there is a specific reason for them to move," he said.
Pete Smith, director of IT and telcoms at Inmarsat, said initial savings from implementing open source systems could hide much bigger cost and compatibility problems.
"You may save money initially but you will probably spend much more in the long run trying to ensure systems are compatible and can take advantage of all other parts of your IT environment. If you implement an open source application, such as an alternative to MS Office, you will be faced with a significant user training and education problem," he said.
Other members of the CIO Jury raised concerns about the security of open source systems and the need for new skills and expertise in the IT organisation.
Today's CIO Jury was:
Martin Armitage, Head of Global Information Organisation, Unilever
Ian Auger, Head of IT and Communications, ITN
Graham Benson, Information Services Director and CIO, Screwfix Direct
Dr Stuart Brough, Director of IT Services, University of Strathclyde
Paul Coby, CIO, British Airways
Frank Coyle, IT Director, John Menzies Distribution
Derek Gannon, IT Director, The Guardian
John Keeling, Director of Computer Services, John Lewis Partnership
Pete Smith, Director of IT and Telecoms, Inmarsat
Gavin Whatrup, IT Director, Delaney, Lund, Knox, Warren & Partners
Paul Worthington, CTO, Kingfisher
David Yu, CTO, Betfair.com
If you are a CIO, IT director or equivalent at a large or small company in the private or public sector and want to be part of silicon.com's exclusive CIO Jury pool, or you know an IT chief who should be, then drop as a line at editorial@silicon.com
Comments
There are 5 comments. Join the discussion
1. Joel Stone
Gavin Whatrup claims: "No flavour of Linux yet has the general server omnipotence to compete with Microsoft or Novell's directory offerings."
I'm sorry, but that is rather an ignorant statement, even apart from confusing an operating system with an application. The fact is, Novell edirectory not only runs on linux, one might even say that linux is the preferred platform for edirectory, given that Novell is now one of the big two linux vendors.
2. anonymous
Someone needs to point Mr Dr Stuart Brough to the UK mars Beagle 2 Mission. A single linux workstation is in charge of manipulating the lander. It that is not a mission critical application I don't know what is. Of course to some Linux will never be ready due to unwillingness to change and or other personal agenda's.
3. It's here
This article is about perceptions, not measurements. "It's just not there yet." Where IS "there"?
"There" is an excuse not to consider your options.
I'm quite sure Linux isn't "there" - it's here.
4. anonymous
Having run GNU/Linux on many different computers, since 1997, I am of the opinion that all the Microsoft FUD and lies about all their competitors will remain with us, even as the last hold out switches from clunky, locked in, proprietary, expensive, hidden source-code Operating Systems! Microsoft will still try to come to market in a 'lease-ware' environment that they would like to monopolize.
There are too many success stories for Open Source, to give any credence to one backward CIO's mis-statements.
5. anonymous
Eight out of the twelve man jury saw Linux as a "viable part of the IT strategy". The remaining four members had concerns. So far no one has commented on the two-thirds majority verdict, instead focussing on those members who are not convinced. This strikes me as the typical response from the Linux community, who demand that everyone must support Linux and can't accept that some people still have doubts.