“…But other questions remain. How well does Linux fit the
enterprise? How successful have Computer Associates International,
Novell, Oracle and other companies been at deploying their products
on this new platform? How feasible is running Linux as a core
operating system in your organization, and how well will it
work?”
“To answer these and other questions, we heroically plunged
into the open-source revolution: The Network Computing Real-World
Labs in Chicago went Linux–big time. We converted our production
systems into Linux-based solutions–everything from our file and
print servers to our firewalls and backup systems. We even changed
over our VPN (virtual private network) devices. We took Novell’s
eDirectory for Linux on a test drive, integrating our Linux servers
into our NDS infrastructure. We slept with Red Hat CDs and put
penguins under our pillows (stuffed ones, of course). We even had a
few brave souls toss away Microsoft Office and move to StarOffice
on X Window. Finally, we interviewed some of the large
hardware players–including Compaq Computer Corp., Dell, HP and
SGI–and got their take on the Linux scene.”
“The result? Some surprises, some interesting trends and some
painful experiences. Linux has arrived and will continue to change
the corporate landscape. One thing is obvious, however: How and
where you choose to deploy Linux will determine whether your
colleagues will come to praise you or bury you.”