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Our cover story this week, “How IT Stacks Stack Up,” is bound to be controversial, maybe even incendiary. eWEEK Labs Director Jim Rapoza tested several IT software “stacks” consisting of an operating system, Web server, database, and scripting or development language in proprietary, open-source and mixed environments.
The bad news: For every combination tested, Rapoza was bound to leave out worthy competitors. The good news: No one stack proved vastly superior to all the rest. The surprising news: Mixed stacks, made up of Windows and open-source components, performed admirably—well enough to begin breaking down the barriers between the two camps and open up opportunities for businesses without Linux administrators on board. “For some businesses,” Rapoza writes, “this will truly be the best of both worlds.”
Another natural pairing would seem to be security and storage. After all, what good is storage if the data is not secure? But some critics are still scratching their heads about Symantecs purchase of Veritas in 2005. Then, when the rest of the world wasnt really looking—one day before people started taking off for the July 4 holiday—EMC snapped up RSA Security for $2.1 billion.
Investors were not caught napping, however, and punished EMCs stock. Customers will be the final judge, says eWeek Senior Writer Chris Preimesberger in our coverage this week, as EMCs aggressive software acquisition strategy gets put to the test.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmers rallying cry used to be “Developers, developers, developers!” Now, it just might be “Partners, partners, partners!” In the wake of a reorganization of its MBS (Microsoft Business Solutions) and SMS&P (Small and Midmarket Solutions and Partners) units on June 29, Microsoft is hosting several thousand partners in Boston July 11-13. The company will hit them with the message of “Sell, sell, sell!” as it prepares for its major product release cycle that revolves around Vista in 2007, eWeek Senior Writer John Hazard reports.
Contact Scot Petersen at [email protected].