Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Servers

    Linux Is Not So Free

    By
    Jim Rapoza
    -
    September 1, 2003
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Without a doubt, Linux has become fully accepted as a powerful, scalable and stable platform for enterprise deployments. Somewhat surprisingly, however, the cost of deploying Linux is getting pretty close to the cost of deploying some other enterprise platforms.

      Whats that, you say? The high cost of Linux? Linux is free, you fool. And dont give me any of that high TCO garbage, either.

      No, thats not what I mean. In fact, Blaster and SoBig should serve as a reality check for any analyst who thinks that Linux has a high total cost of ownership. (While worm-weary IT managers at Windows shops have been putting in overtime the past few weeks, their Linux shop brethren havent spent a red cent fighting Blaster and SoBig.)

      When I speak about the high cost of deploying Linux, Im talking about changes in licensing and support costs that major Linux system and application vendors are springing on customers. For many of these customers, especially those with large numbers of enterprise-class Linux systems, the cost of deploying “free” Linux can be very high indeed.

      One of the main culprits here is the company that is probably closest to being the Microsoft of Linux: Red Hat. Red Hat as a company is really nothing like Microsoft at all, but it is the dominant Linux provider and has increasingly become the main Linux vendor for which third-party enterprise application vendors certify their products (often exclusively).

      The main issue is that Red Hat and other Linux vendors need to make money somehow. And the main way they can do it is through support, patches and updates. This has led Red Hat to charge its customers a yearly fee to receive support and, most important, regular patches and updates for each of their Red Hat Linux-based enterprise systems.

      And for some Red Hat Linux customers, this has become too much to swallow. You can find customers on many Linux newsgroups and user boards complaining about the six-figure fees they owe Red Hat and vowing to move to another Linux distribution. The story by Anne Chen, “Linux for the Long Haul,” part of our big Linux package this week, profiles just such a dissatisfied customer: the city of Steamboat Springs, Colo., which is considering a move from Red Hat Linux.

      Click here for eWEEKs coverage of Linux in the enterprise.

      There are options for these customers, but there are also possibly insurmountable hurdles. One of the biggest is enterprise application support.

      The Oracle database, for example, is certified for Red Hats Linux distribution and United Linux distributions. Of course, Linux is Linux, so a company could probably convert Oracle to run on another Linux distribution, such as Debian, but it would then lose support from Oracle.

      Another problem arises from the confusing nature of Red Hats license. Since Linux is open source, Red Hat cant make you stop running it. So, basically, its license boils down to an agreement that you will pay for support and updates for your Red Hat enterprise Linux systems.

      You could pay for just a few systems and then update others based on their images. But when you purchased Red Hat Linux, you specifically agreed not to do this.

      Probably the best option is to use Red Hat Linux on systems that need high levels of support—namely, critical servers. The rest of your systems could then be moved to another Linux distribution.

      Even with these support and licensing costs, deploying Red Hat Linux systems will still cost much less than deploying a similar number of Solaris systems. And if its a deployment where client licenses are required, it will probably cost much less than a similar deployment of Windows servers, although a Windows-server-only configuration would be comparable in price.

      Linux vendors such as Red Hat should be able to get paid for the services and support they provide. But dont expect an enterprise deployment of Linux to be completely free unless you have the expertise and capability to patch and support your Linux systems yourself.

      Discuss this in the eWeek forum.

      Technical Director Jim Rapoza can be reached at [email protected].

      Jim Rapoza
      Jim Rapoza, Chief Technology Analyst, eWEEK.For nearly fifteen years, Jim Rapoza has evaluated products and technologies in almost every technology category for eWEEK. Mr Rapoza's current technology focus is on all categories of emerging information technology though he continues to focus on core technology areas that include: content management systems, portal applications, Web publishing tools and security. Mr. Rapoza has coordinated several evaluations at enterprise organizations, including USA Today and The Prudential, to measure the capability of products and services under real-world conditions and against real-world criteria. Jim Rapoza's award-winning weekly column, Tech Directions, delves into all areas of technologies and the challenges of managing and deploying technology today.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×