Open Source Strategy

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Open Source Strategy
Ted Schadler Principal Analyst,
Software Forrester Research
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Agenda

• What is open source and why is it different?
• Which open source products should you use?
• Where does Linux fit?
• What the best Linux deployment strategy?

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Whats different about open source?

• Development the scientific method yields great
  infrastructure software
• Peer review
• Published results
• Coding volunteers
• Released by engineers
• Licensing typically free
• Support a broad array of choices

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Open source works best for infrastructure

• The nature of quality is different for
  infrastructure software
• Low-cost
• Secure
• Rock solid
• Biggest user base means that coders are rewarded
  most on infrastructure projects
• Other software markets are too small or niche to
  attract attention and expertise

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Open source risks and rewards
Risks
Rewards
Low cost
High quality
Broad support
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Open source business models

• Enhance, support, and distribute (Red Hat, SuSE,
  Covalent, JBoss Group)
• Use dual licensing to sell one version and give
  one version away (mySQL, Zope)
• Sell hardware (Dell, HP, IBM)
• Bundle in commercial software (BEA, IBM, Oracle,
  Sun, many others)

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Which open source products should you use?
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Apply three open source filters
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An open source deployment list

• Deploy with confidence
• Linux, Apache, Axis, Struts, PHP, Perl
• Representative watch list
• SAMBA, Tomcat, JBoss, mySQL
• Avoid in most situations
• Linux desktop. Open Office

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Where does Linux fit?
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Linux already has an enterprise foothold
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Linux is more than ready for the enterprise

• The Linux kernel is more than ready for
  enterprise workloads
• Commercial support is readily available from
  giants like HP, IBM, Oracle, and SAP
• ISVs are busily porting their apps to Linux
• Intellectual property concerns are IBMs problem
  -- not yours

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Though mostly at the front of the datacenter
Where are you running Linux today?
44
40
26
24
6
Data
Client
Infra-
App
Web
structure
tier
tier
tier
email
tier
tier
Base 50 1B companies using Linux
(multiple responses accepted)
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Whats the best Linux deployment strategy?
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Linux will tip in the datacenter in 2003
Linux server loads
The Linux tipping point
Commercial support from high-tech giants
Falling technology barriers
Unix reliability at Intel prices
2001
2007
2003
2005
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Beware of chaos, cost, and complexity

• Too many Linux distributions -- and
  configurations
• Too many hardware configurations
• Too much Linux outside the datacenter

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A managed deployment strategy
Building a shared server pool by automating
server procurement and operation
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Mastering managed Linux deployment

• Build a managed deployment playbook
• Treat Linux like commercial software
• Create cookie-cutter configurations
• Plot a migration roadmap
• 2003 Web servers, email, infrastructure
• 2004 Portals, call centers, commerce sites
• 2006 Core transaction systems
• Assemble a vendor portfolio

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Assemble a vendor portfolio

• Bet on a single distribution
• Red Hat (North America)
• SuSE (Europe, mainframe, desktop)
• Choose a primary and secondary hardware supplier
  (Dell, HP, IBM)
• Invest in provisioning and management
• Pure Linux LinuxCare, Covalent, Red Hat
• Heterogeneous HP, Opsware, Veritas

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Server market dynamics in 2003
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Linux hollows out the server market by 2007
Percentage of new workloads
Intel
Mainframe- class
RISC
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So what can go wrong?

• IP lawsuits may continue to ramp up
• IBM will intervene to solve this problem
• ISVs, worried about IP issues, may slow their
  porting efforts
• Get started with Linux where its a proven
  winner Web servers, email, file print
• Sun may Solaris-ize Linux -- igniting another
  round of the Unix wars
• GPL licensing comes to the rescue

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Thank you
Ted Schadler 1 617/613-5975 tschadler_at_forrester.c
om www.forrester.com