Open Source Today
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Open Source Security and Data Center Consolidation become Key Opportunities for Resellers
A study by the Federal Open Source Alliance has revealed that the Federal Government has an increasing appetite for open source. The study indicates that 71 percent of respondents confirmed that their agency has or will benefit from open source.
Similar to the state government market, the Federal agencies data center consolidation is accelerating the Fed's open source transition. 58 percent of the agencies surveyed said they are likely to move to open source as they consolidate their data centers. The full study is available for download at this web site.
Surveys of the Department of Defense (DoD), Federal civilian, and Intelligence IT executives, indicated that Federal open source implementers own different perceptions of the benefits and challenges associated with deploying open source, most notably around security issues. The users of open source identify advanced security as the biggest benefit while 30 percent cite access to advanced and multi-leveled security capabilities as the top benefit.
Analysts Report says Linux Losing Market Share - What's New?
IDC's latest report sees Linux losing market share to Windows, at least on x86 servers in the US. Of course, this leaves out the exponental growth globally
Why the change? Linux grew annually in 2003 at 53%. According to IDC's latest figures Linux shipments on new hardware fell to into negative terrioty in 2006. That's according to eweek. At the same time, Windows server figures supposedly continue to grow.
The message is simple, IDC points out the earlier Linux's earlier growth rates should be attributed to migration from Unix to Linux. IDC also writes that the migration has finished.
According to AMD, Windows had 50% of the server market at the turn of the century but now has 70%. AMD believes Linux has 20% of the market and traditional UNIX has around 10%. That's a far stretch considering that Linux is growing rapidly.
Factors to consider include Linux white box sales have not made IDC's official count. Companies download the free software and migrate from Windows boxes to Linux in cost savings modes. IDC and AMD base their figures on sales of new hardware from the major manufactures who have competition from a number of alternate vendors. Finally the growth of Linux on alternative platforms such as IBM's PPC includes every system in their line with the exception of the Intel xSeries. Finally, the report doesn't take into consideration embedded Linux and Linux desktops such as Ubuntu.
We should question the methods IDC uses to measure Linux and Windows sales. Don't you wonder why the comparisons were made between 2003 and 2006?
SYSGO - An Embedded Linux with real-time capabilities
If you're looking for an embedded Linux partner, want to look for devices or bid on an RFP, you should consider SYSGO. The company has a partnership program VARs should consider as an opportunity, especially in the US. Linux Devices ranked SYSGO first among commercial embedded Linux suppliers in the seventh annual Linx Devices Embedded Market Survet.
SYSGO desings, implements and configures devise software for the embedded Linux market with its real-time operating system. SYSGO targets Aerospace, defense. Industrial Automation, Automotive, Consurmer Electronics and Network Infrastructure. The company's client list includes among others: DaimlerChrysler, Airbus, Honeywell, Raytheon, Rockwell-Collins and Siemens.
The website could use an easier way to navigate information for VARS, so I would either email them or make a phone call. The opportunity for VARs in this space should start with an investigation of SYSGO.
