Open Source in the enterprise

Open source software has come a long way. From the days when it was seen as a curiosity, to today’s scenario where some of the world’s biggest computer setups run atop Linux including Amazon and Google, it has been an interesting journey. According to IDC, Linux accounts for about 18-20% of the server market by revenues in any given quarter. That’s within striking distance of Unix, which had a market share of 20-22% in the second and third quarters of 2011. Of course, Windows ruled the roost with 45-50% in revenue terms.

However, looking at this picture solely in terms of revenues doesn’t tell the entire story as Linux is often downloaded and deployed for free. Therefore, its impact is greater than the numbers would suggest.

Today, Linux is a Unix-like OS that is robust enough for pretty much any application to be deployed atop it. Its robustness can be seen from the fact that most service providers rely on the open source OS for their computing needs. Being Unix-like, the Linux-x86 combination is increasingly seen as a cost-effective alternative to RISC-Unix. With the performance of x86 processors ramping up over the course of the past few years, Linux-x86 is ready for prime time.

Open source software’s penetration in some areas is significant. When it comes to Cloud computing, Linux rules the roost in terms of being the OS of choice for service providers. Even within the enterprise the time when Linux wasn’t trusted to run core applications seems to be fading. Instances of SAP ERP running on Linux, to give an example, aren’t uncommon.

Talk to vendors and they will tell you that applications that were once the sole province of Unix have been ported onto Linux-x86. Intel’s Sandy Bridge has provided the computing muscle to make Linux a worthy contender to Unix’s throne. With high availability features finding their way into the OS, enterprise app deployments on Linux are no longer an issue.

prashant.rao@expressindia.com