Re: _[vox]_ACM_article:_'Study:_IT_Budgets_Opening_Up_to_Linux'

[Eric <unix4eric@yahoMAPSo.com>]

> We're talking about EDS? It is very much different
> for a large business, 
> a small or medium could use the outside help, albeit
> it can be 
> expensive, but we are talking Linux here...
> 
> This is what I get for entering a conversation
> halfway at 2am or so 
> hehe. I noticed that EDS are in the black and seem
> to be doing well.
> 
> Eric, customers get to choose what they have
> running? Do they ever ask 
> you what you recommend, or even what you are
> running? Whats the policy 
> on this sort of question, if there is one? Just a
> little intrigued to 
> know what its like in a multi-os environment.
> 
> 
> Matt

I'm waaaaay down the food chain, so no customer asks
me anything directly. In general, we say "we offer
these services: web hosting, managed storage,
centralized backup, hardware and software monitoring
and support... and here is what we have as standard
packaged service: Windows 2000 on Compaq, Solaris on
SUN, HP-UX on HP. If you want to deviate from that, we
will do so, but it will cost you x amount extra". The
idea is that with standardization, we can get
discounts form vendors, leverage the environment (use
certain standard services and software for multiple
clients, reducing costs, such as massive backup for
multiple clients, etc.) and focus our knowledge on
certain hardware/software solutions. This would be
instead of "Customer A wants it this way, B wants it
that way, C wants it another way..." Like having a
room full of Debian servers on Intel only, instead of
multiple Linux on multiple (different) platforms. You
can easily see how support costs are lessened across a
standard environment. We run Linux if a customer says
"I want Linux running for these services..." or
whatnot. I don't think Linux is appreciably more or
less costwise, necessarily, but it is a deviation, or
customization if you will, that will be factored into
the equation. I don't think it is our policy to
necessarily encourage or discourage people from using
Linux per se, and there is a corporate push to
increase Linux knowledge within the organization.
ERic


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