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Open Source
Showing interest
The myth that Linux is hard to use and expensive to maintain
is changing.
SMBs are open to experimenting with open source platforms and are likely to
consider them to run their core applications. However, the biggest setback to
the adoption of open source software by SMBs is the negative mindset both from
the technology side as well as the business or user perspective. This has to
be resolved if open source software deployments are to succeed.
Price matters
SMBs are price-conscious, and are in desperate need of enterprise applications
where the cost does not escalate as they scale up. Discouraged by factors such
as the cost of licensing commercial software (OS, databases, app servers and
reporting tools), and since open source safeguards against forced future hardware
investment, they prefer to go in for open source platforms.
SMBs are showing interest in open source enterprise applications because there
is a desire to customise these applications to their specific industry, and
reduce overall maintenance commitments.
Barriers to adoption
Many have observed that open source platforms such as Linux are more secure,
and the amount of maintenance required is comparatively less. However, adoption
is low. The prime reason behind this is the perceived lack of user-friendliness
and skills shortage for Linux. Another reason for SMBs to still stick to Windows
may be on account of the associated applications.
Although Linux has been around for a while, it was largely
restricted to the role of a mail server. However, over the past two years its
fortunes have changed. Not only have big players such as IBM, HP and Novell
rallied around the OS, smaller players too are attracted by the opportunity
to be had in bundling Linux-based products and selling said bundles to small
and medium enterprises.
| Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop
 SUSE
Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 includes OpenOffice.org 2 Novell Edition at
no additional cost. OpenOffice.org is an office suite with word processing,
spreadsheet, presentation, drawing, and database applications. In SUSE
Linux Enterprise Desktop, the Xgl graphical environment dramatically improves
the user experience with features like the spinning cube, application
tiling and window-preview alt-tabbing.
Price: Subscriptions are available for a
list price of Rs 2,650 per device per year, or Rs 6,625 for three years
Contact: Khushal Bhansali
Telephone: 022 28342244
E-mail: kbhansali@novell.com
Website: novell.com/products/desktop
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| Netcore’s Emergic MailServ Ver. 4.5.1
 Netcore’s
Emergic MailServ clubs together a mail server with proxy, a firewall and
a chat server. Emergic MailServ supports various modes of connection to
the Internet such as dial-up, cable modem, ISDN, VSAT and leased line.
It also provides options to connect to different ISPs with different settings.
Size of incoming and outgoing emails can be restricted on a per user basis.
Price: Rs 45,000 (50 user pack)
Contact: Kalpit Jain
Telephone: 9820032324
E-mail: kalpit@netcore.co.in
Website: netcore.co.in or cleanmail.in
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| Novell Access Manager
 The
software enables single sign-on and lets you centralise access control
for all digital resources, eliminating the need for multiple software
tools at various locations. It also supports major federation standards,
including SAML and Liberty Alliance.
Price: Per User License: Rs 5,300 per user.
Per User pricing is recommended for Business-to-Employee implementations
Per Instance: Rs 26,50,000 per instance.
Note: Each instance applies to Identity
Server and Access Gateways. Access Gateway instance includes an SSL VPN
license. Java Agents are free of charge and available via download.
The basic fault tolerant configuration includes two Identity
Servers and two Access Gateways = Rs 1,06,00,000.
Contact: Khushal Bhansali
Telephone: 022 28342244
E-mail: kbhansali@novell.com
Website: novell.com/products/accessmanager/
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| Nitix Autonomic Linux-based Server Operating System
 Nitix
is a Linux-based server operating system that provides networking, collaboration,
file and storage, security, and application services in an easy-to-deploy
and manage environment. It includes Web, email, file and print services,
plus additional security, backup and disaster recovery features to help
protect your valuable business data. Nitix uses autonomic computing features
and leverages the performance of Linux to reduce infrastructure complexity
and lower IT costs. It also incorporates wizards, a user-friendly interface
and easy administration tools.
Price: Starts at $599 for five users
Contact: Yatin Kantak
Telephone: 9867231000
E-mail: yatin@nitix.com
Website: nitix.com
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| Nitix Blue
 NitixBlue
has built-in self-management and self-healing autonomics. The greatest
cost and overhead of an IT system is the cost of managing it. Integrated
with NitixBlue is NitixApp Express, for point-and-click SMB-ready business
applications. It is also integrated with IBM Lotus Domino Express collaboration
tools. The ultimate in crash and disaster recovery, Net Integration’s
operating systems can be stored on read-only media, so system recovery
is simply a matter of installing a new hard disk and initiating the recovery
process.
Price: Starts at US$599 for five users
Contact: Yatin Kantak
Telephone: 9867231000
E-mail: yatin@nitix.com
Website: nitix.com
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| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10
 With
a set of server administration, configuration and deployment tools (called
YaST and AutoYaST), SUSE Linux Enterprise Server eases the burden of system
maintenance. Application behavior beyond the necessary scope is denied
and logged—effectively securing your systems using AppArmor. With
iSCSI technology and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, you can keep up with
compliance regulations.
Price: Subscriptions are available for a
list price of Rs 18,497 per device per year, or Rs 46,269 for three years.
Contact: Khushal Bhansali
Telephone: 022 28342244
E-mail: kbhansali@novell.com
Website: novell.com/products/server
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