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The right Linux distribution

One of the challenges that face new users of Linux is in choosing the right distribution for them.
Muggie van Staden
By Muggie van Staden, CEO, Obsidian Systems.
Johannesburg, 29 Jul 2008

In a previous column, I asserted that Linux is ready to meet the demands of corporate desktops, while it is still some way off from being ready for mass use in the consumer environment. But, with that said, the obvious question that remains is: which distribution is right for your organisation?

One of the challenges that face new users of Linux, be it individuals or businesses, is in choosing the right distribution for them, out of the thousands that are available. When it comes to desktop Linux, there are several distributions that could be considered, and all offer seemingly similar advantages from a usage and feature perspective.

It is worth reiterating that Linux is ready to meet the demands of corporate desktop users in controlled environments. Some would argue that the environment should also be one that requires standard functionality from a features perspective too. This is negotiable, but the point is that in order to make corporate desktop Linux work, the environment must be controlled. And this is true of any desktop operating system.

Controlling the environment is where we find one useful differentiator between Linux distributions. On a feature level, it is difficult to argue that one distribution is better than another. But, in managing and supporting the environment while providing the required level of control, we find significant differences from one distribution to the next.

At a feature level, Linux is Linux. If you are able to make something work on one version or distribution on Linux, it is almost certain that this can be repeated on other distributions. This is thanks to the common underlying Linux architecture that is employed by any true Linux distribution.

The adaptation of something from one Linux distribution to another might require some work, but it is always possible. As such, features and applications are not solid differentiators and do little to help businesses decide on which Linux to use for their desktops.

The deciding factors from a management perspective also have little to do with the technical side of the Linux distribution and look more at business requirements in terms of the broader environment.

An example of this is support. As with any technology, whether proprietary or open source, businesses require vendor-backed support for their technology investments. A distribution of Linux might meet all of the usage and functionality requirements, but this is of little use if the business is left in the lurch in terms of support.

Linux is ready to meet the demands of corporate desktop users in controlled environments.

Muggie van Staden is MD of Obsidian Systems.

A local support partner is vital to the long-term success of any technology deployment. Another sign of competency in terms of delivering business-ready technology is certification, both of implementers, support partners and less obvious components such as the hardware your Linux will run on and the applications you will deploy on it.

Effective management tools that allow the business to administrate and maintain its own Linux desktop environment are also crucial. If one considers the hidden costs that these tools sometimes represent, this can offer another differentiator.

Management tools for Windows desktop environments invariably are supplied by third-party vendors and can carry a heavy cost. Likewise, most Linux distributions do not offer desktop network management tools and again, a third-party solution must be relied upon. But some desktop Linux distributions do offer powerful management tools for the maintenance of desktop environments. These can also take advantage of Linux features, such as holistic package management, that can be employed to do bulk-updates to the desktop environment from a central point.

Patch deployment and other group management tools are important when managing a corporate desktop environment that can have anything from a small group to thousands of desktop machines in it. These need to be kept up-to-date and managed centrally - or even deployed in the first place. Does your Linux distribution facilitate or hinder this?

Desktop Linux is on the agenda of many organizations, especially government, in the case of South Africa. But, so often the costs of managing and deploying Linux are not factored in. Once these considerations are included, it is surprising which distributions come out on top.

The recommendation for any company moving to a Linux desktop environment is, therefore, to focus on features that benefit the computing environment, not just individual machines, and to consider both the competency and costs of management and support for any given distribution.

* Muggie van Staden is MD of Obsidian Systems.

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