A growing interest in open source software (OSS) and the growing maturity of OSS tools available has garnered increased mainstream support. Jamie Yap discusses the growing support, open source cloud deployment options, and the adequate resources companies need to have for such projects in the ZDNet.com post, “Enterprises See Growing Open Source Cloud Appeal.” Suggestions for OSS implementation are shared:

As with any OSS implementations though, Lachal called on companies to be aware of the licenses used by the software involved and the level of community engagement for the tool. For instance, a strong developer community could indicate long-term support while a tepid one may point to a software without a future, he explained. Chandrasekaran also urged companies to assess whether they have the necessary in-house resources to deploy and support open source cloud projects.

Arun Chandrasekaran, research director at Gartner, also suggests that companies enlisting a third-party provider should carefully evaluate the vendor’s pre- and post-sales maintenance and support services. The read has some helpful tips for developing a well-planned road map for IT success, especially if embarking with open source software. In the open source arena, LucidWorks is a good example of a vendor that offers a full-time support team and suite of services with expert consulting, hands-on training, and around the clock professional support across the globe.

Philip West, September 27, 2012

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