Threats to Linux: Expertise and acceptance

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Large Solaris installations

UNIX was the be-all, end-all of computing in the 90's. Client-server was the rage, and Sun and HP (and LATER IBM) were happy to oblige. These installations never delivered the promise, so mainframes didn't die (like they should have), and Windoze worked themselves into the server arena.

Why did this happen? The reason it happened was that there was no governance! In other words, a company would hire say, 10 UNIX gurus to manage 50 UNIX servers. Those 10 gurus ALL knew the *best* way to run a server, so each and every server was set up in a different (better) way. When upgrades came, the process was slow, inefficient and most often broke applications. The turnover during the wild 90's meant that NEW gurus replaced the old gurus, and new servers were set up *better* than the old servers. Integrating systems became an around the clock endeavor - and never would you be finished. The business' became tired of this process and started looking for alternatives.

During this time, cheap Windoze PCs were abundant, and it was easier (and cheaper) to find computer literate people that were MSCEs - than UNIX gurus. So companies started going in the Windoze direction. They found out that it was easier to set certain projects up (with purchased software), but the limited capacity and quirky memory leaks in Windoze necessitated a new paradigm - Lots of rack servers (Exchange!) and regular reboots.

Today you have a mishmash of all computing platforms - Windoze, mainframe and UNIX/Linux, but MOST computer graduates have ONLY worked on one platform - Windoze (I learned on a mainframe and Macs). Even if you train these people to operate Linux, they still have the Windoze mentality - reboot, reboot, reboot! It will take the UNIX gurus to eat some crow, and the Windoze guys to "grow up" before Linux takes over the data center . . .

Posted by: Roger Ramjet   Posted on: 07/19/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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