Customer Reviews

Expanding Choice: Moving to Linux and Open Source with Novell Open Enterprise Server

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Expanding Choice: Moving To Linux And Open Source With Novell Open Enterprise Server by the team of Jason Williams, Peter Clegg, and Emmett Dulaney provides a detailed, hands-on guide to all of the technical and business benefits of implementing open source software in an enterprise environment, particularly when combined with select proprietary technologies. A review of the benefits and costs of both open source and closed source software systems is provided, as well as an analysis of the benefits of an approach that blends the choice and flexibility of open source with the reliability of Novell's proven networking software. This is an essential core addition to the Linux reference user's reference shelf.

You probably know that the major unix vendors, IBM, Sun and HP, are migrating their unixes to linux. But the smaller players are also doing so. Notably Novell, as described in this book.

The first 3 chapters are a good, vendor-neutral explanation of open source and why you might want to go with it. The advice is commendably objective. For these chapters alone, you may want to seriously consider getting the book.

The remainder of the book explains Novell's proprietary offerings. It suggests possible advantages in adopting their Open Enterprise Server. The level of discussion is moderately technical. Seems mostly directed as an overview for management.

En passant, I have to remark on a list of 10 reasons, given in chapter 4, claiming that Novell "is the best choice as a partner". One reason is "Novell has more resources and talent focused on delivering enterprise class linux and open source technologies than any other vendor". I am very dubious about this. IBM is much larger and has been offering this type of linux support for several years.