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1. Support costs? None needed with Linux. What’s an annual support contract?
2. Instability? Linux systems stay up better than any he had from Microsoft.
3. Viruses? They don’t have any since the switch.
4. Desktops that don’t need email or web browsers don’t have those tools loaded. Will Windows work without a web browser?
5. When you only have 5 software licenses at your company, it is much easier to track license use than when you have hundreds or thousands of software licenses to track.
   • MS-Windows licenses
   • MS-Office licenses (Word/Excel/Outlook)
   • MS-PowerPoint licenses
   • MS-Visio licenses
   • MS-Windows Server + CALs
     • MS-Exchange
     • MS-Active Directory + CALs
     • MS-SQL Server + CALs
     • MS-Sharepoint + CALs (unless they are still giving it away)
     • MS-SMS to push patches to all the desktop clients
     • Server Backup Software
     • Whatever specialized software your industry requires.
   • AntiVirus Software licenses for every desktop and server
6. Old hardware works fine with new versions of Linux
7. CALs – what’s that?

I’m worried that I couldn’t track all those without the help of some tools, non-free tools, I’m certain. Options exist.

Small Business

Ok, so he’s a small business and doesn’t have enterprise integration issues like huge companies do. Very few small companies do. Still, if he was able to replace about 75 desktops and a few servers with Linux, perhaps you can as well? If you need specific Windows software, perhaps those tools can be loaded on a central terminal server and shared with the few people who actually need to run it? 1 install, multiple users for a cost saving and much easier tracking of the licenses.

Partial Linux Deployment Makes More Sense

I’m not suggesting that your company throw Windows out completely, just that you may want to look at alternative solutions for as many seats as possible and limit the number of licensed software tools in your business to make tracking them all easier and lower costs.

If your IT guys don’t run Linux anywhere, they may be part of the problem. For example, Linux of file and print servers has been better than Microsoft’s solution for over a decade. Are you using Linux for file and print yet? Why not save those license and CAL costs?

How many of your desktop users really need MS-Windows desktops with the virus issues and constant patching for different installed tools. Bwteeen Adobe, Oracle, Microsoft tools all needing to be patched from different sources, it gets tough to manage. Linux will have patches too, but those come from the distribution repository and are easily automated. Even locally created tools can easily be placed into a locally controlled PPA and treated just like a distribution’s repository. No MS-SMS product needed.

Cut Back Where It Makes Sense

Here’s an article on How to convince your CxO to throw Microsoft out that provides real alternatives to common business software needs. I’ve deployed these tools. They integrate together and really do work. I’m not going to say they are perfect for everyone, but they may be ideal for your needs.

If you have 50-100 desktops, I suspect only a few actually need MS-Office, but the rest could easily work just fine with OpenOffice (or LibreOffice now) and either Firefox or Chromium browser. Imagine the savings in license, support, AV, patch pushing and all those extra management tools that simply won’t be necessary anymore when you don’t have MS-Windows. If you can’t imagine it, drop me an email at jdpfu at my domain and I’ll talk you through the options after listening to your specific setup. Sometimes the alternatives don’t work, but often they do. You’ll never know unless you ask. Together, we can quickly create a cost savings spreadsheet (OO format of course) that will put a light on your real-reoccurring costs. With Linux-based deployments, staying current across hundreds of desktops is fairly easy for zero costs in software and almost zero costs in people-time. You can still have Windows Servers and run specialized Windows client software as needed for almost all business needs, that software just doesn’t need to be installed on every desktop.

Isn’t all this worth looking at if it even saves $10K/yr to start? After a few years, you may be saving $50K-$500K per year and you’ll be off the forced hardware upgrade train. If you could replace MS-Exchange, retain all the functionality and the end users couldn’t tell, wouldn’t that be worth it? Further, if you could save over 50% off the license costs and have 20,000 users per serve (not 2K), would that be helpful? If you don’t need enterprise calendaring or can change the client (or use an excellent webmail interface), you could deploy for $0 in software license costs. Options. Weighing those options is our expertise.