Average Rating: Rate this article:

Linux Ecosystem Spending To Exceed $49 Billion By Mark Long April 10, 2008 12:31PM     Two recent studies suggest that Linux is being seen as a solution for wider and more critical business deployments. An IDC report says Linux server usage is expanding to more commercially oriented workloads previously the domain of Windows and Unix. And a Linux Foundation report shows the growing importance of Linux to big business.   Related Topics Linux Unix Windows Server Red Hat Latest News Plasma-TV Ban Could Be Costly Barnes & Noble Nook Is Delayed Flat PC Shipments Hurt Dell's Stock Ballmer Says Windows 7 Sales Good New Pogoplug 'Cloud' Gets Social IDC researchers predict that spending on the Linux ecosystem will rise from $21 billion in 2007 to more than $49 billion in 2011, driven by rising enterprise deployments of Linux server operating systems. Linux server deployments are expanding from infrastructure -oriented applications to more commercially oriented database and enterprise resource-planning workloads "that historically have been the domain of Microsoft Windows and Unix," noted IDC analysts in a white paper commissioned by the nonprofit Linux Foundation. "The early adoption of Linux was dominated by infrastructure-oriented workloads, often taking over those workloads from an aging Unix server or Windows NT 4.0 server that was being replaced," according to the report's authors, Al Gillen, Elaina Stergiades and Brett Waldman. These days, however, Linux is increasingly being "viewed as a solution for wider and more critical business deployments." Unix Migrations According to IDC, total software revenue on the Linux platform amounts to $10 billion today, or 4 percent of an overall total of $242 billion. "That share is expected to grow to more than 9 percent by 2011, or $31 billion in Linux-related software revenue in a total market that will grow to $330 billion," the analysts said. IDC projects spending on software related to Linux server platforms between 2006 and 2011 will rise at a compound annual growth rate of 35.7 percent -- even as the overall spending on Linux software, hardware and services increases at a projected 24.1 percent clip. "The growth of Linux as a platform for business-oriented workloads appears to be coming largely from migration of existing Unix deployments in combination with organic growth of Linux deployments in these same workload areas," the study's authors observed. Government, financial services, and general services users are "highly likely" to move to Linux as a replacement for existing Unix servers, IDC researchers said. "Other industries have a lower likelihood of selecting Linux as a replacement for existing Unix server installations, but still remain as friendly to Linux as an alternative solution as they are to other migration options," the report said. IDC also expects Linux to continue applying competitive pressures on other major server operating environments, including Windows and Unix. "Each of these three platforms has a well-established installed base and will survive over the long term, but market expansion and platform-to-platform migrations, particularly Unix migrations, will continue to be hotly contested by Linux and by Windows," the researchers predicted. (continued...) 1  |  2  |  Next Page >   Advertisement  Linux/Open Source 1.   Chrome OS Team Aims for Speed 2.   Chrome OS Will Focus on Security 3.   Motorola's Droid Appears Strong 4.   Nokia Launches Critical N900 Phone 5.   Webmail Features Come To Desktop

Product Information and Resources for Technology You Can Use To Boost Your Business CRM Systems   Experience CRM—and Business—Success today with Salesforce.com. Contact Centers   Run Your Entire Contact Center in the Cloud with LiveOps Enterprise Hardware   Go Green with IBM Blade Center    Enterprise I.T.    Rackspace: It makes a difference when you focus on support.   Go Green with IBM Blade Center   APC introduces server room in a box solutions!   Tell us what you think. Take a survey.   Find out how much you can save with the SQL Server value tool.   See how AT&T can help protect your network. Enterprise Software   Read the Top 10 Reasons to Upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2. Microsoft/Windows   Rackspace: It makes a difference when you focus on support   Read the Top 10 Reasons to Upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2. Network Security   See how AT&T can help protect your network.

Network Security Spotlight

House Lawmakers Push Ban on Peer-to-Peer Software Stung by an embarrassing electronic leak revealing ethics investigations into dozens of lawmakers, Congress moved to prohibit federal employees from using the file-sharing software blamed for the disclosure.   GAO: Los Alamos Computer Security Has Weaknesses Security weaknesses uncovered in Los Alamos National Laboratory's computer network increase the risk of a classified-information breach, says the Government Accountability Office.   Computer Security Firm Fortinet Plans IPO This Week Fortinet plans to go public in an initial public offering, giving investors a chance to tap a network security provider with sales that are expected to grow. The IPO could be valued at $137.5 million or more.

Enterprise Hardware Spotlight

Flat Shipments Hurt Dell Despite Increased Earnings Dell's earnings are up and expectations are solid, but the company's stock still took a hit after analysts signaled the company isn't playing a key role in the PC market recovery.   New Pogoplug 'Personal Cloud' Does Social Networking Cloud Engines has released its newest version of the Pogoplug, a small "multimedia sharing device" that connects hard drives to the Internet and allows a user to access the files remotely.   Apple Tablet Rumored Delayed as Publisher Gears Up There have been so many rumors of an Apple tablet that it has taken on legendary status. But now the legend is being revised with reports of a delay and that a major publisher is getting ready.

Enterprise Technology Spotlight

Flat Shipments Hurt Dell Despite Increased Earnings Dell's earnings are up and expectations are solid, but the company's stock still took a hit after analysts signaled the company isn't playing a key role in the PC market recovery.   Smartphones: A Bigger Target for Security Threats Smartphones are increasingly prevalent and adept at handling more tasks, including trading stocks, paying bills, and buying stuff online. That makes them attractive to thieves and hackers.   FBI Says Hackers Targeting Law Firms, PR Companies Hackers are targeting law firms and public relations companies with a sophisticated e-mail scheme that breaks into their computer networks to steal sensitive data, often linked to large corporate clients.

Navigation NewsFactor Network Home/Top News | Enterprise I.T. | Hardware | Software | Communications | Network Security | Wireless Tech | Linux/Open Source Apple/Macintosh | Microsoft/Windows | World Wide Web | Data Storage | E-Commerce | Personal Tech | Tech Trends | Press Releases NewsFactor Network Enterprise I.T. Sites NewsFactor Technology News | Enterprise Security Today | CRM Daily NewsFactor Business and Innovation Sites Sci-Tech Today | NewsFactor Business Report NewsFactor Services FreeNewsFeed | Free Newsletters | Free Whitepapers | About NewsFactor Network | How To Contact Us | Article Reprints | Careers @ NewsFactor | Services for PR Pros | Top Tech Wire | How To Advertise Privacy Policy | Terms of Service © Copyright 2000-2009 NewsFactor Network. All rights reserved. Article rating technology by Blogowogo.