ZoNIX talks about the ways which can help companies strategize their growth by adopting open source model in Linux For You and I.T. Magazine, March 2009 edition.

Trying to avoid open source is probably not a very good idea. It would be like giving up IT rather having the notion of running away from open source. Gartner predicts that 80% of commercial software will contain open source code by 2011.

Some organizations might ridicule it, but shunning it away is not the solution, preparing for the changing tide definitely is. Pro commercial platform professionals has this data coming out to be one of the worst news but then one should clearly understand that time changes and so does the technology wave.

Some technology experts even say ‘forget 2011, it is already happening today. It is totally childish to avoid the buzz word and continue with the traditional way of using technology’. Believe it or not, one day which is not far away, you probably will find some part of your network dependent on open source.

Let us try to understand the impact that it will have on the current scenario. Most companies, MNCs or SMEs today have a preconceived notion that open source is not secure and reliable. With the current wave of revolution, the time is not away when the perception towards security and quality standards of open source products would change to replace traditional closed source services and products. Think about some application which has been developed by group of excellent professionals and code has been posted on the internet available to everyone for modifications. You may imagine the security problems those might be reported to the community at the first go, as everyone can see the problems by taking a quick look at the code. But after a while, such problems will not stay anymore.

As an example, Mark Driver, research vice president at Gartner says “Open source isn’t quite as good as some of its proponents would have you believe, and not as dangerous as some detractors might suggest. The important thing is to plan an open source strategy, to set guidelines on where and when open source products are to be used. ”.  Many organizations are in to open source consulting arena but there are very few who are really potent to help an organization in open source adoption through understanding their business and providing them relevant solutions.

Open source adoption strategy concept is new to the market and very few companies tend to involve top management in implementing the solutions. Top management is not involved for one reason that open source adoption is not considered to be a strategic step taken by an organization because of the perception of low security and quality that we already discussed. But the contradictory argument goes that “Many organizations have been able to leverage upon open source and the tide is rising higher and higher.” There is a reason for the same. As already discussed, not many organizations consider planning an open source strategy, to set guidelines on where and when open source products are to be used. Many organizations are trying to set open source guidelines but in vain.

But the tide would compel all to enter into this segment if they are serious about their IT infrastructure. History proves, sooner or later, the tide is going to take all for a ride.  Is your organization ready?