Open Source software is generally known to be "free", but the word "free" is ambiguous. How does it apply to Open Source software, and what other business advantages are there to using it?
Maybe you've heard the rumours: "free software", "more reliable", "not affected by viruses", "only usable by geeks", "can't run Windows programs". What's the truth? Can there really be a "free business lunch"?
Businesses rely on IT
to such an extent that many of them almost cease to function if
there's a major IT problem. Effective system monitoring, with
automated alarm notifications to support staff, can pre empt
many problems and thus improve system availability.
Information Technology: two words that describe a vital part of today's business processes. When things don't go so smoothly, the Technology part can usually repaired or replaced relatively easily. But what of the Information part? Do your data backups pass the eight-point test?
