Enterprise Open Source Software Data Center Solution: Bill Vass on Open Source. With almost 10 years of open source experience under my belt, I have no doubt that open source software is ready for prime time across the enterprise today. Learn more from Bill Vass about using open source software solutions like Solaris OS in your enterprise or data center solution design.

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With almost 10 years of open source experience under my belt, I have no doubt that open source software is ready for prime time across the enterprise today.

As unlikely as it might've seemed 10 years ago, open source software has become mainstream in today's data centers. A decade ago, in 1996, I was a technical director in the U.S. Department of Defense, where I made the decision to deploy hundreds of open source Linux Web and file servers.

Back then, many engineers were skeptical about the idea of running an open source operating system on Intel-based 486 servers in production — some people even said I was crazy. While today I look more forward-thinking than crazy, the truth is my main motivation at the time was to address our user needs in a more cost-effective and reliable fashion.

Open source software has had quite a run. Not only is it widely accepted and adopted on servers as an operating system, open source projects have made inroads into other markets, including application, Web, and even database servers. And, while some people remain skeptical about open source on the desktop, I have little doubt that open source will someday soon offer a more cost-effective, secure, and functional alternative on the desktop. It already has here at Sun, where we have 36,000 desktops running the open source Sun Java Desktop System.

Open source systems power the backbone of many large commercial enterprises — including Google, eBay, and Yahoo! — As well as almost every branch of government. During the last year and a half, the investment community has come around, as evidenced by the fact that venture capitalists invested over $400 million in more than 50 open source companies during that time. Simply put, there is no longer any doubt about whether open source software is ready to run mission critical business operations.

If You're Running Solaris OS, You're Already Open Source

When it comes to the Solaris OS, many people who have expressed skepticism about open source software may not even realize that they are already running open source in their enterprise. In fact, the Solaris OS is a monumental open source project considering its $180 billion installed base. Simply put, if an enterprise is running the Solaris Operating System, it has adopted open source and open systems. If there is still any question, doubters can check Sun's OSI certification. It's also important to point out that it's not just limited to Solaris OS; most of Sun's Java Enterprise System suite of middleware and database components are either open sourced today, or in the process of being open sourced.