Compaq queries Linux use

Delegates at the LinuxWorld Expo in San Francisco last week were told that the open source operating system is not yet ready for deployment in the enterprise, but will get there eventually.

In his address to the conference, Shane Robison, chief technology officer at Compaq, said that the continued lack of a strong support channel and divergence of the versions of Linux would stop some firms using it.

"Many corporations are hesitant to adopt Linux, as it lacks a one-stop support network that is robust and reliable. Bugs also need to be fixed rapidly, and [firms] need skilled staff who can provide complex system integration and migration," he said.

"Reliability and manageability are key enterprise requirements but, without a strong track record of enterprise adoption, the verdict is still out on how scalable and reliable it actually is in that space."

The speech may have dashed the high hopes of some delegates, who believe that Linux is ready to shine. With corporate budgets tightening, proponents of Linux see its low cost and adaptability as an advantage in a shrinking market.

Ovum analyst Neil Ward-Dutton disagreed, however. "I don't think the current economic situation will help Linux at all. If you look at the firms doing well at the moment it's the established, trusted brands, and those are the ones people will go for," he said.

This is not the first time Compaq has poured cold water over Linux. In October last year, Judy Chavis, Compaq's Linux product marketing manager, warned that Linux was in danger of reverting to a "just for geeks" platform, but said that the release of the 2.4 kernel would improve the situation.

Compaq chief Michael Capellas also said earlier this year that he expected Linux to play only a peripheral role in enterprise computing.

Linux 2.4 has improved scalability, with 16-way processor systems now possible, but Robison said that "there is still room for better scalability in the area of system throughput and managing the enterprise".

Meanwhile, other firms are happy to capitalise on Linux's growing popularity. IBM used the conference to announce the availability this month of its WebSphere Commerce Suite on its zSeries Linux mainframe platform, while Hewlett Packard unveiled its Secure OS System Software for Linux.