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15
Building a Business Network Using Ubuntu – Introduction
January 15, 2010 | By: UbuntuLinuxHelp | 7 Comments
Posted in How to...
(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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- Building a Business Network Using Ubuntu – Introduction
This post begins the first (an introduction) in a series of several posts, discussing the benefits that Ubuntu Linux provides to business owners. Naturally, by default, I'll be touching on several open source applications and server packages throughout the series. Hopefully I can also dispel some of the myth and uncertainty, for business owners who have never used Ubuntu before.
The idea for this series was borne out of the excessive questions from clients in my work life. Some have made the switch to Ubuntu, many are interested and some don't know enough, because they've never tried working with a Linux based operating system like Ubuntu.
The two Ubuntu versions I used (in my own business as well as suggest to clients) are:
Ubuntu Server Edition.
The server edition is where various business related packages are installed. Such as print servers, web servers, billing systems, firewalls, and so on.
Ubuntu Desktop Edition.
The desktop edition (also used on laptops) is where various applications are installed and used to access the resources on the server.
Note: The newest Ubuntu version "Lucid" 10.04 is scheduled for release in April of 2010 and will be an LTS ("Long Term Support") version. At which time, I'd suggest this as the version to use.
For business owners not familiar with Ubuntu, please check the official FAQ found at: http://www.ubuntu.com/aboutus/faq
If you need to purchase support (or other services), that can be obtained by visiting the Ubuntu services from Canonical section of their web site. And to obtain local support, you can again visit the official Ubuntu Ubuntu Marketplace section of their site.
Please make sure you do spend some time reading the material on the official Ubuntu web site as it will provide a valuable resource to this simple introductory post.
To address the most common questions I receive from the business owners I work with, I can sum many of them into one common threaded question "What's in it for me?"
To answer, the biggest benefit I've personally experienced and Ubuntu business users also express is "Reduced ownership costs!"
In general, I find that the following specifics provide business owners with some very tangible points:
Maintenance costs are lower as a result of simpler installation and package management.
Advanced security is provided by regular updates as well more flexible configuration.
Faster and easier updating as a result of superior package management applications.
Saves a lot of money as a result of using free and open source based applications and other packages.
System operation is generally faster and more efficient as there is no bloatware or like packages preinstalled with the desktop version.
Superior reliability in that the server system is a very stable robust. In fact the "2008 Server OS Reliability Survey" states that Ubuntu only had 1.1 hour of per server of downtime per year. That's incredible!
As I alluded, this series (hopefully) will provide you with the knowledge on how to set up your own business network using Ubuntu, or at the very least, provide you with enough information you can use to discuss with an ubuntu support professional.
Needless to say, your comments, input and suggestions are most welcome!
Related posts:
- Installing an Ubuntu Linux Hardy 8.04 LAMP and FFMpeg Server With a GUI – Introduction.
- Creating an Opensource Network Gateway in Linux Ubuntu – Part 1
- Building a Web Developer / Designer PC Using Ubuntu Linux – Revisited
- Why is Ubuntu 9.04 (Jaunty) Not LTS?
- Installing an Ubuntu Linux Hardy 8.04 LAMP and FFMpeg Server With a GUI – Hardware Installation.
Comments
Weekly Top Commentors
jerry kovis (1)
UCR (1)
Victor (1)
lucid 10.04 is actually coming out in april.
@Mitchell nortje
Thanks for catching that! Corrected. Reversed the .10 and .04 – What was I thinking at the time? O_o
:p
[...] Building a Business Network Using Ubuntu – Introduction [...]
Regarding the desktop version, I think the only way a business will give Ubuntu a go is if they pay someone to set up the machines.
After being sick of MS, I gave Ubuntu a try. However, I gave up after a couple of weeks because it was not user friendly to the average user like myself. The greatness of Ubuntu(and other Linux)being scalable to your preference can also be a frustration to non-techies. For example, you will have install flash and other things that we take for granted on MS. To do something so simple in MS you have to type a command prompt, then look it up then dl, then find it and make sure all packages are there.
I have to use Outlook and other MS products so I have to dl Wine and get the setting right, etc.
Then if you want to personalize the desktop you have to learn about different type of themes, learn what is gtk, Compiz, Emerald, hidden folders, Synaptic package manager, etc.
I am a fan of open source even though I work for a MS partner. I just think its for techies or people that have time to learn much more about their OS. I did try another distribution(distro)but it looked EXACTLY like MS Windows….not for me. Please dont get me wrong, I am not flaming Ubuntu or any Linux OS. I just think there should be a distro for us average users.
I forgot to point out that people on the official Ubuntu forums were eager to help by replying to my many questions.
@Joe
Personally, I’ve found businesses require both Ubuntu and Windows platforms to be set up. (I do this kind of thing for a living). On the rare occasion it’s a mix of the two platforms, but generally they will order Windows based PCs or Ubuntu ones, and they need them installed and set up regardless of which OS they request.
It’s too bad reading about your experience. Have you read about my fathers experience? He switched in his 80s, after a lifetime use of Windows, he’s still using Ubuntu and the other day told me he’d never go back. He things it’s great and said after he got used to where the menus and buttons were, that he found it easier to use that Windows. One thing he especially mentioned to me is that he says “…never need to install a driver… they just work…” I truly think different people have different needs and different requirements. If Ubuntu works for him (and others) that’s great! If Windows makes others happy, then that’s great too!
Reading your comments about Flash installation, Compiz, etc. I thought I’d ask my father what he thought. He said it was easy to install Flash. He said it was a simple aptitude command and that all the required packages were checked and installed automatically, that he didn’t do anything else. I asked him about his desktop, theme and effects. He said he didn’t remember where he got them, other than visiting a site, downloading the theme, and selecting (I think he used Emerald) the appropriate menu option to choosing the theme file he downloaded. He said again, it was all done automatically for him. He also said he likes not getting blue screened anymore. He’s not into all the command line stuff and certainly does not have a clue about package dependencies. Command line tools like Aptitude, or GUI tools like Synaptic automatically take care of package dependency, etc.
I have enjoyed Linux in the sense that you can delve into the deepest technical issues as a hobbyist or professional, or you can use it with little to no experience (as my father, friends and clients have).
But as I mentioned, the most important thing, if Linux based distributions such as Ubuntu work well and keep someone happy, then power to them! If Windows does the same for someone else, then they should use it happily. Do I prefer Ubuntu? Of course, I do keep one Windows box on the network however, in case someone wants to use it, or there is a Windows based application I’d like to try out.
Either way, it’s a small world, the last thing we need is extra frustration and annoyance that we did something wrong to mess up our OS. And trust me, I’ve destroyed my OS more than once (requiring reinstalls) on both Windows and Linux based distributions.
I can understand why Joe feels like he does. I have tried about 7 different ubuntu-versions since version 5. What always bugs me when starting to use a new version is that some sites using flash and java don’t work flawlessly (or at all) with the open-source packages that come with the install or can be downloaded with synaptic. I have had to go look for and install adobe and sun products to get things working fine several times.
However I don’t feel that it is such a big issue and that you need much tech-knowledge to acomplish these tasks. People’s reluctance to change is probably the mayor issue here. Any given problem is just a good excuse to avoid change.
As an ubuntu-user now for almost five years I do need to point out as well that the improvements for each new edition are HUGE! For those who don’t understand why adobe products and sun java don’t come with the distribution they should read up on propietary issues.
Vista sent me off the MS-track forever, and I will never look back. I am very happy to be where I am.