Earn ings w i th FOSS

Joebert S. JacabaChief Software Architect

Digital Resource Corporation

Presented at the 1st OpenHUBS ConferenceIsla Parilla Resort

November 27-29, 2007

Ta lk Out l i ne

● FOSS Business Myths● Careers on FOSS● Business Opportunities on FOSS● FOSS Investment Costs● FOSS Case Studies

FOSS Bus iness Myths

● If it is free how can I earn? - The true meaning of free

● TCO propaganda● Too many choices is bad● Human resource is cheap, Software is

expensive

Careers on FOSS

● Systems Administration● Software Development

Sys tems Admin i s t ra t i on

● Higher Salary● Manages More Servers● Less Time Spent of Managing One Server● Much Less Time Spent on Viruses,

Spyware and other Malware● Less Time Spent on Patching● Less Time Spent on Configuration

So f tware Deve lopment

● Higher Salary

– PHP– PERL– Python– RoR– Java

● Junior: Php 20k-35k● Senior: Php 65k-80k

● Higher Demand

Bus iness Oppor tun i t i es on FOSS

● Entities contemplating on software upgrades

● Entities on expansion or streamlining● Entities integrating their units● Packaging FOSS● Supporting FOSS

Propr ie ta ry So f tware Upgrades

● Why upgrades are very costly?● Complete revision if not a paradigm shift● Driven by desire to earn

FOSS So f tware Upgrades

● Incremental updates● Backward and forward compatible● Driven by improvements● Switching as soon as possible saves

future cost

Expans ion o r S t reaml in ing

● Expansion is very costly on software licensing costs

● Customized software can streamline operation

● FOSS strength on customized software

I n tegra t ing Bus iness Un i t s

● Why it is hard for proprietary systems to integrate?

– Zip Drive, RDRAM● FOSS can be introduced in incremental

manner● High chance modules will be converted to

FOSS

Packag ing FOSS

● Wide Array of Existing FOSS Back end● Challenging configuration for an average

user● Front end applications can bridge this gap● The battlefield is on the desktop

Suppor t ing FOSS

● Service levels

FOSS Inves tment Cos ts

● Web Hosting and related services● Software Development● Systems Integration

Propr ie ta ry Web Hos t ing

● Web/Application Server

– IIS – Php 0– Oracle OC4J – Php 100,000

● CMS

– MS Sharepoint Portal – Php 100,000● Database

– MS SQL MSDE – Php 0– MS SQL Standard – Php 90,000

FOSS Web Hos t ing

● Web/Application Server

– Apache HTTP Server – Php 0– Apache Tomcat/Geronimo – Php 0

● CMS

– Joomla – Php 0● Database

– MySQL – Php 0– MySQL Enterprise Basic Php 25,000

Propr ie ta ry So f tware Deve lopment

● IDE

– MS Visual Studio .NET – Php 20,000● Version Control

– MS Visual SourceSafe – Php 20,000● Project Management

– MS Project – Php 55,000

FOSS So f tware Deve lopment

● IDE

– Eclipse – Php 0● Version Control

– CVS – Php 0● Project Management

– dotProject – Php 0

Propr ie ta ry Sys tems In tegra t i on

● Network Monitor

– HP OpenView Node Management Server – Php 200,000

● SMS

– ??

FOSS Sys tems In tegra t i on

● Network Monitor

– Nagios – Php 0● Pacific Internet● Bayan Communications, Inc.

● SMS

– Kannel – Php 0● gnokiismsc.c – a plugin for kannel to support gnokii as an smsc type

FOSS Case S tud ies

● Migrating Access or MS SQL to MySQL

– multi-site access, cost● Migrating Oracle Running on Windows or

Solaris to Linux

– cost and a bit of performance● Using Linux to run Maya rather than

Windows

– maximize hardware, performance and speed

FOSS Case S tud ies

● Adding an Anti-SPAM SMTP Proxy on top of an old out-of-service-life MS Exchange Server

– upgrade costs● Using postfix to send mail leaving MS

Exhcange Server to receive mail

– load distribution, costs● Using a Linux workstation to authenticate

to a MS Domain Server and vice-versa

– ease of switching

FOSS Case S tud ies

● Fortune Life Integrated System

– Java/J2EE– Load-balanced Tomcat– HA MySQL– Hibernate– AjaxTags,DisplayTag– Script.aculo.us, Overlib, Prototype– LaTeX

Earn ings w i th FOSS

That's all Folks!