Microsoft's Muscle

Jay Ferron, CEO of Interactive Security Training, a Microsoft Gold partner in West Haven, Conn., is sick and tired of the pounding that he believes Microsoft unfairly takes when comparisons come up with Linux vendors or Google.

As far as Ferron is concerned, Microsoft's strong proactive stance with partners on the security front, including its monthly patches, puts the company head and shoulders above Linux. Case in point: The Secunia Web site, which lists security advisories, enumerates 65 warnings for Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition, compared with 99 advisories for Red Hat 9.0 and a whopping 281 alerts for Mandrake's Linux 9.

STEVEN BURKE Can be reached at (781) 839-1221 or via e-mail at sburke@cmp.com.

"Let's talk about who has security holes," Ferron said. "We all do, but no one talks about the Linux problem. In the case of Mandrake, we're talking nearly five times as many holes. To say Microsoft has holes and the others don't is just silly. Over the last two or three years, Microsoft has become more aggressive in writing secure code and educating the world about security, taking the time to do it right. I don't see Linux [developers] and the rest of the industry doing that."

One drastic example of the Linux security problem came three weeks ago when Ferron was brought into a shop to check out a sluggish T-1 line. The problem, Ferron said, was a network set up by a Linux guru using Red Hat Linux 6.0, which had been exploited by hackers who were using the corporate server for file sharing. "They had 1,100 people on this server using it as an FTP pirate site," he said.

The need to look at Microsoft's partnering prowess is important given Google's launch last week of an Enterprise Professional Program (see cover story, page 3). Ferron calls the Google program, which requires partners to fork over $10,000 to Google annually, more of a value-added developer program than a channel program. "They want me to pay $10,000 to be a partner of theirs?" he asked incredulously. "What are they giving me?"

Ferron said about 80 percent of the revenue from his multimillion-dollar company is derived by working with Microsoft. "They continue to help us drive our business not by giving me leads, but by being a true partner."

As far as Ferron is concerned, Microsoft leads the industry despite what he views as all flash and little substance from the Linux and Google camps.

Does Microsoft flex its muscle for you? Let me know at (781) 839-1221 or via e-mail at sburke@cmp.com.