Linux From Soup To Nuts!

Linux is everywhere these days. Mainstream PC vendors such as Compaq, Dell, Hewlett-Packard and IBM now routinely preinstall the operating system on their computers in addition to the usual Windows offerings. Reports from several industry analysts have shown the number of Linux servers shipped eclipsed NetWare servers last year, and Dell says this year's demand for Linux servers is four times what it was last year. Clearly, this is a trend worth pursuing.

But what's a solution provider to do? With several dozen different Linux operating system vendors alone, it is hard to get a toehold in this marketplace. Here is a hearty primer on what you need to know to get ahead of the pack.

Getting Started
Understand that Linux is not Windows, which can be both a blessing and a curse. There isn't a single source for all things Linux, though there are some mainline providers such as Red Hat and Caldera that come closest to being a one-stop Linux shopping center. But being the anti-Microsoft has its advantages, too: Generally, the Linux community is so active and so populated with talented developers that, if you know the right place to ask a question, you can get an answer within a few hours. Try doing that with the Microsoft support line on an average day. Also, Linux is not a desktop operating system. Resist the temptation to make it one, and focus strictly on the server side of things.

If your customers are looking for a rock-solid server platform that can deliver consistent performance at a terrific price, then Linux should be part of your offerings. If they just want the biggest Exchange server box, you know the company in Redmond to go to.

Many Linux software applications are available as open-source products, meaning they are free for the time it takes to download them. While the price is right, you might end up spending lots of time getting the products to work on your particular configuration and brand of Linux. Linux isn't as simple as Windows to install, particularly the oddball hardware configuration.

What's oddball? Anything that doesn't support Linux without a lot of effort on your part. Sometimes you can find out about the problematic video or disk driver early on. While Red Hat, Caldera and others have worked mightily to resolve installation hassles and have made the whole process less painful than in the past, it still can be vexing if you have limited Unix experience or feel uncomfortable using command-line tools to adjust configuration parameters.

Command lines? 'Fraid so. Sure, Linux has its graphical interfaces--being Unix, you have several to choose from--but when it comes down to getting things working, you need to edit text files and pay careful attention to command syntax. Unlike Windows, commands typed in capital letters do different things than those in lowercase. If that bothers you, find someone else on your staff who is more Linux-compatible to deal with those issues.

Finally, the Internet isn't an add-on with Linux. It is part and parcel of the total package, making it truly useful for Internet applications since they are part of the operating system from the get-go. For those who have wrestled with installing numerous NT service packs to update various Internet applications in Windows, that can be worthwhile.

Making Friends

How do you start making friends with the penguin? First, purchase a preinstalled Linux system to get the hang of it. For an extensive list of vendors, go to the Linux site at www.linux.org. Then use the system as an experimental platform for building a series of Internet services such as Web, e-mail and file services. You should also learn Apache and Sendmail, two of the most popular Linux applications that come with the Red Hat/Dell system and other Linux distributions. Spend some time on their respective Web sites to bone up on features, enhancements and patches. Another worthwhile Linux product is MySQL, an open source database server.

Also, consider reselling one or more of the various Linux-based Internet appliances, including Cobalt's Qube, Intel's Dot.Station and Sonic Systems' Sonicwall. Concentrate on becoming an expert in two or three different lines that can cover a wide variety of circumstances and applications. For example, Qube makes a great intranet Web server, while Sonicwall is a superior firewall. Both run Linux underneath all the graphical interfaces, and both can be easily managed with just a Web browser.

Next, note the driver support from existing PC vendors, and especially take stock of the gaps. Vendors such as Compaq and Dell don't currently have drivers for some of their more esoteric storage controllers and other higher-end gear that they sell as Windows boxes. That could be an issue if you recommend those combinations to your customers, so bone up on where the incompatibilities exist and make sure your technical support subscriptions and updates are current. Linuxcare and KeyLabs have begun separate independent certification and testing programs, trying out several Linux operating system vendors and a few hardware makers. Reports are available on their respective Web sites, indicating issues such as network card and driver configuration hang-ups. They are worth investigating, particularly if you are planning to support a wide hardware base.

Get Fit

At this point, it's time to get some training. A number of vendors offer programs, but probably the best is from Red Hat. The company offers a special five-day class tailored just for solution providers, along with another four-day introductory course. Together, they cost $4,500, but if you make it through, you'll have plenty of knowledge and be in high demand for installing and maintaining Linux installations. More information is available at Red Hat's Web site.

Once trained, you should also understand the implications of rolling out Linux solutions in non-Linux environments. Here is where you can add a great deal of value for your customers, particularly if you have expertise in more than just Linux systems in-house. You should be able to help your customers understand the integration issues of file/print, network management, directory, database and other applications. A good place to read up on this is "The Linux Challenge," a recent article that appeared in VARBusiness sister publication Network Computing and is also available online. In a nutshell, Network Computing's Chicago lab tried to convert everything from firewalls to print servers to Linux. It had mixed success and a great deal of help from various networking and software vendors in the process.

Knowing how to get Linux up and running on an IBM mainframe is another valuable tool to offer clients. Mainframes make sense for running Linux, particularly for server consolidation, security and improvements in reliability and management. You could have one Linux virtual machine as your firewall, a second machine running your Web server, a third running some Java servlets and a fourth running your database. All of these applications could run on the same S/390 mainframe. Check IBM's Web site to see what it's doing with Linux on its S/390 project.

You should also take a look at the various Linux solutions for delivering e-commerce applications. Three good products to start include Tallyman, for content management; and two storefront management systems: Open Sales' Open Merchant, written completely in Perl, and Yams. Each brings different solutions to the e-commerce puzzle, and the source code for all three is freely available. Given Linux's long history with the Internet, it makes sense to develop your own customized e-commerce solution that can be delivered for low cost and at reasonable support levels.

Finally, consider joining a Linux user group. O'Reilly Network posts an ongoing calendar and links to individual organizations around the world. You might want to have some of your more technical people attend a Linux event to see who else in your community you can hire on to help with Linux. And while you're looking around O'Reilly's site, set up Meerkat to deliver a customized news page on Linux topics.

As you can see, Linux is a very active world, indeed, and there are plenty of things to learn about it as you begin to gain experience and offer solutions to your customers.

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Spoon-Fed Linux Tips from Red Hat

Everything you always wanted to know about Linux but were afraid to ask can be found in the Linux Clinux of VARBusiness' Solution Provider University. You'll find information to help you get started, including tips like these from Durham, N.C.-based Red Hat:

Q: Does Linux expertise pay off in the business world?

A: Increasingly, systems engineers and developers are finding that learning Linux, and even earning a certification, boost their marketability and salary potential in the professional environment.

Q: What software is available for Linux users?

A: Examples of graphics programs include GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP), which is gaining a reputation as being a better graphical program than Photoshop; development software such as Basic and Perl; word-processing programs such as WordPerfect; office suites such as StarOffice and Applixware; and games such as Quake II, Flightgear and Majik 3D.

Q: If I don't like something in the code, or if I find a bug, is it legal for me to change it myself and contribute it to the open-source community?

A: First, contributors must investigate to see whether a certain code is licensed to allow changes. Aside from licensing issues, anyone who wants to change a Linux kernel should consider whether those changes would be of value to other developers. Competition to have a specific patch or improvement accepted into the open-source community is tough,and financially unrewarding,but many novice developers take pride in having their work appreciated, despite the lack of compensation.

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Linux Links:

Popular Linux apps that come with the Red Hat/Dell system:

www.apache.org

www.sendmail.org

Linux product, MySQL, an open source database server:

www.mysql.com

Vendors that sell preconfigured Linux systems:

www.linux.org/vendors/systems.html

Independent testing and certification programs:

www.linuxcare.com

www.keylabs.com/linux/linux_results.htm

Information on various Linux classes:

www.redhat.com/services/training

"The Linux Challenge," an article that describes what happened when a Chicago lab tried to convert everything from firewalls to print servers to Linux:

www.networkcomputing.com/1112/1112f1.html

What IBM is doing with Linux on its S/390 project:

www.s390.ibm.com/linux

Linux e-commerce apps:

www.akopia.com/tallyman

www.opensales.org

yams.sourceforge.net

Linux user group:

linux.com/lug