Some people have told me they don't think a fat penguin really embodies the grace of Linux, which just tells me they have never seen a angry penguin charging at them in excess of 100mph. They'd be a lot more careful about what they say if they had.

-Linus Torvalds

About

From time to time I do custom Linux installations for various clients. These installations often require configuring Linux systems to replace more costly platforms and, more importantly, improve stability and performance. If you're interested in deploying Linux throughout your organization, or even as a limited scope solution, there are numerous companies that will assist in this effort. If you're interesting in retaining my services, please contact me at kwan@digitalhermit.com.

Small Business Network Needs Analyzer

It's easier to use floppy disks than our network to share files.
Linux makes it very easy to share files amongst different clients and servers. Unlike other OSes that lock your business into a particular upgrade path (and with it, the chance of obsoletion), Linux talks with just about every OS in existence. This includes Windows, Novell, Appletalk, and Unix networks through projects such as Samba, Netatalk, and NFS.
Some of our computers can't access the Internet.
All the major Linux distributions include firewall and NAT software which allows you to share a single Internet connection. Most also include web proxy software to maximize the connection by caching frequently accessed sites. Whether you want to use a new PC to replace an expensive hardware solution or just want to get your office online with an obsolete PC, Linux can help put your business online.
We don't have a Web site.
The Apache web server software is included on almost all distributions. Designed with security, speed, and stability in mind, Apache powers the majority of web pages on the Internet. With a LAMP (Linux, MySQL, Apache, and PHP) platform, corporations can build a web presence easily and efficiently.
We can't access our data and documents on the road.
Linux supports several tunneling and secure remote access services. Whether you need only a simple command line or remote access to a GUI application, Linux can support it.
I'd like to work at home from time to time, but everything I need is on my work computer.
With a DSL or Cable connection to your home, you can easily access your work system securely with tunneling software such as IPSec and SSL.
Some of our computers don't connect to a printer
Linux allows you to share printers easily on the network. Whether several printers are attached to a single PC or to separate print server units, you can use Linux to consolidate and manage all the devices. Can't attach that LaserJet to your Mac? Attach it to the Linux server instead, and select the printer from the Chooser or Network utility. The various Linux printing systems offer unmatched flexibility, including the ability to create industry standard PDFs (Portable Document Format) without additional packages.
Our network doesn't support the applications I need to run my business.
The majority of businesses use some form of integrated office suite ( OpenOffice, StarOffice, KOffice), E-Mail client ( Evolution, KMail ), and web browser ( Netscape, Mozilla, Opera). Unlike closed suites such as MS Office, these applications do not try to lock users into an upgrade cycle by using arbitrarily incompatible formats. Do you want your data under someone else's control?
Our network frequently crashes.
This one is fun to answer :). Routine reboots are not necessary for properly configured Linux machines. Technical Support from one server OS company once advised me that I should reboot the database server once a week to ensure stable operation. (!). Does that make sense to you? Though no OS is immune to viruses and trojan horses, the Linux privilege system minimizes the damages that these malicious programs can wreak. Unlike many other OSes that require multiple reboots during routine software updates, Linux can be updated without ever taking the system offline.
We can't find qualified/knowledgeable support.
Companies such as RedHat and Mandrake offer Linux installation and maintenance support. In addition, because the underlying source code for the operating system and support applications and readily available, the system itself can be customized to your in-house needs. There are also many free support areas available, whether through web references or vendor support forums, that minimize the response time to your questions.

If you checked any of the above, your business could greatly benefit from a Linux server for small business. Please also take time to follow the links at the end of the page and read the articles. Whether or not you decide to use a Linux solution, it's important that you hear both sides of the issue rather than just the Microsoft version:

Some people have told me they don't think a fat penguin really embodies the grace of Linux, which just tells me they have never seen a angry penguin charging at them in excess of 100mph. They'd be a lot more careful about what they say if they had. -Linus Torvalds

Some people have told me they don't think a fat penguin really embodies the grace of Linux, which just tells me they have never seen a angry penguin charging at them in excess of 100mph. They'd be a lot more careful about what they say if they had.

-Linus Torvalds