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Open source without business risk Top tips for a seamless Linux desktop deployment
April 2011

Copyright Canonical 2011

www.canonical.com

Executive summary
Its well known that open-source software delivers some great business benefits, from reduced licensing costs and improved hardware performance, to streamlined systems management and highly-secure, virus-free computing. In spite of all this, however, most IT managers still choose to stick with their existing, proprietary systems on the desktop. This reluctance to make the move to Linux is natural; especially given the pressure IT managers are under to keep critical services up and running 24 hours a day. Often, its just too difficult to contemplate large-scale technology change even if its change for the better. The purpose of this paper is to show how you can achieve the cost and performance benefits of open-source software, without any risk of downtime or disruption for end users. It might seem like a daunting task, but there are actually a number of simple tips that can help you ensure a seamless, successful, Linux deployment and maximise your returns on investment. As with most things, the devil is in the detail, and effective preparation can help you make the move to Linux desktops quickly and easily. Youll also want to choose your Linux variant carefully, opting for something that is fully supported, future-proof and, critically, easy to manage and maintain. Finally, partnership is often the key to success for Linux deployments. The software is ready and waiting, but youre bound to need some professional help to deliver the best possible experience for your employees. Read on for our top tips for ensuring a seamless Linux desktop deployment, with no business risk.

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Contents
Open source without business risk Top tips for a seamless Linux desktop deployment Set realistic targets Minimise deployment risk Minimise impact for end users Streamline systems management Get enterprise-class support Future-proof your desktops CONCLUSION THE CANONICAL AdvANTAGE 5 6 7 7 8 8 9 10

SET REALISTIC TARGETS In the past, IT managers have tried to replace proprietary desktops with Linux lock, stock and barrel. However, this rip-and-replace approach often meant administrators and end users experienced massive, disruptive changes across the IT environment. By setting realistic targets for your Linux deployment, you can minimise the challenges typically associated with technology change. To do this, youll need to understand the applications used by different teams and departments today and identify which employees can transition most easily to Linux desktops. Its likely that a small number of users in your organisation will rely on legacy lineof-business applications or other specialist software. Its often best to leave this type of user on their existing desktop systems to ensure continuity and minimise disruption. However, the vast majority of information workers will be able to adopt Linux software quickly and with minimal training. By migrating users who can move easily to Linux first, you can minimise frustration and resistance to change. Critically, youll also be able to ensure users have open-source equivalents for all the tools they currently use, helping them work productively from day one of the deployment. An experienced commercial partner can help you set realistic targets for phase one of your Linux desktop project, helping you make quick wins with little or no impact on productivity. You can then turn your attention to additional target user groups over time.

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MINIMISE dEPLOYMENT RISk With 24x7 dependence on IT, your critical systems and data must be constantly available for end users. An effective deployment strategy is essential for implementing Linux desktops with no risk of disruption or downtime. To ensure your employees continue to work productively, Linux desktops should be rolled out according to established, ITIL-based principles. To start with, this means developing and testing Linux software to ensure it provides a like-for-like alternative to existing proprietary systems. As a second step, youll need to conduct a comprehensive proof of concept with a small group of end users before deploying the solution seamlessly in your production environment. depending on your needs and the size of your infrastructure, you should also develop a realistic deployment timeline. By choosing a Linux environment that supports remote, centralised software deployment and management, youll be able to roll out open-source desktops far more quickly and efficiently. Working this way, some organisations have successfully deployed hundreds of Linux desktops a week. If you already have several Linux desktop deployments under your belt, you may feel comfortable going it alone. However, many first-timers choose to work with commercial partners to get deployment right first time and minimise the risk of downtime and disruption.

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MINIMISE IMPACT FOR ENd USERS If you suddenly replace employees systems and productivity applications with new technology tools, there may be significant disruption and reduced productivity. To make sure end users can continue to work productively on Linux desktops, its a good idea to choose software that is familiar and highly intuitive with many of the same controls that employees are already used to. Another way to minimise impact is to deploy open-source applications on your existing desktop operating system, helping employees get used to them gradually. Once they are accustomed to Firefox as their browser and LibreOffice for their desktop productivity tools, for example, they will be able to make the change to an underlying Linux system with no fuss. Finally, youll need to deliver some targeted training to ensure your systems admins are ready for the change. If youre worried about doing this yourself, you could always engage a commercial partner with the right skills and experience to bring your internal resources up to speed. STREAMLINE SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT Systems management is a challenge, whatever the underlying technology. Centralisation and automation are the name of the game, and you can greatly reduce workloads by minimising manual interventions. Proprietary software vendors will tell you their technology is simpler to manage, but that isnt necessarily so. Look for world-class Linux management tools that can help you deploy, update and upgrade multiple desktops from a centralised, intuitive, GUI-based console. Also ensure that you can access this service online, or deploy it in-house if you have specific security needs, or to manage a large enterprise infrastructure.

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GET ENTERPRISE- CLASS SUPPORT To ensure employees can work productively at all times, and to reduce the friction of technology change, your Linux desktops must be properly supported on an ongoing basis. Proprietary software giants say their support is the best, and its true that their partner network and community resources are impressive. However, the Linux world is evolving rapidly, and commercial partners can now provide the enterprise-class support you need. Look for a commercial partner that can give you access to qualified Linux support analysts who are trained to resolve service issues quickly and effectively. There should be different support options available, so you can meet your needs at the lowest possible cost, and you should be free to choose how many machines, and which machines, are covered. Also, if you manage a large enterprise infrastructure, make sure your partner is up to the job of supporting it. If there are dedicated support options available, with on-site engineers, then so much the better. Its extremely valuable to have someone who can help you continually improve your Linux environment and represent your interests to the developer community. Finally, choose a partner that can give you access to a wealth of community support resources, including forums, FAQs and knowledge Bases that can help you resolve issues quickly yourself, without so much as making a call. FUTURE- PROOF YOUR dESkTOPS Proprietary software vendors have a technology roadmap thats set in stone. As software becomes unsupported, you have to upgrade which is often expensive and unnecessary. Linux systems will never force an upgrade, but you have to be able to keep them current and properly patched. To make sure you can, you should choose software that offers scheduled releases for updates and patches, as well as long-term support. This kind of system will enable you to maximise returns from your Linux investments. Youll be able to guarantee a useful lifespan of several years for a long-term-release operating system, and youll be able to ensure all servers and desktops are updated regularly. To minimise patching workloads, you might consider getting help from a commercial partner. Theres a lot that can be done to pre-screen updates, ensuring that you dont waste time on anything you dont strictly need.

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Conclusion
Linux desktops offer compelling benefits compared to proprietary alternatives. deployed in the right way, they can help you achieve massive licensing savings, streamline systems management and enhance the performance of older hardware. In spite of these clear advantages, however, IT managers cant risk making significant changes to their desktop environments - unless constant uptime for key services can be guaranteed. In a recent survey from Freeform dynamics Ltd, 1,275 respondents shared their experiences of deploying Linux in their organisations. When asked specifically how they minimised deployment risk, they put most importance on understanding and meeting end-user needs, closely followed by application compatibility, realistic deployment targets, effective end-user training and meeting ongoing requirements for Windows apps (see figure below). Do you have any general advice on how to minimise the risks associated with a desktop Linux deployment? Consider end user thoughts and needs Thoroughly assess app compatibility Take things slowly, pilot and test Pay attention to training and support Determine Windows apps requirements
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Freeform dynamics survey to enterprise Linux users

In this paper, weve taken a look at how you can minimise the risk of Linux deployments and maximise returns on investment from setting realistic targets for your deployment, to choosing the best support options available. To a large extent, the success of your deployment will depend on your choice of Linux software and the capabilities of your commercial partner.

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The Canonical advantage

Canonical, the company behind the Ubuntu project, has helped a large number of customers roll out open-source desktops to achieve significant cost savings and performance benefits. By partnering with us from the earliest planning stage of your open-source project, you can minimise disruption during deployment, ensure a seamless transition for end users and maximise availability for your critical IT services. Specifically, Canonical can help you: Set realistic targets for your open-source desktop project... The Canonical professional services team helps you identify users who can migrate seamlessly to Ubuntu. Minimise deployment risk Canonical consultants ensure a smooth transition to Ubuntu based on tried-and-tested, IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL)-based processes. Minimise impact for end users Canonical consultants help you minimise the impact of technology change for end users and support them through the transition to Ubuntu. Streamline systems management... By subscribing to Canonicals Ubuntu Advantage service, you can access our Landscape systems monitoring and management tool, which helps systems admins improve their productivity dramatically. Get enterprise-class support... Support available through the Ubuntu Advantage service helps you resolve issues faster and achieve maximum uptime and productivity. Future-proof your desktops Canonical helps you update your Ubuntu environment effectively based on expert consultancy, Ubuntus programmed release cycle and long-term support options. By choosing to roll out Ubuntu on the desktop with Canonical, many organisations have eliminated the stress and risk typically associated with technology change. German insurer LvM versicherungen, for example, has successfully migrated 10,000 desktops to Ubuntu, with no negative impact on their normal, day-to-day activities. To discover how Canonical delivers open-source desktops without the risk of downtime or disruption, contact us today at https://pages.canonical.com/contact. Alternatively, visit us at www.canonical.com, or at www.ubuntu.com.
We needed a Linux-based desktop client that had a clear and future commitment to the desktop to ensure that we were getting the type of hardware coverage we needed said Werner Schmidt CIO at LvM versicherungen. Ubuntu was an obvious choice once we were convinced by Canonical of its ability to scale and companys commitment to support businesses pursuing our Linux client strategy. Ubuntus been deployed in our company for some time now for a range of use cases - and were very impressed with what weve seen. Werner Schmidt CIO, LvM versicherungen

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Find out more about Canonical services: www.ubuntu.com/business/ services/overview Contact the team at Canonical: www.ubuntu.com/business/ services/contact

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Canonical Group Ltd, Registered in England and Wales - vAT Registration: GB 003 2322 47 Registered Office: 27th Floor Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, London - Company No. 06870835 2011 Canonical Ltd - Ubuntu and Canonical are registered trademarks of Canonical Ltd