Open Source in the Enterprise

O'Reilly Research and Bernard Golden published a report today that identifies a list of reasons for open source's steady, expansive adoption:

• Agility and Scale: The ability to quickly grow and modify software systems to respond rapidly changing business conditions

• Breaking Vendor Lock-in: Reducing proprietary vendor dependence and controlling enterprise IT architectures

• Quality and Security: Improving the operations of enterprise infrastructure by leveraging open source characteristics of transparency and rapid improvement

• Cost: Reducing overall IT operational costs by implementing free or low-cost open source software

• Sovereignty: Reducing dependence upon U.S.-based software companies for local economic development and national sovereignty reasons

• Innovation: Using open source to create new business offerings or creating open source products to reduce operational costs and make new offerings less expensive to bring to market

Clearly different audiences will read variously into this study but reduced lock-in, according to the authors, "explain much of {OSS'} benefits". Developers will recognize their motivations as will outsourcers and others located outside the US. Also, interestingly, cost is simply among the reasons as opposed to being the major driver. (A conclusion rendered by large research companies such as Forrester, Gartner and the 451 Group.)

Check it out. It's worth reading.