Market Exploration: Why do enterprises choose Linux?

The main reason for pushing Linux to success is that it is free of charge. But Linux users will tell you: "Free is just about talking, it is not really a free lunch ". There are huge business opportunities behind channels that make a living by providing Linux and open-source solutions.

Free is the most attractive part of Linux, but it is also the most challenging part. Because it is free of charge, we may lack control, no support, lack of security, and even cannot guarantee the running of applications. This means that the "free" Linux distribution kit may be expensive. It is important to explain these shortcomings to customers interested in Linux at a low price.

So, why do your customers prefer to use the Enterprise Edition of Linux? For example, Red Hat Enterprise Edition LinuxRHEL) or SUSE Enterprise Edition LinuxSELS ). The most important reason is that it includes support, which not only provides technical support for programs that cannot run normally, but also supports specific hardware and software. Therefore, if your solution contains specific server hardware and specific business applications, you and your customers can be sure that they can run properly.

Many companies around the world like paid Linux, one important reason is that they can get phone support when encountering problems. The cheapest subscription is usually about $300 per server per year) provides online or telephone support and feedback within one business day. However, if your customer pays more, you can get feedback within a few hours, and the support engineers will be even better.

The last major reason is that these Enterprise Linux servers can obtain updates. These updates have been verified, and the installation on critical servers is secure.

Currently, there are some Linux releases such as CentOS, which record the RHEL logo and make it a free Linux download. However, this does not mean that CentOS can provide the same support as Red Hat. There is no business behind CentOS, and no dedicated programmers help customers solve software problems, which means your risks have not been removed.

Linux certification and Partner Program

Red Hat and SUSE are two main participants in the Linux market. They provide end users and partners with certification opportunities. Red Hat's RHCE Red Hat certified engineers) are considered one of the best IT certifications in the market after some real cases. SUSE also provides similar certification CLP. For these certifications, you can choose different training courses from the partner's channel.

Red Hat and SUSE provide different sales models for enterprise-level Linux, covering various versions from silver to platinum. Each version has a fixed price, and partners can get a higher discount by selling more products. In addition, the best-performing partners can give priority to the resources of Linux vendors, which allows partners to better expand their Linux Business and revenue.

Therefore, using a commercial enterprise edition Linux is not free. As described in this article, there are many reasons why customers choose to use paid Enterprise Linux. This is also beneficial to dealers who can sell Linux subscriptions. In fact, the reason for payment is very simple. Customers or VAR value-added dealers can get help from the Linux supplier in case of problems.