Linux Now 25% of Dell's Server Business

Sam Haine '95 writes to mention a ZDNet article discussing Linux's place in the server market, at least for Dell Computers. Linux now makes up over 25% of the company's server business, and has become such a standard that they only need to confer with Red Hat for some 10% of service calls. From the article: "Linux and open source have been a blessing for Dell as it has struggled to make an impression, other than as a desktop and laptop supplier, in enterprise computing, According to Martin Hingley, vice-president of the European Systems Group at analysts IDC, part of the problem for Dell in the enterprise is that 'people don't like partnering with Dell.'"

Comments

OpenManaged and the No OS option

[suso]

Of course they don't mention that anyone who uses Dell OpenManage(TM) to install blade servers and probably other servers is actually using Linux to setup the RAID and install Windows. Since OpenManage is actually running on a Linux kernel. Somehow I find it reassuring to know that the Windows admins that I work with use Linux all the time to setup the RAID on a blade.

Plus, when buying servers, we often will buy them as "No Operating System Microsoft Configuration" even though we end up putting RHEL on them. I'm sure that they probably count that as a Microsoft install even though lots of Linux admins simply don't need to have RedHat on their server by default. They do have the option for "Red Hat Enterprise Linux - No Factory Installed Operating System", but I think when you initially read through the options its not obvious that that's a "no OS" install. Then of course you have people who choose VMware ESX server (probably a small percentage right now).

So I'd say that Linux probably accounts for closer to 30-40%, if not even 50% of Dell's server sales.

Re:OpenManaged and the No OS option

[truthsearch]

So I'd say that Linux probably accounts for closer to 30-40%, if not even 50% of Dell's server sales.

They probably don't want to sound like they're exaggerating the Linux install base and anger their biggest partner. So they only state the stats that Microsoft can't possibly dispute.

correction

[oringo]

The original post said that Linux was 25% of Dell's server business, but the TFA said it was 25% of Dell's Enterprise business. There's a big difference there. Enterprise business also include high-end workstations, and server business also include small-business servers and such.