Support, security, liability
Open source is the model of the future — even companies like Tesla are releasing their patents. But isn’t open source software supposed to be free? So why pay for enterprise open source software like Red Hat?
The idea behind open source software is simple: everyone contributes to its development, and everyone can use it. Its code is freely accessible, and everything is done with the greatest possible transparency. The approach has many advantages. You do more together than alone. And if you encounter a problem, you draw on the expertise of a whole community to find a solution.
For the same reason, security risks or vulnerabilities come to light more quickly. In the open source community, the principle of security by obscurity — where security mechanisms are kept secret so that they remain effective — simply isn’t a runner. In short, the open source approach allows faster and more secure development of a product. And that’s why Tesla releases its patents. If more people contribute to the development of its technology, the company will make faster progress. Elon Musk gets that.
Choosing security
One of the basic rules of open source software is that it is free to use. So why opt for a paid version? Because of the support and liability. Suppose your company uses community open source software and one of your staff has developed a high degree of expertise over a period of years. What if he/she leaves the company? Or even worse, what if they leave without thoroughly documenting the software and systems?
In this situation, enterprise open source software acts as your insurance. You pay for it because it will cover you in an emergency. But at the same time, you hope that that emergency will never happen. Either way, if the worst comes to pass, you can count on an enterprise open source software partner to dig you out of a hole. And in the meantime, you have genuine peace of mind.
Professional approach
Another important point to consider is that an enterprise open source software partner will take a professional approach to any issue you bring to them. In the case of Red Hat, that means a team of 4,000 developers working full-time on the software. If a bug or other glitch arises, they’re on top of it in no time.
Of course, with community open source, issues are also solved…in the end. But this often takes time as the community relies on people who volunteer their time, usually outside regular working hours.
Protection against breaches
Another asset of enterprise open source software is protection against intellectual property infringement. Anyone can contribute to open source software, that’s the whole idea. However, it also means that anyone can just steal code from a piece of proprietary software and add it to the open source software. If the victim of the theft finds out, they can sue anyone using the software. With Red Hat’s enterprise open source software, you are protected in these cases. Because Red Hat is committed to cover any legal costs.
Professional open source software for pro’s
Do you want the best of both worlds? A large community that collaborates on the software but also professional follow-up and support? Choose enterprise open source software from Red Hat.
In Belgium, we are not only the first company to achieve the status of Red Hat Premier Business Partner, but we are also the only Belgian partner that covers the entire Red Hat stack. On top of that, we act as the first point of contact for the entire Red Hat community within De Cronos Groep. Read: we offer you the knowledge and experience of more than 100 Red Hat experts.
Want to learn more about what Red Hat’s enterprise open source software can do for you? Contact us!
Eager to discover our services? Check them out.
