The benefiTs of migraTing To a Linux deskTop

IBM Open COllaBOratIOn ClIent SOlutIOn pOwered By red Hat
aBStraCt
There is a surge in businesses and governments adopting Microsoft desktop
alternatives. This paper will guide you through the anatomy of a desktop and
things you need to consider when you move from a Microsoft® Windows®-based
desktop to the Linux alternative offered through the IBM® Open Collaboration
Client Solution (OCCS) powered by Red Hat® Enterprise Linux®. Included are the
architectural and financial views of this migration.
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The benefits of migrating to a Linux desktop: IBM Open Collaboration Client Solution powered by Red Hat
TabLe of conTenTs
IntrOduCtIOn page 3
arCHIteCture page 3
The framework Page 3
Platform framework and operating system services Page 3
Collaboration services Page 3
Application services Page 4
Client access services Page 4
Linux alternatives for common Windows applications Page 4
Windows-Linux interoperability Page 4
Integration Page 5
File format compatibility and functional equivalents Page 5
Jump start services Page 5
Consulting Page 5
Training Page 5
Professional services Page 5
FInanCIal COnSIderatIOnS page 6
SuMMary page 8
appendIx a: COMMOnly uSed MICrOSOFt
applICatIOnS and tOOlS and equIvalentS
avaIlaBle FOr lInux deSktOpS page 9
appendIx B: tradeMarkS and COpyrIgHtS page 12
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The benefits of migrating to a Linux desktop: IBM Open Collaboration Client Solution powered by Red Hat
inTroducTion
Collaboration and messaging are critical applications within every organization. The cost of downtime can
be enormous, even catastrophic. IBM and Red Hat have a single, security-rich collaboration and messaging
platform that makes it easy and affordable to improve organizational productivity and effectiveness. And
it’s so much more than just a Microsoft desktop alternative.
The IBM Open Collaboration Client Solution (OCCS) leverages open source, is security-rich, and proves
itself cost-effective. Running on Red Hat Enterprise Linux, IBM Open Collaboration Client Solution gives you
increased flexibility, choice, and an exciting opportunity to drive innovation on your desktop while achieving
a lower total cost of ownership. The IBM OCCS may include a variety of IBM products on the desktop and
server running on Red Hat Enterprise Linux. It can also use other ISV or homegrown applications.
archiTecTure
tHe FraMewOrk
Any desktop or laptop’s capabilities can be classified into four types of architectural services:
platform framework and operating system, collaboration, application, and client access.
platform framework and operating system services
These include client middleware services like application composition and plug-and-play. Lotus® Expeditor®
is an Eclipse-based Rich Client Platform for deploying composite applications or business “mashups” for
online and offline use. Lotus Domino® and Lotus Symphony® can be used to compose applications that
utilize Expeditor. Plus, Lotus Notes allows you to run your email and other applications with local storage
when you are not connected to the server, then replicate with the server when it gets connectivity.
Client middleware services also include plug-in software-as-a-service (SaaS) components as required
and an embedded web browser, such as the open source Firefox.
Desktop management is available with provisioning, patch management, virus protection, and usability
features (such as 3D interaction). Migration tools are available from vendors such as Diamond Edge,
Mainsoft, Ericom, Win4lin, and Citrix, making the transition to a Linux environment even simpler.
Collaboration services
Basic. Email and calendaring are provided by Lotus Notes or Domino Web Access and/or Lotus Notes
in Blackberry from RIM.
Team. Lotus Sametime® offers business instant messaging, web conferencing, presence awareness,
and IP telephony integration. Lotus Quickr® adds team collaboration and document management.
Community. With Web 2.0 capabilities for business-grade social software, Lotus Connections® provides
activities, blogs, communities, social bookmarking, and profile capabilities.
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The benefits of migrating to a Linux desktop: IBM Open Collaboration Client Solution powered by Red Hat
application services
Productivity editors like Lotus Symphony support the OASIS Open Document Format (ODF), an
ISO standard. This promotes open content interchange and gives organizations freedom over their
intellectual property, preventing it from being locked down in proprietary formats.
Optional web browser-based application and information integration/aggregation tools like WebSphere®
Portal can be used to build and aggregate/integrate applications and information sources that can be
accessed through a common entry point with popular browsers like Firefox.
Optional business partner applications include the popular open source OpenProj from Projity for
project management, which is fully compatible with Microsoft Project and a variety of other horizontal
and vertical applications.
Client access services
Client access services require a suitable device, such as desktop, laptop, or handheld with relevant form
factor. Choose a rich or thin client, virtual or otherwise. Organizations can provide role-based capabilities,
flexibility, and choice for their end users. For example, a virtual thin client could be appropriate for
transactional and task-based workers, such as those in retail organizations, while advanced knowledge
workers would use a rich client, and executives could have mobile access.
lInux alternatIveS FOr COMMOn wIndOwS applICatIOnS
You may wonder what sorts of everyday applications are available in a Linux desktop environment.
You can do anything with Linux that you can with Windows. The chart in Appendix A illustrates some
of the alternative applications and tools that forward-thinking organizations are using in place of their
Windows equivalents.
wIndOwS-lInux InterOperaBIlIty
Reducing your total cost of ownership by replacing Windows environments with Red Hat Enterprise Linux
doesn’t mean sacrificing collaboration or interoperability with systems that remain Windows environments.
There are several ways that Linux users can interoperate with Windows users:
Dual booting. Linux and Windows partitions can be installed on the same computer, allowing the user
to choose their preferred operating system at start-up time.
Network access. Linux users can readily access Windows network volumes using the SMB protocol.
For example, the Lycoris and Lindows applications have access to a GUI network device utility that is
very similar to My Network Places under Windows, allowing them to easily access Windows volumes.
Virtual machines. Solutions like VMware and Xen allow Linux users to install Microsoft operating
systems as virtual machines and run Windows applications within that Windows guest in the hosting
application on their Linux desktop. VMware can be expensive, but Xen is open source and included in
Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
Terminal servers. Products such as Citrix’s Linux client or Ericom allow Linux users to remotely run
Windows applications on their Linux desktop.
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The benefits of migrating to a Linux desktop: IBM Open Collaboration Client Solution powered by Red Hat
Windows emulation. Win4Lin offers users the ability to install and run the Windows operating system on a
Linux desktop. Users can access local partitions and folders to read/write the data from a Windows session.
Commercial software CrossOver allows users to run Windows applications as-is on Linux. This works
particularly well for Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, and Adobe Photoshop.
IntegratIOn
Use portlet-level integration across applications with browser-based access to a portal. IBM Lotus Mashups
can provide Web 2.0 capabilities. Or take the standard approaches using the enterprise service bus and
connectors. You can also use the application composition capabilities provided in Lotus Notes through
Lotus Expeditor and related technologies.
FIle FOrMat COMpatIBIlIty and FunCtIOnal equIvalentS
Productivity editors such as Lotus Symphony offer file format compatibility, cloned functionality, and the
ability to integrate in a Windows environment. The chosen approach is often driven by current and target
states and the dependencies on proprietary formats and repositories dictated by products like Microsoft
Office, Windows SharePoint Services, and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server. With Red Hat Enterprise
Linux and Lotus Symphony, these decisions can take advantage of Open Document Format and similar
open standards, eliminating dependencies on proprietary file formats.
JuMp Start ServICeS
Jump start services range from Linux value assessment workshops, user segmentation workshops,
and pilots to application and desktop migration activities.
Consulting
Red Hat, IBM, and our business partners offer a full range of consulting services, including
assessment, migration, implementation, and infrastructure management, all delivered by
experienced, certified professionals.
training
Industry acclaimed. Performance-based. Red Hat offers the most current and accurate hands-on
training courses and the most respected certifications in the industry. Visit www.redhat.com/training
for information on classes and current training schedules.
professional services
Red Hat, IBM, and our business partners offer a complete range of services to help companies plan,
implement, and extend the value of the IBM Open Collaboration Client Solution powered by Red Hat.
For more information or to request a consultation, contact your regional Red Hat or IBM channel
manager, or visit www.redhat.com/solutions.
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The benefits of migrating to a Linux desktop: IBM Open Collaboration Client Solution powered by Red Hat
financiaL consideraTions
Technology, flexibility, and choice aside, the business case for IBM Open Collaboration Client Solution
powered by Red Hat is built upon reducing costs and total cost of ownership. Put simply, Open
Collaboration Client Solution on Red Hat Enterprise Linux requires fewer staff, fewer updates, and costs
substantially less than powering a Microsoft desktop.
Following is a sample calculation detailing the savings for one organization.
tCO CalCulatOr
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The benefits of migrating to a Linux desktop: IBM Open Collaboration Client Solution powered by Red Hat
Use the TCO calculator available at www.compariv.com/redhat/tcoCalculator.jsp
to calculate savings more specific to your organization.
tCO COMparISOn
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The benefits of migrating to a Linux desktop: IBM Open Collaboration Client Solution powered by Red Hat
summary
This article provides key insights into the architecture and financial benefits of the IBM Open Collaboration
Client Solution powered by Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Migrating your Microsoft desktops to OCCS on
Red Hat Enterprise Linux improves reliability, security, and performance while lowering cost and
helping you avoid vendor lock-in. With IBM and Red Hat, you will experience significant cost savings
while leveraging the best of Web 2.0 and collaboration, ensuring that you have a secure Linux-based
environment in which to get your work done.
Other migration schemes require an “all or nothing” approach. IBM Open Collaboration Client Solution
allows for smooth migration by mixing Windows and Linux environments while keeping productivity at
the same level. IT departments can easily manage a migration over a period time, rather than be forced
into a rapid, one-time migration that may not only put a high work load on a traditionally shrinking
department, but also endanger business continuity. With IBM Open Collaboration Client Solution on
Red Hat Enterprise Linux, there is a safer way to acquire more cost-effective security and productivity.
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The benefits of migrating to a Linux desktop: IBM Open Collaboration Client Solution powered by Red Hat
appendix a: commonLy used microsofT
appLicaTions and TooLs and equivaLenTs
avaiLabLe for Linux deskTops
deSCrIptIOn wIndOwS appS lInux appS
Internet browsers Microsoft Internet Explorer
Firefox
Firefox
Konqueror
Nautilus
Email clients Outlook Express
Outlook
Lotus Notes
Lotus Domino Web Access
Lotus Notes
Lotus Domino Web Access
Thunderbird
Evolution
Instant messaging,
web meetings
Lotus Sametime Client
ICQ
MSN Messenger
AIM (AOL Instant Messenger)
Trillian
Pidgin
Microsoft Netmeeting
Lotus Sametime
Pidgin
FTP clients WS FTP FileZilla FTP Client
GFTP
Internet Relay Chat clients mIRC Konversation
KVIrc
XChat
BitchX
Pidgin
Remote desktop viewing
or control
UltraVNC
TightVNC
RealVNC
built-in remote desktop
TightVNC
RealVNC
rdesktop
News Reader
(Usenet newsgroups)
Outlook Express
Outlook
Thunderbird
Lotus Notes
Lotus Notes
Thunderbird
VOIP Lotus Sametime
Skype
MSN
Lotus Sametime
Skype
Linphone
Ekiga
netwOrkIng
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The benefits of migrating to a Linux desktop: IBM Open Collaboration Client Solution powered by Red Hat
deSCrIptIOn wIndOwS appS lInux appS
Graphic design, image
manipulation
Adobe Photoshop
GIMP
GIMP
Inkscape
Multimedia Windows Media Player MPlayer
Xine
Audio player Winamp
Sonique
iTunes
XMMS
xine
Banshee
deSCrIptIOn wIndOwS appS lInux appS
Office suites Lotus Symphony
Microsoft Office
OpenOffice
Lotus Symphony
OpenOffice
Project management tools Microsoft Project Manager MrProject
Lotus Quickr
Imendio Planner
Kplato
OpenProj
PDF Reader Adobe Acrobat Reader Adobe Acrobat Reader
Xpdf
PDF conversion tools Adobe Acrobat Distiller
PDFCreator
Lotus Symphony
PDF editing tools Adobe Acrobat PDF editor Pdftk
pdfedit
pdfjam
MultIMedIa
OFFICe
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The benefits of migrating to a Linux desktop: IBM Open Collaboration Client Solution powered by Red Hat
deSCrIptIOn wIndOwS appS lInux appS
Virtual machine Vmware Vmware
Xen
Win4lin
File compression 7-Zip
Winzip
Winrar
File Roller
zip/unzip
Desktop search Google Desktop Google Desktop
Beagle
Backup tools Norton Ghost Partition Image
g4u
Mondo
Disk partition tools Norton Partition Magic QTparted
Gparted
Simple editors Notepad
Wordpad
KWrite
Gedit
deSCrIptIOn wIndOwS appS lInux appS
Antivirus Software Norton/McAfee Antivirus Norton AV
Firewall Software ZoneAlarm AppArmor
SELinux
utIlItIeS
SeCurIty
© 2008 Red Hat, Inc. All rights reserved. “Red Hat,” Red Hat Linux, the Red Hat “Shadowman” logo, and the products listed are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Red Hat, Inc. in the US and other countries. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.
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red Hat SaleS and InquIrIeS
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appendix b: Trademarks and copyrighTs
IBM, the IBM logo, Lotus, Notes, Domino, Sametime, Quickr, Connections, WebSphere, Tivoli, ThinkPad, AIX,
and DB2 are registered trademarks or trademarks of the International Business Machines Corporation in
the United States and/or other countries.
Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.
Red Hat is a registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
Sun, Java, and Solaris, all trademarks and logos that contain Sun, Solaris, or Java, and certain other
trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and
other countries. The Java technology is owned and exclusively licensed by Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Intel is a trademark of Intel Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.
Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.
VMware is a trademark of VMware, Inc.
Other company, product and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.