[NTLUG:Discuss] Non-subscription enterprise licenses?

[Ralph Green]

On Wed, 2009-10-07 at 01:19 -0500, Chris Cox wrote:
> On Wed, 2009-10-07 at 00:39 -0500, David Stanaway wrote:
> > I am shocked to discover that windows is going to be cheaper than Linux
> > for a vendor supported platform for an app I need to run. Please say it
> > isn't so!
> 
> Please look at:
> http://www.ntlug.org/BP-ccox/GetTheFacts
> 
Chris,
 I have read that article before and I still think it is the best and
fairest comparison of costs that I have seen.  Windows and Linux have
similar costs, only if you don't look at all the costs.

> > Very frustrated, I don't need any web support or OS support on the
> > system, I just want a legal entitlement to run the OS, and be able to
> > manually keep it up to date.
> 
David,
  If you really mean this paragraph, then an Ubuntu LTS release may do
fine for you.  The server version is supported with patches for 5 years.
The last LTS server version was released in April 2008 and so will be
supported with patches until 2013. 

> > The things that frustrate me are having to pay per VM, not per physical
> > host (Or 5 pack), and having to keep the subscription indefinitely.
> 
 If you don't need the hand holding of a support contract, then 20
virtual Ubuntu machines on a server cost the same as 1 physical one.
They are both free.  If you do want the hand holding, then SuSE may be
your best choice.  As much as I like Ubuntu, and recommend its use
widely, for some enterprise applications, I tell people to go with SLES
or RHEL. 

> No cost for initial eval and updates (60 days).  That might just be
> good enough to run for quite some time.
> 
> If you just have to have a long term support thing, look to Ubuntu LTS
> (next version coming up is scheduled to be an LTS) or you can look at
> things like CentOS (essentially robbing Red Hat).
> 
  The next Ubuntu version, which comes out 2 days before the end of this
month is not a long term support version.  The version after that one,
which comes out at the end of April 2010 will be a LTS edition.  

Good day,
Ralph