A Continuing Work in Progress: The State of Linux 2006

The Enterprise Is Heating Up

Figure 8: Virtual Server Diagram (Copyright 2006 EMC; URL forthcoming)

At the enterprise level, the Linux desktop/workstation segment has also a witnessed lot of movement in the migration market. This is especially true as ever more robust server virtualization (SV) applications have opened a door for Linux, even in generally Windows-centric IT environments. Through SV demonstrations, IT staffers are able to effectively use solutions that repartition existing resources to better handle increased server demand, and - by extension - also demonstrate the viability of Linux in the workplace right alongside Windows workhorses. Virtualization also serves to illustrate Linux desktop deployment on existing desktop hardware as a way to encourage migration, and can thus bring Linux to corporate desktops as well.