CRN: Why can't Red Hat or Novell do the same thing?
PAPIC: They will certainly try to work on it. But I would almost call it an unfair advantage for us in that we have structured Linux around a very small kernel. Maintaining 4 Gbytes of code compared with our 20 Mbytes of code is an entirely different proposition.
CRN: Microsoft would argue that the noise around Linux outweighs any reality when it comes to adoption, especially in the SMB space. What's your take on that?
PAPIC: I would tend to agree that Linux, as it exists today, is very much happening in higher-end applications running Oracle, Web sites and things like that. Those are specialized deployments, usually high-end data centers or traditional Web hosting. In a small or a midsize business, that's very much Microsoft territory. But with us, the whole equation drastically changes. In terms of total cost of ownership [TCO] and installation complexity, Microsoft does have an advantage over traditional Linux. But we are further reducing complexity--and therefore TCO--almost by a factor of 10. So we're really doing another technical leap ahead of Microsoft on top of a Linux platform.
CRN: Beyond Microsoft Windows Server, can Net Integration compete effectively against Microsoft Small Business Server?
Discover the benefits of scalable backbone and network services for application and cloud providers.
Network automation is gaining momentum. Here's how you can drive this powerful technology to its full potential.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
