[tlug] Cloud Computing vs. Windows vs. Unix

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com>]

Curt Sampson writes:
 > On 2009-08-21 14:22 +0900 (Fri), Stephen J. Turnbull wrote:
 > 
 > > I wonder about that.  It seems to me that the same kind of business
 > > that would find cloud computing attractive (versus an in-house Windows
 > > server) would also find a Linux or *BSD server attractive.
 > 
 > Why do you think so? It seems to me that a big driver of cloud computing
 > is to get someone else to do the sysadmin, due either to wanting to
 > spend less time on it or lack of expertise. I suspect that those in the
 > lack of expertise camp, if denied cloud computing, would chose Windows
 > over Unix.

I agree that getting others to do the admin is why you would move from
any in-house server to the cloud.  From what I've seen, though,
Windows admin is expensive.  You pay for the license, you pay for the
upgrades, you pay for MCSEs and CCNAs for the staff, you pay pay pay
pay pay.  And they still ain't worth shit, at least not out here in
the sticks where I live.  Sure, our best admins have MCSE and CCNA,
too, but they're all senior and they cut their teeth on Unix and MVS.
The oldest may actually have OS/360 experience.  If you're looking to
cut costs, as of 5-10 years ago depending on exactly which app, moving
webservers to LAMP or equivalent BSD platforms makes a lot of sense,
as did moving databases in many cases.

Feel free to tell me I'm talking through my hat, I don't have broad
knowledge of this, just local conditions.  But the above is my logic
FWIW.

 > Contrawise, for those interested in security over saving effort, moving
 > from Windows to Unix is the likely goal (assuming the cost of learning
 > the new sysadmin skills is within the budget),

If it's not, as I said to Edward, "they ain't serious."