Open source software provides similar (or even better)
functions and features as their proprietary counterparts. It can be
deployed to handle any possible task within IT infrastructure – networks,
servers, desktops, backups etc. All these small task deployments could
together create ultimate fully open source enterprise environment with
100% freedom, choice and other open source benefits utilization.
Open enterprise components depends on what is the purpose
of the system, basically whether it is server or desktop system. Check
out what we recommend for both system types (servers and desktops) and
enjoy your choice with the alternatives too.
Server
| Operating system |
Linux |
- Linux is natural choice for server operating
system, because it supports various hardware platforms and
devices, which makes it easy to deploy. You can also see other
Linux benefits.
- Alternatives: BSD
|
| Email server |
Postfix |
- Postfix attempts to be fast, easy to
administer, and secure mail server. It could be extended with a
wide range of additional email features like: out of office
replies, delivery filters, antivir scanners and spam
filters.
- Alternatives: qmail, sendmail
|
| Web server |
Apache |
- Apache is the most popular web server on the
Internet. Its popularity comes from easy administration,
performance, availability on many platforms and numerous
extensions.
|
| Domain name server |
djbdns |
- Djbdns is a collection of Domain Name System
utilities which provide basic features of DNS – cache,
authoritative name server and zones transfer. It is easy to
deploy and is best known for its security.
- Alternatives: BIND
|
| Database |
PostgreSQL |
- PostgreSQL is robust object relational DBMS. It
matches proprietary database engines with the features and SQL
compliance.
- Alternative: MySQL, Firebird, SQLite
|
| File sharing |
Samba and Netatalk |
- Samba and Netatalk provide the easiest way to
cross platform file sharing. While Samba is software suite that
provides seamless file and print services to Microsoft Windows
clients (including Windows domains, point and print.printing and
other advanced features), Netatalk is implementation of Apple
Filesharing Protocol which provides native filesharing with MacOS
systems.
- Alternatives: OpenAFS, NFS
|
| Directory service |
OpenLDAP |
- OpenLDAP is commercial-grade, fully featured
and open source implementation of the Lightweight Directory
Access Protocol.
- Alternatives: RedHat Directory
server
|
Desktop
| User interface |
Gnome |
- Gnome user interface focuses on simplicity and
usability. It doesn't impose high level of knowledge requirement
on the user to operate it. The defaults are prepared sensitively
and everything is setup to work right out-of-the-box. Power users
could of course go deeply under the roof, but it completely
hidden for beginners. All together makes it the best option.
- Alternatives: KDE
|
| Office suite |
OpenOffice |
- Writing documents, making graphs or
presentations is easy with Open Office package. This free
application uses Open Document Format (ODF) which became from
2006 as world wide standard (ISO 26300)
- Alternatives: StarOffice, Abiword/Gnumeric
|
| Web browsing |
Firefox |
- Firefox is one of the most popular web browsing
application. It is wellknown for its speed, tabbing, plugins,
etc.
- Alternatives: Opera, Epiphany, Konqueror
|
| E-mail |
Evolution |
- Evolution is powerful GUI e-mail client. The
most important features are Calendar, Tasks, Contacts,
synchronisation, virtual folder, antispam, etc.
- Alternatives: Mozilla Thunderbird, Kmail
|
| Multimedia |
Mplayer |
- You don't know how to play your favourite AVI
files, DVD or SVCD? An advice is simple, use Mplayer. It supports
many formats and codecs, subtitles, rewinding, etc.
- Alternatives: Totem, Xanim
|
| Remote desktop |
NX |
- NX is remote desktop with extreme high
compression algorithm, so you can use it fully functional on slow
network connections.
- Alternatives: VNC
|