ERP Software

The Scoop on Open Source Enterprise Software Companies

There are several open source Enterprise Software Companies on the market today.  And, more and more companies are acquiring these types of solutions.  However, while there are no fees associated with an open source solution, there are other fees to consider.  What open source Enterprise Software Companies don’t tell you is that you still have to purchase all the hardware, pay for the implementation, pay for the integration, pay for any needed customizations, pay for support services, and pay for education.  Gartner figures that open source solutions save companies approximately three percent.  That three percent is saved by not having to pay to license the software.

The cost of hardware is going to be the same no matter how much money you save on software.  You still need hardware in order to run your software, servers, and databases.  However, unlike proprietary on-site solutions, open source Enterprise Software Companies provide customers with a compiled version of the code along with an un-compiled version.  Customizations are easy to do and one can truly customize the heck out of an open source solution without stepping on toes.  This flexibility is very appealing to a lot of customers.

Implementation and Integration costs are probably going to be similar with open source solutions and proprietary solutions.  Support services will most likely vary depending on who you hire to support your open source solution.  Today, support services for open source solutions are a big issue because some solutions aren’t supported.  Nobody wants to download an open source solution, spend time and money implementing and integrating the solution only to run into a technical issue that nobody can resolve because there are no services available.  Open source solutions without support services should only be downloaded by those who are prepared to be on their own.

Some open source Enterprise Software Companies provide free training or educational courses.  As more and more open source solutions appear on the market, more users are becoming comfortable with the whole idea of an open source system.  Open source solutions aren’t just for hacks and techies, but offer true and hardy functionality in a secure environment.  As Enterprise Software Companies evolve, so do the solutions they offer.  It will be interesting to see the direction open source solutions take in the next five to ten years.

Written by :

kristine H