|
|
|
|
Blessed are the Geeks, for they shall internet the earth |
William Nett
I've started a new job, and I love it! I get to play with all kinds of
new geeky toys, learn a different facet of the technology industry, and work for a company that is just... well its just plain cool.My boss this afternoon approached me and pretty much said 'carte blanche' do what you must to keep the network functional and further improve upon the existing design, but he discourages using free software, and yes, that includes the implementation of Linux. His argument is well put, if I get hit by a bus tomorrow and the company depends upon any of my creations, it would be difficult to backfill my position as my cadaver cools. It should be said that there aren't many Linux people in Florida, and with that in mind, his point is well made.
This brings up the constantly reveled war between Linux and Open Source vs. Proprietary or Closed Source solutions. While it's true that MCSE's are a dime a dozen and Linux/UNIX professionals are a
little hard to come by, it should also be noted that there are balancing natures of the two. First off, almost anyone can get an MCSE without really learning how to 'be' an MCSE. A few years back it made headlines that an eight year old child from India earned an MCSE, and I know of a former co-worker that memorized all kinds of Microsoft Test-Kings and got nearly every Microsoft certification under the sun, but in reality he's just a Program Manager... granted, he's an awesome
geek, but he's never actually worked as a DBA.
The same effort cannot be applied to earning a Linux/UNIX certification like Linux+, RHCT, RHCE, RHCA, RHCSS, and SCSA. In the Linux/UNIX certification tests, there are labs, with real dynamic
questions that you can't just memorize. Only having a level of comprehensive knowledge will enable you to pass those tests. So in short, I believe that Linux/UNIX certifications have a higher value
much like CCNP or CCIE. Don't get me wrong, MCSE's who actually learned how to be MCSEs are just as valuable as a Linux+ certified engineer, they're just harder to find.
Some managers argue that now they have to pay more for that kind of expertise, and that's true. You aren't going to touch a Linux/UNIX/Cisco admin for the price of an MCSE, but you're not
putting as much money into irresponsible corporations either. Allow me to explain... On a previous job a few (3) years back, we were attacked by windows targeted viruses one time that brought down the integrity of our entire network for two days. Twenty five developers sat around doing nothing for almost two days with pay while the network was infected. The only people who didn't enjoy this time off was the Linux/UNIX/Cisco Admins who had to work (salaried) for that time in 12 hour shifts until the all the virus infected servers/workstations were eradicated. Total cost of the downtime? Roughly twenty five thousand dollars in developers alone. In the end, it was a Linux laptop that was able to find the intrusion point of entry and close it off. It should also be noted that several 'well-known' and 'trusted' firewalls failed to stop the intrusion, but the Linux firewall didn't skip a beat in stopping the malicious traffic... unfortunately the Linux firewall was only protecting one segment of the network.
Does this mean that Linux is more secure? No, it just means that the Linux/UNIX/Cisco engineers were better equipped and more knowledgeable to handle the problem. The Linux firewall Admin modified his firewall in advance prior to the infection. Also note that although Cisco is closed source, their Intrusion Detection System runs Linux. </note>
So what it really boils down to is where do you put your money? Do you pay a corporation for proprietary software that takes several days and lawyer to acknowledge a problem to launch a team of paper certified personnel to solve your issue with the possibility that one of them can actually help? Or do you pay the professional who actually knows what to do in advance, who knows who to call and how to protect you? I guarantee you this, the Linux/UNIX/Cisco professional will be far more
appreciative and motivated by your financial compensation than any corporation or low paid paper certified technician who is off to an interview during lunch. Then again, if your company isn't providing a happy healthy environment maybe your Linux/UNIX/Cisco admin is on Monster.com right now. And so there is your balance.
William M. Nett
