Where is Linux used in business?

[kevin11951]

I need recent, reputable articles about Linux being used in businesses in any way, and/or used in "the industry" in any way. :)

The reason is because I want to go for my RHCE, and RHCT certs, but my family is saying that it is useless, and that if I really want a job I need to get the Microsoft equivalent, and while I accept that there are more jobs for windows over Linux, I need to show that there are still plenty of space in "the industry" for Linux sysadmins.

[jrusso2]

Of course a lot of web servers and small to medium database servers run Linux.

A friend of mine is working for walmart their photo printers run a combination of Linux and Windows.

[Icehuck]

I need recent, reputable articles about Linux being used in businesses in any way, and/or used in "the industry" in any way. :)

The reason is because I want to go for my RHCE, and RHCT certs, but my family is saying that it is useless, and that if I really want a job I need to get the Microsoft equivalent, and while I accept that there are more jobs for windows over Linux, I need to show that there are still plenty of space in "the industry" for Linux sysadmins.

Tell your parents that you need to know Linux so you can run the virtual environments that multiple window servers run on. If you are using VMware ESX server you are using linux. I really can't think of any company not using Virtual Servers....

Only problem with RedHat certs is the fact that they are way too expensive.


This isn't recent but, http://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/news/article/0,289142,sid80_gci1254860,00.html

If the NYSE isn't a major player then your parents are kinda out of it.

[SE_Sleepy]

A business in Groningen (Netherlands) called Accepte works on linux only. They make webservices in python for heavy duty payment systems like for concerts and that sort of stuff. I just can't find an article about it, but they had a lecture at my college a few months back.

[oldsoundguy]

Lowe's uses a custom designed Red Hat Enterprise system.

ALL US Military fire control systems and most of their regular systems (including battlefield) are Unix/Linux. (can you imagine the BSOD in the middle of a firefight?)

[Vignesh S]

Web servers for sure.

In this part of the world, Linux isn't quite as common, but there are companies on jobsearch looking for people that have Linux (:-D) experience here in Melbourne. Mainly Red Hat, but SUSE is also there.

[click4851]

Panasonic uses a customized version in their current EX2 entertainment system, and Boeing uses it inside their Electronic Flight Bag system. Just two that pop in to my mind.

[Sef]

Even Steve Ballmer admits that 60% (http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/151568/ballmer_still_searching_for_an_answer_to_google.ht ml) of the servers use Linux.

[earthpigg]

the guys behind Farmville and Mafia Wars run Linux servers. Specifically, Red Hat.

that could be a nice example for you because you may have family members specifically familiar with FarmVille and Mafia Wars.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/sad/1539146396.html


SF bay area craigslist > san francisco > jobs > systems/networking jobs
...
Linux System Administrator at Zynga (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zynga)! (potrero hill)
...

Zynga is looking for a seasoned Linux Systems Administrator to join their growing team! Are you looking to join a team who's committed to working on cutting edge technology and have fun doing it?

We are committed to developing high quality casual and multi player games! Come join us ...we're having a ball!
...
Required Skills:
...
• Knowledge of Linux RedHat administration
...
• Systems administration-level knowledge of:
• HTTP/Apache, DNS/BIND, SSH, SNMP, NFS, Perl and/or Shell, Puppet, Cacti, Nagios
• Experience with performance tuning, package installation, patch management updates, network & server management issues
• Experience managing multisite, large scale server farms required


that only matters to you if you want to move to San Francisco, of course. Google and Wikipedia also run on Linux, and are also both in this area.

Pose this question to your faily: "You say there are no Linux jobs around. Who do you think runs the internet, exactly? and do you really think Windows XP runs the world's supercomputers and mainframes and Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles?"

[mcduck]

IBM has listed some of their big clients using Linux, you can find the case studies from their Linux site: http://www-03.ibm.com/linux/

Also all major movie & special effects studios use Linux rendering farms to do the raw work.

[kilosan]

Animation & Visual Effects studios.

Cashiers in Fast food and Stores.

USB/SD card docks in Photo Printing shops.

Internet-only computer shops.

Automated Election Machines/System.

[Zlatan]

some more here (http://www.guardiandigital.com/company/casestudies/)
anyway, you can google for your answer and choose sucess story you like best

[clanky]

Google SAM electronics radar.

SAM are a German manufacturing company who make radar and navigation system for ships (amongst other things, the radar PCs and electronic chart PCs run RHEL.

[kevin11951]

some more here (http://www.guardiandigital.com/company/casestudies/)
anyway, you can google for your answer and choose sucess story you like best

I tried Google, but most of the results were outdated or unreliable :(

[k64]

I tried Google, but most of the results were outdated or unreliable :(

For the record: All of Google's servers use Linux.

[chessnerd]

I think Lowe's (the hardware store) uses it on their computers.

Odd as it may seem, I was at Lowe's and when I went by one of their computers it had a very tall Lowe's logo where the start button should be, and it had a workspace switcher. Now, to me, it looked a heck of a lot like Linux, but I thought that maybe I was wrong.

Went back there a few months later and, sure enough, I saw a guy using one of their computers. It had a workspace switcher on the taskbar, the "Start" button had the Lowe's logo on it, and he was using Firefox as his browser instead of Internet Explorer. I even think I saw a terminal window minimized.

Why, of all the places in the world, would Lowe's use Linux? :-s

[krayzee8]

I don't know of any articles off hand, but I would say that you have a few routes you can take in order to inform your parents about choices available with linux certifications.

Your first and foremost argument should be that there are many more jobs out there for MS Certified employees. That is, everyone and their brother is certified, but linux certs are specialized while being in a growing field.

Second, I would say that most web servers are run with a linux os. However, not just web servers, but very often routers, NAS devices, hardware firewall appliances, and yes, even cell phones (Android). Granted, most desktops are MS, and unfortunately will be for some time to come, but linux is very active in other areas.

In order to show your parents some potential opportunities, you should go to http://www.monster.com and type in linux or RHCE. That will give them and you a small sample of what is available. If you don't pick a state, it will search nationwide.

Best of luck!

[k64]

I'm sure you can find jobs in Linux certification when it comes to server admin. If you can find a job at an ISP managing their data center, you're better off than working at a desktop in an office.

[lukeiamyourfather]

Want to know where Linux is used in business? Pretty much everywhere if you look for more than a few minutes. I work in visual effects for films and its used extensively in all parts of the pipeline in many studios (workstations, render nodes, storage clusters, license and infrastructure servers, etc.).

There's literally thousands if not millions of opportunities out there involving Linux. Here's a few very inspiring uses which could've involved you and your soon to be Linux knowledge.

This company offers online storage for backup and built their own nodes that run Linux - http://blog.backblaze.com/2009/09/01/petabytes-on-a-budget-how-to-build-cheap-cloud-storage/

Looks like 89% of the top 500 fastest computers in the world run Linux and there's a lot of jobs to keep them going - http://www.top500.org/stats/list/34/osfam

Fastest supercomputer right now uses Linux - http://www.nccs.gov/jaguar/

First job listing at Pixar is a Linux/Unix system administrator and all of the other job listings say Linux experience is a positive - http://applicant.pixar.com:8080/psp/hrprod_careers/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL?Page=HRS_CE_HM_PRE&Action=A&SiteID=2

Its probably used nearby you through internet service providers and telecommunications companies, universities, school districts, chemical and petroleum industries, hospitals, the list goes on and on. Not like Windows certifications and experience is a bad thing, but certainly there's jobs out there for those knowledgeable about Linux. Cheers!

[abhibharti]

I don't know about articles but Linux is widely used in Web hosting industries. Almost all servers run on Linux. You can write on it.

[Zoot7]

In the last 2 companies I worked with as an engineer, all the main workstations were running Red Hat.

[speedwell68]

In the UK there is a company called ACIS that provide real time information systems for bus companies. We use them at work, we have electronic time boards on each of out bus stops and each of the time boards uses Linux.

[benerivo]

The London Stock Exchange (http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1588339/london-stock-exchange-switches-linux)

Plus many schools across the world, especially in Russia, have moved over to Linux which suggests that it is going to more be more and more widely used in the future.

Public sector use is high. Just google for 'linux german government' or 'linux federal government'

[tuxsheadache]

I work for a large bank in a datacentre who also uses Linux. In fact they are trying to convert more of their systems in the future to save money and get better performance out of their hardware. I think they just saved about £2 million in licensing fees from converting some recently.

[Rhubarb]

Many routers (including those home-based ones) run Linux, and I think I read somewhere that Cisco is now using Linux in their routers - but don't quote me on the Cisco bit.

Entertainment units like TiVo, Hard disk recorders for TVs, and in-flight entertainment units on airplanes all mostly use Linux.

Web kiosks, and DIY photo kiosks pretty much all use Linux.

Then there's mobile phones, all the Motorola Razr ones run Linux, and I'm sure there's plenty more.

[Roasted]

Knowing Microsoft + Linux systems alike makes you 100% more attractive to businesses than knowing just Linux alone, or even Microsoft alone.

I think I read somewhere about 50% of Google is based on Linux. IBM is a heavy sponsor of Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

Linux is everywhere. I even read somewhere that a lot of flat panel TVs run a small varient of Linux to navigate through their on screen menus, etc.

I wouldn't be in IT support if it was a Microsoft world. On the IT side of things, I use Linux more than I use Windows, and I'm in a mostly Windows network. Probably about 8 Windows servers, 2 Linux servers, and nothing BUT Windows desktops - except mine, of course. Hey! I gotta get work done. Right? ;)

[LowSky]

http://www-03.ibm.com/linux/

http://www.sun.com/

http://www.redhat.com/

http://www.novell.com/home/

[cariboo]

This is Ubuntu specific, but it should get you started.

http://www.workswithu.com/the-works-with-u-1000/

[beetleman64]

What your parents probably don't realise is that the server at their work runs on Linux, and that pretty much all of the IT support people will have a Linux qualification Remember, Linux is popular on the server market for its speed, stability and customization ability. An MS equivalent is only good if you're sure that the job you want uses an MS Windows server

[Gone fishing]

Hi kevin11951 I suppose schools are business - I'm running a linux a as mail, proxy, file, domain and ldap nfs server. Why? - well - my mail sever runs webmail for 700 students and teachers and cost nothing, Windows licenses to do similar would cost a fortune. I can do more on a Linux server for less and possibly more securely and that includes running Windows clients.

I tried to see where you live - but in South Africa Windows certified techies are easy to find, linux techies are hard to find and command good money. Hence I'm learning Linux the hard way :)

[beastrace91]

I think one of my latest blog posts is just what you are looking for perhaps:

Linux in Real Life - Uses Around the World (http://jeffhoogland.blogspot.com/2010/01/linux-in-real-life-uses-around-world.html)

~Jeff

[RabbitWho]

This is kind of off topic but my advice is to do it because you like it and you're interested in it.

If you follow your interests your life will be better, as long as you work really really hard, even if your interest is something silly like art , if you work really really really hard you'll make a living, and you'll be happy as you do it, and that's what matters.