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Businesses are urged to adapt to popular brands rather than finding solutions that fit, a flawed strategy | Open-source options can be a better fit
Driving SD-WAN Adoption in South Africa
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In the tech world, there's an ongoing debate between the merits of open-source solutions and commercial, proprietary ones which historically were sourced from Silicon Valley. Some IT professionals tend to favor commercial solutions, often under the misconception that a higher price tag equates to superior quality. This mindset leads to the dismissal of open-source alternatives, which are often viewed as inferior. However, this bias overlooks the core principle of IT: delivering what the business truly needs.
Too often, IT geeks champion a particular brand, pushing businesses to adapt their needs to fit the product rather than finding a product that meets their needs. This approach is flawed. Steve Jobs famously said, "You’ve got to start with the customer experience and work back toward the technology – not the other way around." This wisdom is often ignored when businesses choose expensive, branded solutions over open-source options. Apple, the company founded by Steve Jobs sells an experience and not a technology and has become the world's most valuable company in doing so.
Silicon Valley has done an excellent job marketing their products, often at the expense of open-source solutions. They use sales tactics that discredit open source, leading to a perception that more expensive, commercial products are inherently better. This notion is not only misleading but also detrimental to the advancement of practical, effective IT solutions.
Often Open Source solutions are not free. There is a implementation, operational and support component associated with deployments which needs to be recovered and is still a cost a business needs to incur when using these types of solutions.
In the modern cloud environment, open-source solutions dominate. The assumption that higher cost equates to better quality is a misconception. Technologies like Facebook and CloudFlare thrive without relying on expensive commercial firewalls. They leverage open-source solutions effectively, proving that cost does not determine quality or security.
IT professionals often have a binary view of technology: any criticism of a commercial product is seen as hate. However, true IT maturity lies in the ability to abstract solutions from vendor propaganda. It’s about understanding that technology, whether open-source or commercial, must be applied appropriately to meet business needs.
The example of network firewalls illustrates this point. Many companies buy a commercial firewall to tick a cybersecurity checkbox, missing the bigger picture. Cybersecurity is complex and cannot be fixed with a simple box drop. Companies like Fortinet market their products primarily to make a sale, not necessarily to enhance customer security.
Commercial products are often misconfigured because the underlying theoretical knowledge of the technology is not fully understood. This knowledge is equally important for both open-source and commercial systems. In fact, commercial vendors may suppress this knowledge to land larger clients who do not question their solutions.
The key to effective IT solutions lies in implementing a sound technical architecture backed by solid knowledge and experience. This approach ensures that the solution meets business requirements, regardless of whether it is open-source or commercial. Long lists of obscure features are meaningless if they do not address the actual needs of the business.
Wrapping up, the bias against open-source solutions in favor of commercial products is misguided. True IT professionals recognize that the value of a solution lies in its ability to meet business needs effectively, not in its price tag. By focusing on knowledge, proper configuration, and practical implementation, businesses can achieve robust, efficient, and cost-effective IT solutions. It's time to move beyond the myths and embrace the true potential of open-source technology.
Ronald Bartels ensures that Internet inhabiting things are connected reliably online at Fusion Broadband South Africa - the leading specialized SD-WAN provider in South Africa. 👉 Contact Fusion