Dells Turns to Open Source for ROI

While some companies originate out of a grandiose plan to utilize the powers of open source to benefit their organization and others, some companies discover the magic of open source along the way. Dell is one of the latter according to a recent article by Tech Crunch. "4 Ways Dell Is Becoming an Open Source Company" explains this company's evolution.

Dell's affection for open source can be seen in a few key areas: laptops, cloud, servers and software. This fall, Dell will be selling a Linux laptop made for developers. They are investing in OpenStack and have joined OpenCompute.

The article states:

Dell’s open source slant is tied to its deeper effort to focus on developers. In an interview yesterday at the OSCON event in Portland, Dell’s Barton George said it is that focus which helped Project Sputnik go from skunk works to real product. Dell is differentiating its server technology by adding technology layers that can be packaged for services providers. That may include enterprise companies that see the importance of embracing data and turning it into the “digital oil” that increasingly drives business.

Dell has not been a huge game-changer recently, but focusing on the open source community seems to be a smart decision. ROI will be achieved with open source solutions.

Megan Feil, July 27, 2012