"80% of all software will contain open source by 2012." -- Gartner

The future of the Information Technology industry will be heavily dependent on open source platforms, application servers and line-of-business solutions. Organisations and businesses need to start planning now to make the best use of these software technologies, ensuring they optimally align with organisation requirements and strategic needs.

To assist with this endeavour, Cybersource, the world's longest-running Linux and Open Source consultancy, makes available expert consulting services on Open Source Software procurement, adoption and migration strategies. Cybersource has also prepared a methodology and process for auditing and analysing corporate computing environments and mapping out a strategy that allows our customers to establish completely viable migration plans to Linux and open source platforms. We're also able to assist in the evaluation of specific software solutions and in the comparison of a variety of open source and proprietary software technologies.

Cybersource Open Source Strategic Analysis and Planning services can provide responses to the following types of questions and points of decision:

• What are the best-practice procurement strategies when considering open source software for long-term use in production environments?
• Are there opportunities where I might introduce open source into my organisation and gain overall benefits?
• What are the optimal open source solutions which are viable for my business needs?
• What kind of costs are involved in introducing specific open source solutions, and how does that compare with proprietary solutions?
• We use a specific proprietary product; what is the nearest open source competitor?
• We want to use a particular open source solution, but need to understand what its long-term viability is.
• We need to convince corporate management that our decision to deploy an open source solution is a sound one.
• We want to re-use open source projects in our own coding efforts; what are the viable open source licences which comply with our business-model?
• The open source market moves very quickly; we need expert input on current market trends and analysis of the current and future competitive landscape.
• We've developed software which may return benefits to our organisation if it was open sourced. What's the best model and licence to use to achieve these benefits?

Cybersource offers Open Source Strategic Analysis and Planning as a combination of consulting and report preparation services, which are delivered by senior staff members who have a minimum 25 years IT industry experience. Cybersource staff have been involved in many of Australia's major open source industry developments and events, eg: founding Open Source Victoria, co-founding Open Source Industry Australia and preparing the Guide to Open Source Software for Australian Government Agencies

Contact Cybersource for more information.