Installing Linux at work

Hey everyone quick question!

Am I allowed to install a free version of linux on client machines in work like centos 7?

With it been a commercial environment do we need to pay for a commercial version?

From reading the acceptance of use, this is fine and no need to pay for a commercial version if we don't want to, allowing employees to work away as normal on the linux os and keep producing work?

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stryder144

There should be no problem installing most versions of Linux for free for commercial use, other than Redhat and maybe one or two others. If you want technical support, on the other hand, then you might be better off going for Redhat or Oracle's versions of Linux.

kavo87

Thanks for the reply stryder.

The reason why I was asking, there's talks about us getting some linux machines and I was shot down pretty quickly by a more senior, experience admin in my team when I sugguested we could use the free version except as you mentioned the likes of redhat and looking for support.

So I am correct then in what I said.

LeBroke

Keep in mind installing Linux on a client machine may (and often will) end up costing the company a lot more than just paying the $100 or so for a Windows license.

If you already have infrastructure to support Linux (i.e. a Satellite server and whatnot to force updates, LDAP, and people who know Linux fairly well and don't mind doing desktop support), with your user base consisting of technically inclined people (i.e. developers or sysadmin teams), it can make sense, usually for reasons such as usability (native shell to manage Linux boxes or run local dev environments).

If you don't have the infrastructure, what you save on not having to buy a Windows license, you will pay tenfold in increased time spent on end-user support, users struggling to get any work done on their machine, and much more work for things like software or update rollouts.

Also keep in mind almost no Linux sysadmin will want to touch and support Linux desktops since they can make double the money managing servers (if they're not already doing DevOps).

If this is for servers, then no problem.

kavo87

Yeah I think the feeling is linux is some much better lets use that with fully understanding the whole situation. Plus we're a windows environment, none of us have linux experience so who's going to operate it all remains unseen.

The main point I suppose of asking this question, was I right in saying we could install a free version of linux if we wished. From your guys reply yes we could but we wouldn't have support or really the experience to run the workplace on linux alone.

Priston

I missed the whole conversation you had with your co-worker so I can't really tell you if your right or wrong.

The reason why I was asking, there's talks about us getting some linux machines and I was shot down pretty quickly by a more senior, experience admin in my team

If they were talking about Linux machines and you joined the conversation suggesting a free version of Linux, they most likely shot it down because they want support. (something you can't get with a free version)

kavo87

Priston wrote: »

I missed the whole conversation you had with your co-worker so I can't really tell you if your right or wrong.

If they were talking about Linux machines and you joined the conversation suggesting a free version of Linux, they most likely shot it down because they want support. (something you can't get with a free version)

No it was just general talk nothing about support just the fact he said you can't use any linux in a work environment unless you buy it from a vendor etc.

So got me confused as he has much more experience than myself as I was pretty sure you could use either a free or paid version.

jamesleecoleman

I have Ubuntu and CentOS on a spare server all on VMWare. It's not in production so I'm all good.

You can install Linux on client machines and you don't need to buy the commercial version.

kavo87

jamesleecoleman wrote: »

I have Ubuntu and CentOS on a spare server all on VMWare. It's not in production so I'm all good.

You can install Linux on client machines and you don't need to buy the commercial version.

I'm going to install a couple of different versions in work on a VM and see what they're like.

YFZblu

kavo87 wrote: »

No it was just general talk nothing about support just the fact he said you can't use any linux in a work environment unless you buy it from a vendor etc.

So got me confused as he has much more experience than myself as I was pretty sure you could use either a free or paid version.

As a general statement, his comment was inaccurate. Get used to 'senior' people being wrong. In fact, get used to IT people being wrong - a lot. Not to assume that you're a 'junior' and offend you, but the confidence to speak up and provide your perspective will come over time. Being right matters, keep that attitude up.

stryder144

He may have been referring to company policy when he said you can't use any linux in a work environment unless you buy it from a vendor.

kavo87

YFZblu wrote: »

As a general statement, his comment was inaccurate. Get used to 'senior' people being wrong. In fact, get used to IT people being wrong - a lot. Not to assume that you're a 'junior' and offend you, but the confidence to speak up and provide your perspective will come over time. Being right matters, keep that attitude up.

I know in this field we can't always be right or know it all but I do feel if i was wrong and them been more senior that they could explain why in order to improve my knowledge as been junior I want to learn.