Here It Comes

With a requirement in-hand for a business system that requires Microsoft products on the back-end, we've begun our analysis of a Microsoft-centric technology stack versus the Novell solution we have in place today.

The results thus far have been pretty surprising. I could actually save money by going with Microsoft products to meet our requirements, and increase the functionality we provide our users. The annual maintenance-only costs for MS licenses (the Core CAL) is about half of what Novell's NOWS maintenance runs. The cost of the license is a bit higher, but is masked by the ability to finance the license cost for free over a 3 year term. The net result is that, year over year, I'd spend less with Microsoft for equivalent functionality, and would get SharePoint for free - which people are almost yelling for around here.

Microsoft has done a lot to improve the quality and stability of their products, as well as to bring their features closer to level with those to which we're accustomed in the Novell realm. When you look at all of the third-party integration points, and the benefits to be extracted by leveraging them, it's a very compelling proposition.

Those who know me will know that it's a very painful thing to admit, but it's no secret that I consider the Novell of my past to be long since dead. The people who knew how to envision, build, and maintain these products are long gone. Before much longer, we won't be able to get any help migrating, and doing so is an inevitability for us. I wish those who can continue on as they are the best of luck, but fighting it just for the sake of fighting it is a proposition that adds no value.