Think about it; do you automatically update anti-virus software on your systems today via the Web? Do you pull stock quotes or news items off the Web? If you do any of these things, you realize how easy it is to use the Internet to automate updates and manage information.
Why not apply that same paradigm to deploying and managing software and platforms as a whole? The folks at Red Hat, Inc. have just launched a new service, the Red Hat Network (together with a new release of their operating system, Red Hat Linux 7) that leverages the Web to automate systems delivery and management. The Red Hat Network is a secure Web-based service that supports the deployment and management of Red Hat Linux on systems and next-generation devices. As we move toward the post-PC era, I expect more and more services like the Red Hat Network to emerge.
Services such as the Red Hat Network provide a number of benefits. As they take hold, small businesses will see a reduction in IS platform expenditures, and they'll require fewer external consultants and system management personnel.
At larger companies, system administrators won't need to search for updates to operating systems or applications. Likewise, systems personnel won't have to continually load software updates on servers or end-user devices via CDs or floppy disks. Automated notification and secure deployment of software will make network managers much more productive. Likewise, service providers will be able to leverage Web-based system deployment and management services to get software to customers more quickly. And these types of services can be used to support servers, legacy desktops, and next-generation end-user devices with equal ease.
Initially, the Red Hat Network will support service provision for Red Hat Linux 7, but the company plans to offer the same support tools for other versions of Red Hat Linux in the near future.
The Red Hat service has a Web-based interface that administrators can access from any location connected to the Internet. This year, system managers can access software updates and receive notification of events that affect their systems. Support is also provided via Red Hat technicians. Moreover, companies can use network security monitoring provided by the company to keep a proactive lookout for system vulnerabilities. Red Hat also provides a function that monitors system health, reducing potential down time. And the service includes QoS monitoring and application configuration.
I should mention here that I've test driven Red Hat Linux 7 release and found it to be a significant improvement over the previous 6.2 version. I'll have more to say about Red Hat's latest release on ComputerUser.com in the near future.
The Red Hat Network is a good example of where the marketplace for system deployment and management is headed. Leveraging the Internet as a software delivery and support vehicle will only become easier over time. Would you consider using a service such as the Red Hat Network? Write to me.
Maggie Biggs is director of the InfoWorld Test Center.
