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khess 95 Practically a Master Poster

Has your IT budget just taken a big hit for 2009? Many have. These desperate times call for desperate measures but don't worry these measures aren't nearly so desperate and they just might help you fix that ailing IT budget. All you need is a little creative thinking and some good people behind you--and these 5 things (in order of importance).

1. Linux - No surprise here since this is a Linux-oriented blog. Linux makes sense for those tightening those budgetary belts since it's free, robust, and stable. You can't go wrong choosing Linux for your IT infrastructure. It handles any job thrown at it and will significantly lower your IT bill.

2. Virtualization - Another of my favorite rants: Virtualization. The less hardware you have to support, the better. Virtualization diminishes your power consumption, cooling needs, and hardware refresh issues. And, if you use operating system level (OS-level) virtualization, you have nothing else to buy and you'll enjoy the best input/output (I/O) performance available for any type of virtualization.

3. Automation - The 4 syllable bane of every system administrator: Automation. Automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks makes good business sense and frees you up for higher level accomplishments. Don't fear automation; embrace it. Automate using shell scripts (because obviously you're using Linux or Unix), perl, python, php, or some other higher-level language. Just about anything you do at the command line can be automated.

4. Open Source Applications - Before you spend thousands on some proprietary application that locks you in to a heavy support contract, head over to Sourceforge and search for the ultimate application. You'll find some real winners there and often for a small donation, you can get the programmers to make changes for you or do them yourself--after all, you do have the source code.

5. Off-Site Service Hosting - You read it correctly--off-site service hosting. It could save you a bundle over "doing it yourself." Why do you need to host your own DNS, websites, mail, or other applications? Do you have some neurotic need to house your own applications, mail, etc.? Does proximity to your files give you some sort of added assurance or warm feeling? Get real and get hosted. Save yourself some time, money, and headaches.

You won't save money buying expensive licenses, "seats," or new hardware. You can save money by using Linux, virtualizing your services, automating tasks, using free software, and by using hosted services. Keep that budget under control and use it wisely.

How are you saving money and working within your own smaller budget? Talk back and let me know.

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Dani AI

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Solid, practical starting point from . The five cost levers he named still work, but the real challenge is turning those ideas into predictable, measurable savings. The following notes focus on implementation, common traps to avoid, and a short pilot checklist you can apply without big upfront risk.

  • Measure first: build a per-service baseline (hardware amortization, licenses/support, ops hours, power/cooling, and hosting). Without a baseline you can’t prove savings.
  • Risk-map apps: create a compatibility matrix (dependencies, data formats, SLA/regulatory constraints). Use it to pick low-risk pilot candidates (internal tools, dev/test systems).
  • Pilot with metrics and a rollback plan: run a short (60–120 day) pilot with defined KPIs — cost delta, incidents, utilization, and MTTR. Test backups and rollback before moving production.
  • Right-fit virtualization: test both lightweight OS-level isolation and full VMs for the services you pilot; assess isolation, backup/restore, and monitoring needs rather than assuming one approach fits all.
  • Automate incrementally and track changes: start by automating the highest-frequency tasks, put scripts/config in version control, and add automated tests. This prevents “tribal knowledge” regressions.
  • Vet OSS and hosts: check project activity and security history for critical apps; for hosted services include egress fees, SLA fine print, and exit costs in your TCO.

Common pitfalls: underestimating training and support costs, skipping DR tests, ignoring licensing/contract exit clauses, and not measuring results. Track simple KPIs: TCO per service, consolidation ratio, CPU/storage utilization, incident rate, MTTR, and monthly ops hours.

Quick pilot checklist: inventory → baseline cost → choose pilot service → build test environment + backups → run measured pilot → review and roll out in phases. Following that sequence turns ’ strategy into repeatable savings without surprises.

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