We run, for instance, a RDBMS-based bulletin board, messaging and communication system, which we integrate into customer sites using their page format and style. The facilities of this software, integrating CGI and Java access to the same information, necessitate a high processor load and we anticipate running the software for several hundred sites simultaneously. Linux is the only OS which allows us to do this reliably and economically; NT is not stable or efficient enough, and Sparc or other unix hardware is too expensive. Using Linux enables us to make the product available at $100 plus $50 per annum; using a commercial operating system would require charges in the order of two or three times this.

We also run a variety of other realtime communication applications including live sports broadcasts and on-screen customer service provision. Once again Linux enables us to efficiently handle the multiple processes and network communication involved, and to monitor the incoming and outgoing traffic.

The system is used for several other processor-intensive server tasks including dynamic generation of graphics with the GD library, and sharing of disks with Windows machines on our LAN. Samba enables us to softlink from the Linux web server to remotely mounted Windows filesystems, so that we can develop locally on Windows and immediately see the results on a web page.

Finally, we develop various security systems on the Linux server, using encrypted PPP channels and other devices to ensure data privacy for our clients. In this case it is the open access to kernel source and patches which is the key advantage, rather than the price.

Anyone interested can contact me (blue@internation.co.uk) for more details.

Regards,

Leigh Caldwell

Managing director, Internation.

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