1 Licence This presentation document is one used by Ryan Cartwright of Equitas IT Solutions [1] and is Copyright © 2008 Ryan P. Cartwright / Equitas IT Solutions. It is released under a Creative Commons By-SA 3.0 licence[2]. You are free: – to Share — to copy, distribute and transmit the work – to Remix — to adapt the work Under the following conditions: – Attribution. You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work). – Share Alike. If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under the same, similar or a compatible license. ● For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the license terms of this work. The best way to do this is with a link to this web page. ● Any of the above conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder. ● Nothing in this license impairs or restricts the author's moral rights. [1] [2]

2 equitas solutions Free software in use Ryan Cartwright Equitas IT Solutions / Contact a Family

3 equitas solutions About me ● IT professional - 15 years ● Head of IT, Contact a Family since 2001 – National Charity for families with disabled children – Using FOSS since 1999 ● Equitas IT Solutions – Specialists in FOSS & VCS – Audit, Consultancy, Databases, Training, Web ● Free Software Magazine

4 equitas solutions Free Software at Contact a Family ● Internet – Website: Linux, Apache, ExponentCMS – Exim/SpamAssassin, Group-office – Backups: Rsync – Firewalls ● Office servers – File & print serving: Samba – Secure remote management

5 equitas solutions Free Software at Contact a Family Cont'd ● Desktops – Firefox – OpenOffice.org – GNU/Linux ● Intranet – Core database & organisational functions ● Training suite – Salvaged old kit

6 equitas solutions What do you need? ● DIY – Hardware: old/new/spare kit – Web connection: downloading – Enthusiasm ● Outsourced – Money: less than you'd think – Good contractor relationship

7 equitas solutions Why use it? ● Cost – Initial outlay / TCO / growth – Fund people, not software ● Tailored – One size never fits all ● Efficiency & sustainability – Less downtime, greater security ● Adaptability & Control ● Freedom

8 equitas solutions Pitfalls / Gotchas? ● Time (initially) ● Avoid bleeding edge ● Support will cost (time and/or money) ● Staff resistance (initial hurdles) ● Ask for charity discounts ● Get the right partners

9 equitas solutions Resources ● Web – Fossbox, Freecharity.org.uk, forums ● Live CDs – Ubuntu, SME Server, Fossbox CD ● Contact a Family – Case study: ● Equitas website – Guides, how-to: –