Is Open Source all set to take over the software world in the IT realm? I think that this is unlikely, but I am willing to bet that a fair sized piece will definitely fall to it. Having said that, OS software is still growing. There is still a lot of work to be done before we can make the switch completely without looking both ways of doing things first. This could mean both Open Source and closed source side by side.

A look at why open source is a good fit for companies needing IT management solutions and what kinds of companies are making the switch.

The $7 billion worldwide market for IT management software is on the cusp of a dramatic change, and once again open-source solutions are driving the transformation. Much like Apache during its initial rise to prominence in Web servers, open-source IT management products, such as Nagios, have matured rapidly and now offer competitive functionality and greater flexibility over proprietary platforms at a fraction of the cost.

It’s no secret that proprietary IT management platforms are criticized for being monolithic, inflexible, difficult to use and expensive to manage. But until recently, CIOs looking for a simple yet robust IT management solution at a better price had few alternatives. In 2005, however, the dynamics of this market are shifting. With companies such as AOL, Cingular, Siemens, TicketMaster and TimeWarner Cable already embracing and relying on open-source IT management products, the category of open-source IT management solutions is poised for mainstream adoption. [Read the rest]