Finding and Hiring the Right Open Source support Wednesday April 9th, 2009 Glenn McKnight Global Catalysts Consulting Service

Finding and Hiring the Right

Open Source support

Wednesday April 9th, 2009

Glenn McKnight

Global Catalysts Consulting Service

Agenda Objective Overview of existing IT consultancy market IT Support Issues Best Practices Recommendations

Objective

Overview of existing IT consultancy market

IT Support Issues

Best Practices

Recommendations

Albert Einstein said Imagination is more important than knowledge

Albert Einstein said

Imagination is more important than knowledge

Objective of Seminar The objective of the seminar is stimulate you in the selection process for finding and eventually hiring the right Open Source Company or consultant

The objective of the seminar is stimulate you in the selection process for finding and eventually hiring the right Open Source Company or consultant

Who do you call? When you need technical support who do you call? What is your performance criteria?

When you need technical support who do you call?

What is your performance criteria?

IT Industry Overview

IT Overview Economic impact of the IT sector Employment Company profiles Growth Trends

Economic impact of the IT sector

Employment

Company profiles

Growth

Trends

IT and Canadian Economy Unemployment rate for IT workers is 1.6% compared with 6.1% national average In 2005 contribution of $52 billion to the Canadian GDP

Unemployment rate for IT workers is 1.6% compared with 6.1% national average

In 2005 contribution of $52 billion to the Canadian GDP

IT Overview IT Growth Industry Canada reported 600,000 Jobs in ICT 32,000 companies 76% service 12% wholesale 7.6% manufacturing

IT Growth

Industry Canada reported 600,000 Jobs in ICT

32,000 companies

76% service

12% wholesale

7.6% manufacturing

IT Company Overview 80% of companies employ 1-9 employees 14.8% of companies employ 10 to 50 employees 2.7% of companies employ 50 to 100 employees 2.5% employ 100 or more people, 120 companies employ over 500 people 16% to 20% of ICT workers are self employed

80% of companies employ 1-9 employees

14.8% of companies employ 10 to 50 employees

2.7% of companies employ 50 to 100 employees

2.5% employ 100 or more people,

120 companies employ over 500 people

16% to 20% of ICT workers are self employed

IT Market Net growth of some 58,000 jobs over the next 3-5 years. Shortage of 100,000 skilled workers is expected by 2009; 1 million by 2016 2004 through the year 2014, Labor foresees computer support specialist and systems administrator jobs growing 18 percent to 26 percent : "Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2007-10 Edition").

Net growth of some 58,000 jobs over the next 3-5 years.

Shortage of 100,000 skilled workers is expected by 2009; 1 million by 2016

2004 through the year 2014, Labor foresees computer support specialist and systems administrator jobs growing 18 percent to 26 percent : "Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2007-10 Edition").

Linux and Open Source Linux market growth by 27% to a market of $11.8 Billion Mobile market saw growth by 31%, 60% of phone built on Linux Government adoption of Linux 15% of business considering Linux Desktop, Vista problems Microsoft and Novell cooperation deal Dell, IBM, Novell etc have a Linux strategy

Linux market growth by 27% to a market of $11.8 Billion

Mobile market saw growth by 31%, 60% of phone built on Linux

Government adoption of Linux

15% of business considering Linux Desktop, Vista problems

Microsoft and Novell cooperation deal

Dell, IBM, Novell etc have a Linux strategy

Canadian Open Source Companies ? number of Open Source specialist companies ? number of consultants specializing in Open Source solutions Last Canadian study in 2003 was done by E-cology http. www.e-ecology.ca/canfloss/report 17 Canadian companies active in FOSS

? number of Open Source specialist companies

? number of consultants specializing in Open Source solutions

Last Canadian study in 2003 was done by E-cology

http. www.e-ecology.ca/canfloss/report

17 Canadian companies active in FOSS

IT Support Issues

#1 Dubious Technical Help

CBC Marketplace: The Sting Modified a computer to simulate a common hardware failure 10 technicians from various companies were given a technical problem What do you think happened? http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2007/10/03/geeks/

Modified a computer to simulate a common hardware failure

10 technicians from various companies were given a technical problem

What do you think happened?

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2007/10/03/geeks/

CBC Story http://consumerist.com/consumer/videos/sting-op-of-10-different-computer-repair-companies-finds-70-dont-know-what-theyre-doing-306877.php

http://consumerist.com/consumer/videos/sting-op-of-10-different-computer-repair-companies-finds-70-dont-know-what-theyre-doing-306877.php

Observations IT professionals are unregulated Lack of industry flat rate charts Accessing personal information Lack of consumer/company awareness Backing up of software or any personal files, Erasing of any private information, such as financial records, from the hard drive.

IT professionals are unregulated

Lack of industry flat rate charts

Accessing personal information

Lack of consumer/company awareness

Backing up of software or any personal files,

Erasing of any private information, such as financial records, from the hard drive.

Results of the CBC Story Three out of 10 solved the problem 70% missed the problem Wide range of pricing for parts, labour etc Invasion of privacy information Snooping for information Search and downloading of “selective” files

Three out of 10 solved the problem

70% missed the problem

Wide range of pricing for parts, labour etc

Invasion of privacy information

Snooping for information

Search and downloading of “selective” files

# 2 No FOSS IT Associations

Canadian Associations ITAC http://www.itac.ca/ Information and Communication Tech Sector Council http://www.ictc-ctic.ca/en/ Lack of Canadian FOSS business association How many people know about CLUE ? Canadian Association for Open Source http://www.linux.ca

ITAC http://www.itac.ca/

Information and Communication Tech Sector Council

http://www.ictc-ctic.ca/en/

Lack of Canadian FOSS business association

How many people know about CLUE ?

Canadian Association for Open Source http://www.linux.ca

Open Source Consultant Directory In the UK the trade organization Open Source Consortium has a membership base of companies focused on Free and Open Source services Listing of members, collaborative effort for joint proposals http://www.opensourceconsortium.org

In the UK the trade organization Open Source Consortium has a membership base of companies focused on Free and Open Source services

Listing of members, collaborative effort for joint proposals

http://www.opensourceconsortium.org

Australia Open Source Market Open Source Industry Australia and Linux Australia Estimated to have 1500 companies generating $500 Million in revenue http://census .waughpartners.com.au/

Open Source Industry Australia and Linux Australia

Estimated to have 1500 companies generating $500 Million in revenue

http://census .waughpartners.com.au/

# 3 Too many small companies

Problem : Lone Wolfs One of the drawbacks of consultancies is that there are typically a lot of solo practitioners that can't do the bigger projects. Solution: Co-opt Competion Open Source Consortium in the UK pool smaller consultants under a project management offering

Problem : Lone Wolfs

One of the drawbacks of consultancies is that there are typically a lot of solo practitioners that can't do the bigger projects.

Solution: Co-opt Competion

Open Source Consortium in the UK pool smaller consultants under a project management offering

How to Locate Open Source Professionals No separate Open Source trade association No collaborative similar to the UK, Australia, South Africa and elsewhere

No separate Open Source trade association

No collaborative similar to the UK, Australia, South Africa and elsewhere

Now you found Open Source companies What next?

Survival Guide: Request Demonstrated relevant experience History of projects on budget and on schedule Testimonials Fee structure Human capacity

Demonstrated relevant experience

History of projects on budget and on schedule

Testimonials

Fee structure

Human capacity

Qualifying Questions Qualify exactly what kind of technology company you are dealing with Verify that their customer base is similar to your type of business Is the company bonded, insured, trained staff, qualified, Ask for references Check BBB complaints

Qualify exactly what kind of technology company you are dealing with

Verify that their customer base is similar to your type of business

Is the company bonded, insured, trained staff, qualified,

Ask for references

Check BBB complaints

Final Thought Subscribe to the Open Source Business Review, Showcasing Ontario FOSS companies http://www.osbr.ca/ojs/index.php/osbr Request Podcast Interviews of FOSS business contact Jason or Glenn

Subscribe to the Open Source Business Review,

Showcasing Ontario FOSS companies

http://www.osbr.ca/ojs/index.php/osbr

Request

Podcast Interviews of FOSS business contact Jason or Glenn

Contact Information Glenn McKnight Email [email_address] Phone 905-434-6655 or 416-907-0783 BLOG http://www.globalcatalysts.com http://ecrimemonitor.wordpress.com Skype gmcknight Facebook Glenn McKnight Twitter gmcknight

Glenn McKnight

Email [email_address]

Phone 905-434-6655 or 416-907-0783

BLOG http://www.globalcatalysts.com

http://ecrimemonitor.wordpress.com

Skype gmcknight

Facebook Glenn McKnight

Twitter gmcknight