To compare reliability and manageability differences between Microsoft Windows- and Linux -based solutions, Security Innovation (SI) delved into the extent that maintenance, patch application, and system failures contribute to IT pain and potential costs as business requirements evolve over time.

In an e-commerce solution scenario maintained and enhanced on Windows Server 2000 and Novell SUSE Enterprise Linux 8, then upgraded to Windows Server 2003 and Novell SUSE Enterprise Linux 9, this commissioned study found Windows-based systems were more reliable over time as business needs grew.

The study's author notes: "Only one of three Linux administrators successfully met all business requirements, in part because the Linux-based solution experienced more major system breakages when implementing new business requirements than the Windows solution. Substantial time spent by Linux administrators resolving dependency failures contributed to an advantage in average time to make new e-commerce capabilities available while keeping the system up and running on the Windows platform."

Security Innovation noted the following platform differences contributing to reliability:

IT is able to deliver solutions predictably and consistently: During the maintenance and enhancement phase with systems running on Windows Server 2000 and Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise 8, respectively, two of three experienced Linux administrators failed to meet all business requirements; in contrast, all three Windows administrators succeeded. More system dependency failures experienced by the Linux administrators (14 compared to 0 for the Windows administrators) and a greater number of patches that needed to be applied to the Linux systems (187 compared to 39 for Windows systems) during this phase contributed to this difference.

IT is able to make solutions available efficiently, when they are needed by the business: Over the course of the entire study, which included migration to Windows Server 2003 and Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise 9, Linux administrators required 68% more time, on average, to maintain the system while adding new capabilities and performing the version update.