Re: [school-discuss] Cost comparisons for Linux vs. Windows

[Matt Drew <mdrew@redhat.com>]

Tim Wilson wrote:
> Hi everyone,
> 
> I'm working on a paper for one of my graduate courses that is
> tentatively titled "Free As In Speech: Using Open Source Software In
> Education." Depending on how it turns out I plan to submit it for
> publication to one of the educational technology journals.
> 
> I'm writing the paper as an advocacy piece to raise awareness of open
> source software for school technology decision makers. Probably the most
> attention-getting aspect of open source is the low entry cost. (My paper
> discusses other arguably more important benefits as well.) The problem
> is that I don't know much about licensing MS products or the MS
> product line. I'm considering the following scenarios for which I plan
> to compare an MS solution and a Linux solution. In scenario #1 I will
> also include a thin-client solution based on the K12LTSP. Here they are.
> What I need is information about which Microsoft products I would need
> to buy (and some sense of a minimum server spec.) to accomplish the
> following.
> 
> Scenario #1
> ===========
> An elementary school with a basic computer network infrastructure wants
> to build a computer lab of 20 computers and install an additional 10
> workstations for staff use. Student and staff files will be stored on a
> file server that will also provide printing services. The school wants
> to build a Web page and will require a separate Web server and will
> also provide email for the staff (total of 25 teachers + support staff)
> and a porn-filtering proxy.

Current MS licensing for this level would be Open Licensing.  You need 
to purchase a minimum of five licenses to qualify for Open Licensing. 
I'm assuming all Microsoft products.  I'll be using the online calculator:

http://www.microsoft.com/education/default.asp?ID=OpenCalculator

According to your spec we have:

1 file & print server (Win2k Server)
1 web server (Win2k Server + IIS)
1 mail server (Win2k Server + Exchange)
1 proxy server (Win2k Server + 3rd party filter)
30 Client Access Licenses
30 Exchange Client Access Licenses
5 FrontPage licenses  (assuming...)
30 Office XP Pro licenses
30 Win2k Pro licenses (not avail through OL, see below)

 From the calculator, as best I can tell you have this:

$2,084 ($541x4) for the Windows 2000 Servers (it's the Win2k Adv Server 
+ 25 CAL product - still cheaper than retail even with the extra CALs)
IIS is part of Server
$427 for Exchange Server (Basic) + 25 ECALs (I think)
$20 for 5 more ECALs
$52 for 5 FrontPage licenses
$2,010 for 30 Office XP licenses
$1,950 Win2k Pro version upgrade

This is assuming a few things:

1) your Win2k server licenses didn't come with your servers
2) your Win2k pro licenses didn't come with your workstations
3) your Office XP licenses didn't come with your workstations
4) the 3rd-party filtering software is an unknown cost

If they did, then you'll need to get OEM pricing from your vendor so you 
can accurate separate hardware from software costs.  Needless to say, 
this is somewhat difficult.  Find a local vendor who sells OEM copies of 
Windows and base your software prices on their prices -- it'll be a bit 
high off the mark but pretty close.

As you can see, if you're getting OS and Office licenses OEM, than this 
looks to be relatively inexpensive -- mainly Exchange costs, plus a 
dribble of FrontPage and CALs.  Which, of course, is why they sell OS 
licenses the way they do.

Also note that this does NOT include Software Assurance, which is 
"upgrade rights" for future versions of the OS.  Getting Software 
Assurance is something to do through an AER, since the online calculator 
doesn't talk about it.

In essence, you should get a quote from an AER and figure out your OEM 
software costs before you present costs in comparison to the Linux 
option.  Note that from major OEM dealers (Dell, etc) you still pay the 
OEM Windows OS cost even if no OS is included.

> Scenario #2
> ===========
> A medium-sized school district wants to upgrade all their Windows 98
> desktops and Office 97 machines to Windows XP and Office XP.
> 
> I've been able to locate some information about academic pricing, but
> it's not clear to me which MS products fit the bill for some of the
> requirements mentioned in the scenarios. Any suggestions?

This would be the Windows XP Upgrade ($72 per license) and the Office XP 
  Academic special edition which is about $60 per license(it's hard to 
tell -- see your AER).

It's not really clear to anyone else either.  This is the beauty of the 
licensing system.  New, improved, and it changes over time! :\



> -Tim
> 



-- 
Matt Drew
Red Hat, Inc
Education Pilot Tech Coordinator
(919)880-7736 (cell)
(919)754-3700 x44192
mdrew@redhat.com