[TriLUG] RedHat achieves Defense Dept. Certification!

[Mike Johnson]

Frank Hale [frankhale at yahoo.com] wrote:
 
> w00 lets all celebrate... But Lets get real. I've been
> in the US ARMY for almost 7 years and a linux advocate
> for 5, I can assure you from what I've seen that there
> is definitely no plans in place to move Linux in and
> Windows out. While there might be a linux box here and
> there and I'm speculating because I've seen none,
> Microsoft Windows 2000 is the OS of choice and
> something that my organization just upgraded to and is
> still upgrading to. For my organization and I'd rather
> leave its name out of this discussion Linux is
> definitely *not* an approved operating system for any
> network unclassified or classified. If a computer
> doesn't have NT 4 or 2000 then you can forget it.

Well, part of the reason that you haven't seen many Linux systems -is-
because the lack of COE certification.  A contractor could not get a
system in there if it had not passed COE.  Without COE, no programs
would get Linux as a base.

Something to keep in mind, here.  A vendor can't just ask for COE
approval.  There has to be a program vehicle for it (a reason to use
it) and there has to be support from a governmental entity.  Since Red
Hat has attained COE approval, that means that there is -already- a
program of some size to use it within the government.

I attempted, a few years ago, to try and get the ball rolling on getting
Linux of some flavor approved.  I got some attention within the company
for which I worked at the time (large government contractor), but it
didn't get enough traction (and we never could get anyone at Red Hat to
listen to us).  I'm glad to see it happen, and this could open things up
for Linux use within the government.

One thing to keep in mind, however:  the company that provided the
product that was certified becomes the sole supplier of that product.
So, Red Hat is now the sole supplier of Red Hat Linux for the government
(unless regulations have changed in the past few years).  What I do not
know is if this means that Red Hat is the sole supplier of Linux (as in,
Mandrake is not acceptable).
 
> Just to set the record straight and to get these
> butterfly feelings in everybodies stomach to go away.
> Linux will have a long hard fight to make it into the
> at least my organization even if it has DOD
> certification.

It just got easier.  And I do not know which particular organization you
are involved with, but there are -a lot- of governmental orgs.  Linux
may not make it into yours, but there are hundreds (thousands?) of
others.
 
> Trust me I'd love to throw the 2000 boxes out the
> window and reinstall with Redhat linux but I'm telling
> you that will not happen for many years to come.

It took NT a long time to get in.  But remember, there has to be a
reason for Red Hat to be granted COE compliance, and that's because
there is at least one user.

Mike
-- 
"If life hands you lemons, YOU BLOW THOSE LEMONS TO BITS WITH 
 YOUR LASER CANNONS!" -- Brak

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