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Year of the Linux Client

24. June 2022

For a long time, users who run Linux (e.g., Ubuntu or Fedora) on their clients for scientific research, software development, or hardware engineering were a niche and often overlooked minority user group. Unfortunately, the hurdles to using a Linux-based workstation as a developer, scientist, or engineer are commonly unbearable, especially in enterprise organizations. Security or compliance policies prevented it altogether, or there were too many technical challenges such as remote access or unavailable tools that make productivity and collaboration impossible.

At Adfinis, we believe this tide has changed, and the long-awaited “Year of the Linux Client” is upon us!

Linux and the “Open & Inner Source Mindset” have been at the center of our company values and DNA from the beginning. Thus, it is a no-brainer that almost all our team members have been running Linux clients since we were founded over 22 years ago.

With the rise of container-based development and increasing adoption of web-based or SaaS services, organizations have fewer core apps bound to a specific operating system. These changes are also paving the way for Linux clients.

In the past few months and years, we have accompanied various small and large global enterprise organizations in developing, adopting, and continuously improving Linux clients. For example, the Roche Linux Client (RLC) we manage and improve in collaboration with our Roche colleagues is about to hit its 10th anniversary and is still going strong!

Here are five reasons why organizations and decision-makers should consider providing Linux clients to their developers, scientists, and engineers:

Enterprise-ready Ecosystem
The Linux client ecosystem has heavily matured and is now enterprise-ready! Challenges such as enterprise Wi-Fi and follow-me printer queue integration, remote VPN access, collaboration tools, or simple activities such as connecting a projector in a meeting room have become a commodity and work out of the box! Also, Zero Trust and compliance requirements, especially for regulated organizations, can be achieved heads-on with Linux.
Talent Acquisition
There is a continuous need for technical personnel in the job market, and organizations compete to be the best place to work. Unfortunately, numerous developers and scientists have refused job offerings because the company did not provide Linux clients. Therefore, supplying Linux clients can strengthen your talent acquisition!
Built-in DevSecOps Tool Chain
Developers, scientists, and engineers have changed their workflows to integrate cloud-native methodologies such as container-based development or Infrastructure as Code. However, providing the necessary toolchain to your users can be challenging, especially on Windows! With Linux clients, we have seen the ease of use for technicians because the essential tools and apps are provided out of the box.
Freedom of Choice
Allowing users to choose between their favorite client OS based on either Linux, macOS, or Windows goes hand in hand with productivity. Forcing developers, scientists, and engineers to work on machines they are not used to or having to adaptall workflows results in more frustration and overhead.
Fun Equals Productivity
Making developers, scientists, and engineers happy is key to ensuring productivity and quality as part of your core business. Likewise, providing Linux clients to your teams can be a decisive factor for them to enjoy their work and have fun!

How Adfinis Can Help You

Adfinis will help your organization and business shape, design, implement and operate a 24/7 global self-service vision for your Linux clients. We will provide best practices (Infrastructure as Code and Zero Trust) and meet the compliance requirements.

On this journey, we accompanied many organizations, such as global pharma champion Roche, and have built extensive knowledge in regulated environments. We not only provide our customers with technical support but also act as advisors during their transformation into the cloud-native world while bridging the gap between enterprise organizations and the Linux community together with our partners SUSE, Red Hat, and Canonical.

Why Choose our Linux Client Services

It’s Adaptable

Our Linux client services are optimized for the productivity of developers, scientists, and engineers and come with all Enterprise integrations out of the box. In addition, with our Open Source expertise, we can provide a complete self-service deployment process from anywhere and anytime.

It’s Secure

Our Linux client services secure your IP and product development by implementing Zero Trust and best security practices. At the same time, we ensure the solution is compliant with your industry-specific regulations.

It’s Collaborative

Collaboration and the Open & Inner Source mindset are at the core of our Linux client services. Together with your teams, we transparently develop the Linux client, allowing end-users to contribute to the code, issue tracking, and backlog. By enabling users to help each other and building a Linux community in your organization, efficiency and user experience can be maximized while strongly reducing operational and support overhead. Together with your SRE (Site Reliability Engineering) team and end-users, we accompany you on this journey and provide continuous improvements to ensure long-term satisfaction and productivity.

What Customers say About Us

The collaboration has had many advantages: The engagement and passion, perfectly paired with an ambitious and realistic vision, has been determinant to provide a solid architecture, as well as a very strong sense of ownership and accountability, understanding the market trends and Roche’s processes and requirements to define the mid to long term approach.

Ignacio Muñoz, Product Owner – Roche Linux Client