Red Hat

When we first had a look at Red Hat's approach to systems as well as identity and security management issues two years ago, we noticed a disappointing mix of grand marketing statements ('end-to-end management' layer) and little substance. We concluded that Red Hat did not seem to know what it wanted to be when it grew up.

Now the situation has both evolved and stayed the same. Management issues are higher than ever on the company's agenda, backed by a new business unit launched in late 2007/early 2008 to specifically focus on its management portfolio. Paradoxically, the company is much less vocal about its management ambitions, mostly because it still does not clearly know what it wants to be when it grows up. Its portfolio is gaining substance, though, backed by a growing number of open source projects. It provides some good, basic best-of-breed functionality, but it is still neither comprehensive nor 'end to end'.

It would help both Red Hat and the market at large if the company stopped its tediously technology- and product-centric, bottom-up approach to management and started to clearly define and articulate its approach to a sector that is, after all, key to fulfilling its ambition to become the first open source company to reach $1 billion in revenues. The good news is that Red Hat is aware of the need to do so.