Don't lock in to a proprietary vendor

Another great reason to consider Linux is to avoid putting all your eggs in one vendor's basket. Having mission-critical systems and data at the mercy of a single vendor's product roadmap and licensing strategy just doesn't make sense.

Locking your business on a single platform from a monopolistic vendor places your systems—and business—at risk. Applications running on SUSE Linux Enterprise provide a new upgrade path for businesses that don't want to get locked into a pattern of forced upgrades and expensive licensing programs. For example, the Microsoft WEPOS license is locked to the device and non–transferable. This means that retailers who want to buy new hardware are forced to purchase a new WEPOS license through an OEM. With SUSE Linux Enterprise, you buy only the software and support you need–when you need it.

SUSE Linux Enterprise also gives retailers a stronger negotiating position when dealing with other vendors. Greater freedom and choice mean lower costs and higher margins.