4.1 Create an Open Source Lab
The first step to take is to set up an open source lab. This supports all the activities that follow, in this book and in the organization, so it is a critical beginning. From experience with other migrations, such as in the personal computer and network eras, we know that using a lab is a pivotal move. It is a first step to take for an organization that is considering open source.
The lab is really a communication tool to discover useful information, activity, and resources and bring it to the attention of decision makers and professionals who can act on it. Figure 4.1 shows the various open source elements on display that are used for communicating with key decision makers, including end users, IT professionals, and executives. It can be a good place to conduct training in relevant open source skills for developers, administrators, users, and executives.
The lab will contain and demonstrate the basic elements of open source software. This should be dedicated space, but does not need to be large and won’t need much equipment, at least not unless you get into training on a serious scale. You can use this lab to test the possibilities and running costs to the alter-