Region's open-source experts to support first of its kind conference in Bahrain

The DataShell IT Open Minds Conference and Exhibition, scheduled to take place on 13th November, will be a first of its kind for Bahrain, bringing together regional business decision-makers as well as IT executives and providing them with information and resources to implement Linux and other open-source solutions in business infrastructures.

Open-source solutions are, typically, those where the software code is made available to the general public with relaxed or non-existent intellectual property restrictions. This allows users to create software content through incremental individual effort or through collaboration.

GBM, an established regional authority on open-source technology announced it would be the event's main sponsor and stressed the importance of developing understanding of the implementation as well as the business implications of the open-source approach to IT.

"IT departments are gradually opening the door to open-source software," said Abdulla Ishaq, General Manager of Bahrain Business Machines (BBM) the GBM operation in Bahrain. "Companies are finding that open-source alternatives can be as easy to use and often cheaper than proprietary products - and IBM and GBM are leading the way towards open-source in the region," he said.

"The First Open Minds Conference and Exhibition will include seminars, workshops and discussions on topics such as Open Source for the Enterprise, IT Security and Disaster recovery," said Ali Al-Sammak, Public Relations Manager at event organiser DataShell.

"As a Community innovation that integrates leading edge technologies and best practices, Linux brings open innovation to all IT sectors, freeing infrastructure from vendor lock-in with choice and flexibility to scale business on the fastest growing operating system in the world. We believe it will play a vital role in developing the region's IT industry and are pleased to be able to help make it possible," said Al-Sammak.

GBM is uniquely positioned to help promote open-source technology by capitalising on its experience with IBM Servers - all of which are open source compatible.

GBM will feature a speaker on open-source initiatives at the event. At the exhibition that runs alongside the conference, GBM will display open-source offerings in various areas, including learning programmes developed in line with the company's commitment to serving the region, and which include industry-leading programmes on a wide range of operating systems such as Linux, Suse and Red Hat.