Zahid Tractor and Heavy Machinery Company adopts Linux technology with SBM and IBM

Rolling out Linux across its systems spanning the Kingdom with the help of Saudi Business Machines (SBM), the general marketing and services representative of IBM WTC in Saudi Arabia, Zahid Tractor is leading a wave of change that is allowing organisations to implement the most powerful and secure computer systems - without having to pay exorbitant licensing fees. By replacing its Microsoft Windows servers with Linux, Zahid Tractors has reduced its server technology costs by as much as 25%, and demonstrated the value, flexibility and security of open-source software.

The new IBM x-Series servers running Linux handle Web Services, file and print services, messaging and business applications for Zahid Tractor.

"Maintaining a reliable and high-performance technology infrastructure is of paramount importance for Zahid Tractor, as we have to provide critical business systems and maintain the flow of vital financial and inventory information between our network of 26 branches around Saudi Arabia, catering to a number of different customer groups," said Nasser J Bayram, IT Director of Zahid Tractor. "We investigated Linux as a solution to our cost, portability, scalability, security and performance issues, and found that it presented a very compelling solution."

With over 1,500 employees providing many different products and financial services, as well as professional services and 24-hour technical advice and emergency service, the demands on the company's information systems are massive.

As the company grew and developed, the IT department became increasingly concerned about the steadily increasing costs of software licences, as well as security and reliability concerns about the Windows infrastructure it was using. Zahid Tractor has many servers running Windows 2000 connected through a large scale Wide Area Network, running applications based on IBM's Lotus Domino messaging and collaboration technology. After studying various alternatives and presenting these to management, the IT department was given the go-ahead to develop a Linux Research & Development project in 2001. It established a Linux Lab on its premises with its own dedicated network, and partnered with SBM and IBM Global Services to define a solution in 2002. Once the solution was scoped out, it worked with SBM to roll out a pilot project to identify the implementation issues and find solutions before mass rollout in late 2002. (Project details are available on http://www.zahid.com/ , then click on "Linux" under "The Company").

IBM provided specialist consulting, assisting in the proof of concept pilot, and documenting the core procedures to be replicated on all Zahid Tractors' servers, in addition to specific Linux skills transfer.

The Linux platform was chosen for several reasons. Zahid Tractor wanted higher levels of security than its existing Microsoft systems provided, as well as demanding higher levels of stability. A further requirement was the high performance and processing throughput of Linux, as well as its ability to run on almost any type of system, from older machines to the latest enterprise-class servers. Zahid Tractor was also more comfortable moving to Linux as there is a growing user community in the Middle East. A further advantage is that the IBM Domino software that Zahid Tractor uses is open-standards and runs on multiple platforms, including Microsoft Windows and Linux, removing the migration issues that plague transformations where platform-specific technologies are used.

"Linux is clearly a server platform for the enterprise of the future. Many of the largest corporations in the world are taking advantage of its power and scalability, just as many smaller ones value its cost effectiveness," said Ahmed Shelbaieh, SBM Client Representative Manager, Western Region. "We enjoyed working with Zahid Tractor on this project, as it makes so much sense technically and business-wise. SBM hopes that this implementation will show other organisations in the Gulf that Linux is a powerful, truly enterprise-quality platform, with all of the flexibility that open-standards software allows."

Zahid Tractor trained its existing staff and started a pilot project in March 2002 with the help of SBM and IBM professional services. In December 2002, it completed the pilot project to convert all of its Head Office servers to Linux. A Kingdom-wide conversion of all Windows 2000 servers to Red Hat 7.3 Linux servers (the company is currently testing Red Hat 8 in its labs) is planned to complete by the second quarter of this year, marking the end of Phase I of this project.

Zahid Tractor had specific measurable conditions under which it wanted to implement the new system: zero impact on its users and business systems, full support for its existing core applications, fully documented procedures, with fully trained existing staff and no external recruitment requirements. Zahid's objective is to invest in its own people, with the Linux team being made up of at least 50% Saudi nationals.