Evaluating potential open source applications : a case study of the network attached storage industry

Abstract

The open source model for software development has been established as a legitimate competitor to the largest closed source software firms in the world. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the potential impact that the open source model can have with in the information storage industry. The existing literature regarding open source is reviewed and used as a framework for analysis of the storage industry. Additional analysis of the FreeNAS open source storage project is also conducted using the framework to provide context. The research concludes that the information storage industry meets many of the criteria that have been shown to drive adoption of open source software. Some speculation is made regarding the manner in which open source will continue to expand within the storage industry.