Yesterday I sat on a panel discussion in New York.  I sat between 2 different open source ECM vendors, Alfresco and Nuxeo in front of over 70 members of the ARMA and AIIM's New York Metro chapters.  Being the consultant on the panel,  I felt I was in a unique position to cut through some of the hype regarding the two different "infomercials" we have become accustom to in these types of settings with vendors.

As I listen to the stories go back an forth about how open source is good and closed source is bad, I cant help but wonder;  am I moving from one "locked-in" situation to another if I implement open source.   I realize the open source vendors say that if I am not happy with the direction of the software I can take the source and own it.  Lets be realistic here, there are very few, if any, companies that will take the million plus lines of source code and know what to do with it.  That being the case I think it is very important to go into your choice with your eyes wide open.

While Sitrof does work with Alfresco and has a strong working knowledge of the platform we also work very closely with many different traditional software vendors like Microsoft and EMC.  I feel if I were to walk away from this meeting with a clear point of view it would be - regardless whether you are interesting in traditional software like Microsoft SharePoint or if you want to embrace the world of open source like Alfresco and Nuxeo - you must first have a very clear understanding regarding your end user requirements.  Requirements will determine if open source or traditional software is right for you.

As part of the panel the questions were handed out ahead of time.  I wanted to spend a some time sharing my answers.

Defining Open Source ECM

What is Open Source ECM and what is it not?

• The term “open source” refers primarily to a type of outbound licensing paradigm, but also to a method of software development. To understand it you need to focus on the word “Source”. This refers to the code that developers write. In the case of Windows this source is closed and not accessible to the public to work on. In the case of “Open Source” the source code is open and available for edit by anyone who has access and ability. As this relates to Enterprise Content Management there is no difference. The “open source” code related an ECM project is rich with features and functions that help organizations work with business processes related to unstructured data. The key is the code associated is available for enhancement and modification to the general public / community member.

How did it begin?

• It’s beginnings are not new. Many people would say it is as old as the software industry. Basically back in the 70’s AT&T was under a lot of heat for being monopolistic. They developed a new operating system call UNIX (Uniplexed Information and Computing System – allegedly a pun on the work “eunuchs”). In my opinion, that was the true beginning however, I think the biggest growth came when Linux came on the scene. A new operating system that allowed for alternatives to proprietary software and could be used on the rapidly growing Intel chip.

What is the premise?

• Free redistribution
• Source code available
• Derivative works permitted
• Integrity of author’s source
• No discrimination against persons or groups
• No discrimination against fields of endeavor
• Distribution of license with derivative works
• License must not be specific to a product
• License must not restrict use of other software
• No provision of license may be predicted on any individual technology or style of interface.

Is it freeware?

• In some cases it is freeware however, licensing is much more complex than just calling it freeware. Free really refers to the freedom of use rather than to price. There are no restrictions on putting a price on the distribution of the software however; it is usually prohibited to place restrictions on exercise of a sub-license agreement. Thus in practical terms, it is impossible to charge license fees for free software. However, it is possible to charge for maintenance, customization and other services.

How is Open Source ECM licensed?

• Typically these are direct licensing models. In other words, a licensee that accepts software under the terms of the GPL and distributes it to another does not sub-license the rights in the software. Most open sources licenses are direct grants from the author to anyone that wishes to take the software under license. There are a lot of different licenses out there and you can locate most of them with a simple web search. Mozilla Public License, Apache and GNU General Public License (GPL) are a few.  Alfresco is the only software we work with under the open source ECM vendor space and it uses the Mozilla Public License v. 1.1 with an attribution clause added.

What are the component parts of Open Source, E.g.: RIM, Imaging, DAM, etc.

• Access & User Functions - Check in, Check out, Versioning, Ranching, DRM,DAM, Search, Subscriptions, Renditions, etc.
• Analysis - Categories, Document structures, metadata management, language translation, etc.
• Collaboration - Calendar, document sharing, threaded discussions, etc.
• Administration - Management, reporting, etc.
• Security - ACL, User authentication, End user management, etc.
• Records Management - Classification, Automation, Hold, File Plan management, etc.
• Storage - Hierarchical storage, Database, Native document storage, etc.
• Web Publishing - Content management, portal management, etc.
• Workflow Processing Management - Workflow management, Graphical tools, APIs, etc.

Comparing Open Source ECM to established ECM suites

What are the costs and how are costs compared?

• Established ECM suites usually charge by the user/server/both with annual maintenance tack on to cover issues, bugs, new releases. In the open source model you typically get the community editions of the software at no cost. These are only supported by the community though forums and a reasonable knowledge base depending on the following of the product. If you are looking for enterprise level support it can be purchased. In most cases they will charge a fee per user or per sever CPU. Depending on the size of the system there does come a point where established ECM can cost equal to or even less than open source.

How can we categorically analyze capabilities?

• Yes, this can be done. We typically use a spreadsheet that list of over 200 features that should exist in the perfect ECM solution. We work with our customers when they are making a decision to move forward with a solution to compare and contrast the different tools against our spreadsheet. In addition the feature comparison we also map out detailed end user requirements and weight the appropriate features. This allows us to categorically chose the appropriate solution.

What is the development effort required to implement?

• This ties back to the detailed user requirements and the delta between the chosen solutions out-of-the-box features vs. customizations required to fully meet the requirements. In some cases the effort is minimal. In other cases the effort is very costly. One of the things we do is to determine the hard ROI that can be obtained when deploying and ECM solution. This can be used to determine whether the project will be profitable or not. This is true if the project is traditional ECM or an open source ECM.

What technical level of expertise is required to implement?

• Depends on the user requirements in order to determine the level of development required. Typically on a medium sized project you need a project manager, business analyst and technical lead. In more complex projects you need multiple resources.  For the most part you do not need any special resources for either open or closed software.  They should be interchangeable.

Organizations expect 80% out of the box capabilities. Is this met?

• Again, this depends on the user requirements.  There are a lot of different features and functions available is open and closed source ECM solutions.  In order to determine if you can get 80% usage out-of-the-box you must do due diligence by mapping your requirements to the features and functions and determining the delta between the two.

What about support?

• In most cases the companies provide email, and phone support if you are paying for their maintenance plan. You also have access to the knowledge base and FAQs. There are also companies, like Sitrof that offer supplemental support for most of the major ECM products including open source products like Alfresco.

What are the negatives, the red flags? Where would OS not be applicable?

• Depends on the user requirements the level of customization needed to make the software meet your requirements.  If you have to make customizations you run the risk of costly migrations or an inability to upgrade.

Maturity and capabilities aspects of Open Source ECM products

Are current standards adhered to?

• In our experience, most main stream open source solutions follow good open standards.

What is the sweet spot of appropriateness in terms of size of application and aspect of ECM?

• I don’t think there are any limitations in size. Alfresco has numerous enterprise deployments.

Future direction

Where is development headed for these products?

• I would let Alfresco speak to this. I would say they are headed in the same direction that traditional ECM solutions are headed in.

Are there Web 2.0 (Social Networking) capabilities that will be integrated?

• I would let the open source vendors answer this question as well regarding their road map.  For the most part these capabilities are developed by the vendor and associated community.  I would hope that they are headed in this direction because there are a very rich set of features available in social networking built in to SharePoint 2010.

Is there a cultural shift phenomenon that impacts Open Source in general?

• SharePoint

Are there any trends we can look for?

• SharePoint

Ongoing development of technological standards like XML, and trends in software development have led to the adoption of open source ECM/RIM software by some big companies, educational institutions and end-users. While many have heard the phrase "open source" describing software packages or entire operating system platforms, few understand the specifics of what it is. How did the open source movement start? Where is it headed in ECM and RM? Does it really mean you no longer have to pay for your software in the traditional sense? Why is this important to the ECM/RIM community?

Learn the answers to these questions and more by participating in an engaging, thought-provoking joint AIIM/ARMA panel discussion featuring leaders in the ECM/RM open source community. Stay ahead of the game by understanding where ECM/RM open source software is headed, and how the movement can impact your organization's bottom line.

The panel will be moderated by Steve Kass the AIIM Metro President and also feature Rich McKnight of Alfresco, Cheryl McKinnon of Nuxeo ECM and Jeff Knight of Lighthouse Computer Services. Event details are below.

What: Joint AIIM/ARMA panel discussing Open Source Coding, ECM and RIM

When: Monday, May 3, 12 PM to 1:30 PM Eastern time

Where: New York Life Insurance Company, 51 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010

Agenda

11:30 am – 12:15 pm Registration-Lunch

12:15 pm

• Moderator-Panelist Intro’s 10 minutes
• Panel Discussion 30 minutes
• Q & A 30 minutes

1:25 pm Conclusion and networking.

Click Here to Register Online