My business is considering ERP software and we are planning on evaluating
open source ERP. How can we tell upfront if we have the in-house programming skills needed to make
open source software worthwhile?
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Ideally, the support staff would have these skills in order to successfully implement and
maintain open source software:
- Advanced system administration: Your team must be able to manage file systems and permissions; install software by script or by compiling from source code; manage users and groups and manage memory and performance issues.
- Database management: Your team must be able to install a relational database management system (RDBMS) and secure it, create databases and tables and make minor changes.
- Web services support: Your team must have intermediate to advanced knowledge of Apache software.
- Knowledge of Java, PHP or both: Your team must have intermediate knowledge of scripting for PHP and familiarity with Java Virtual Machine Architecture.
- Miscellaneous component knowledge: These needs vary widely based on the components of the software, but your team must have advanced knowledge of installation of packages and source.
Also, please see my blog on ITToolbox related to open source ERP.
This was first published in March 2009