SourceLabs manages open source projects

Vendor develops management platform to help large companies keep open source code in check

By Denise Dubie, Network World, 04/25/07

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SourceLabs on Wednesday made available software that the company says will help enterprises keep open source software deployments in line with policy, compliance and license requirements.

Open source software grew in popularity from disparate deployments within large companies, SourceLabs says, and its Open Source Management System (OSMS) can help IT managers maintain an up-to-date inventory of open source code in-house -- and help keep future rollouts and usage in line with company policies. SourceLabs, which has garnered $10 million in venture funding, says its business model is to make open source a more viable option for larger enterprise companies with systems and support packages. OSMS is an extension of that in that companies can monitor their own open source usage and ensure it complies with regulatory, license and other requirements.

"There is often a disconnect between the people in the trenches downloading open source to address issues and the people that make sure risks are taken care of and systems are in compliance," says Byron Sebastian, CEO of SourceLabs. "This platform is designed to manage and centralize open source usage without stifling it."

The software, which can be installed on a server in customer networks or hosted by SourceLabs, provides a centralized library of open source distribution and proven risk-free downloads. It can also provide alerts and updates to various staff when changes to the library or policies occur, the company says.

OSMS is built upon a wiki engine, based on SourceLabs' community project, that lets users create dashboards of information relevant to open source applications and their dependencies. The technology can be used for collaboration, self-help, documentation and to foster development and internal communities. IT teams using open source can subscribe to alerts about patches or upgrades to their open source code and be certain they are using approved software builds or releases, Sebastian says.

Library management tools enable an organization to manage its free open source software assets and updates. For instance, the software includes a workflow that lays out the process around requesting an open source download and verifying it against corporate policies. OSMS also provides proactive diagnostics tools that help IT managers track non-compliance with corporate policies and standards, the company says.

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