It may come as a surprise to today’s digital natives, but the concept of open systems dates back to the late 1960s and early 1970s, where the first steps were taken to link different computer systems together across communications networks.

In its early years, open source software faced harsh skepticism, particularly from corporate technologists. Today, however, there are strong proof points for its success: some of the most disruptive brands that have emerged in the technology industry over the last decade or so — Facebook, Twitter and Amazon to name a few — were built predominantly on open source software.

[Weigh in via the forum topic below: Has open source been overlooked?]

Clearly, the shift to Open Source Software (OSS) is one of the most important trends in technology, so it begs the question: why do conversations around OSS pale in comparison to other, more inconsequential technology developments? This question becomes even more important as open source begins to make inroads with today’s most demanding transaction processing systems and those with the most critical real-time processing environments, such as stock exchanges, credit card providers and global distribution systems. Not only has OSS proven fit for purpose in these sectors, but it is delivering significant benefits in complex, highly sensitive and data-driven environments.

A new report, entitled Open for business, authored by Professor Jim Norton and sponsored by Amadeus IT Group, explores the role of OSS, its significant impact on today’s technology advancements as well as its potential transformational properties for the future. The paper also reports on the advantages for different adopters including enterprise customers, IT providers and end consumers, as well as the challenges that can arise (and subsequent solutions) when critical transaction processors transition from closed to open systems.

As more and more companies in the transaction processing space understand the benefits of open systems, including the ability to truly unlock greater innovation and benefit from the seamless ability to respond faster to market changes, which is especially important for consumer brands, the question of OSS transformation becomes “when” not “if.”

Additionally, as businesses use a wide variety of current legacy systems during different stages of their lifecycle, they are in a position to benefit from the ability of open systems to draw on an extensive range of standards and interfaces shared and developed over 20 years.

Adding to the laundry list of OSS benefits, is the ability to attract high-performing, innovative talent as skilled, motivated and savvy staff are inspired to work on open source developments and with IT providers that have transitioned away from closed systems.

Providers are also enabled to adopt the latest hardware and software developments faster as they emerge through open source systems, without having to undertake an extensive and costly reconfiguration of closed and legacy systems. Furthermore, with open systems, IT providers can cut cost of ownership by approximately 20 percent. The end consumer ultimately benefits as a result of open systems as well. As open source enables greater innovations to come to market, new products and services that would not be financially viable under the economic model of proprietary software or would previously only be offered on a limited scale or at a high price point, are available to a much broader population in a shorter amount of time.

In the fast-paced, interconnected global economy we live in, innovation and speed of response are key to competitive advantage. IT needs to be able to underpin commercial agility and open systems are key to delivering it. It will be critical for most businesses to adopt some elements of open source to thrive and compete in today’s business environment. For those interested in learning more, Amadeus also developed an animation that showcases the value of OSS in transaction processing.

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Scott Gutz serves as president and chief executive officer for Amadeus North America. In this role, he is a key leader for the Americas region of Amadeus. Gutz directs Amadeus’ distribution initiatives, including sales, marketing, strategic planning, business development, product management and customer support for Amadeus’ travel agency, travel supplier and specialty customers in the United States and Canada.