IT at the Olympics? Open Source could be the winner

As preparations gear-up for the Olympic games, a recommendation to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made this week, introduced the possibility of the games switching to an open source platform for the first time.

The company responsible for IT at the Olympic Games, Atos Origin, has presented the IOC with such a proposal. The switch is envisaged for the 2008 games in Beijing.

Among the contractors backing the proposal are Hewlett-Packard and IBM. The cost cutting on licenses is expected to be significant.

The information technology behind the Olympic Games is a massive operation involving some 1,200 personnel, who run 450 intel-based servers and Unix boxes, 4,700 PCs and 700 printers.

This marks an encouraging stride forward for the IOC. Until now, the inflexible deadline, need for security and zero downtime for the Olympic Games has meant that the OIC has made few explorations in technology choices. However, there are positive signs for the future.

The traditional conservatism has already waned with the likely introduction of wireless networks in 2008. “There is no wireless in Turin but there will be in Beijing. The technology has become mature and we will use Cisco’s network admin control” Said Massimo Dossetto, IT security Architect for the Turin games. The switch to open source could be the next step.

The IOC will make the final decision. The only hindrance envisaged at this stage is the issue of support costs. China does not necessarily have the local expertise of Europe or the USA to deal with the switch.

It will be for Atos Origin and its open source backers to persuade the committee otherwise.