ONE OF THE LARGEST LINUX USERS

PrivatBank, largest bank in Ukraine and a key player in CIS region, has become the largest corporate user of Linux software in the world. According to released information, corporate version of Ubuntu Linux is installed on more than 36500 computers in 4 different countries. For reference: Linux is installed on more than 22000 computers in second largest Peugeot Citroen Corporation network.
“The main advantage that we will get using Linux - an unbelievable flexibility of setup and possibility of central management of employees’ computers. The possibilities that come with Linux allow us to implement new products and solutions almost instantly, says PrivatBank’s director of IT department, Dmitriy Dubilet. When we were choosing between Linux and Windows, saving on paid licenses was not even considered, he added.”

French police move from Windows to Ubuntu Linux

Today, the Gendarmerie has deployed 37,000 Ubuntu Linux desktops. By summer of 2014, all 72,000 PCs are expected to be switched to Ubuntu. According to Dumond, this may be Europe's and possibly the world's largest example of a government agency using open source software on desktops.
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Drumond may well be correct. Munich Germany, in a well-known move, also switched to Linux for its desktops, but it only has 14,000 desktops. Companies, such as Google and Oracle, probably use even more Linux desktops internally, but they're not revealing their exact number of desktops.
Besides the great TCO, the Genarmerie also appreciates the costs saving from being independent from commercial software vendors. "This is priceless," said Drumond. The desktop migration allowed the Gendarmerie to restructure the IT organization, saving time, human resources and money.
Using Linux on desktops allows the police force to control costs when deploying new technologies. "It is a risk, but a controlled risk, counterbalanced by the lower service costs," said Drumond.
In his presentation, Drumond also pointed out that the "Direct benefits (license costs) are only the tip of the iceberg (PDF Link). The force is also saving money with Linux's easier management and a " Huge decrease of local technical interventions on Ubuntu's desktops."
Moving to Ubuntu from XP wasn't easy, Drumond admitted, but the ongoing cost-savings made the transition more than worthwhile.