Once the hallmark of a laid-off dot-commer, the job title "consultant" is now legitimately paired with "Linux." Linux consultants, often called in to supplement the in-house staff of large corporations, are also finding fertile ground in the growing number of small businesses seeking powerful and cost-effective IT solutions that let them compete with bigger firms.
Who needs a Linux consultant? As it turns out, lots of people. Consultants we interviewed for this article are providing a range of services, largely focused on small businesses and small to medium-sized ISPs. Their service portfolios include Web and database design, system administration, networking and systems implementation, and programming projects.