Linux advocates have hit back at "anti-Linux management claims" from Microsoft with the publication of a report claiming that the total cost of ownership (TCO) for Linux is actually cheaper than for Windows.

The study from analyst firm Enterprise Management Associates, unveiled today by Open Source Development Lab (OSDL) and member company Levanta, bases its pro-Linux conclusions on in-depth research with more than 200 end users.

Microsoft and "some industry analysts" have claimed in previous studies that Linux has a higher TCO than Windows, and have cited higher systems management costs as a significant shortcoming for Linux, according to the analyst firm.

The study, Get the Truth on Linux Management, argues that previously reported Linux management "pains" no longer hold true, and that enterprises running Linux are in fact often spending less time and money on common systems administration tasks than they are with their comparable Windows environments.

"For too long, special interest groups have attacked the manageability of Linux, and fuelled the FUD that Linux environments are somehow more difficult or labour intensive to manage than Windows environments," said OSDL chief executive Stuart Cohen.

"In fact, Linux system management tools are in many cases outpacing Windows management tools."

Described as vendor-neutral, the analyst report looked at the cost factors cited in previous studies, canvassed more than 200 enterprises, and determined that organisations are managing their Linux environments more cost-effectively and reliably than previously reported.

Linux was found to be more productive, as Linux administrators tend to manage more servers than Windows administrators, and Linux systems tend to handle greater workloads than Windows systems.