hey guys i need to make a proposal for a small debt collection company. I am using cent os as server operating system. I need to highlight the client requirements and compare with the features offered by cent os. I do have the technical idea but i dont have any experience in drafting technical proposals.Can u guys tell me what is the technical word for writing such proposals so that i can make my own.A sample report would also be helpful for understanding..please help me asap

Hi drrty_ent, welcome to this forum for technical only.

This is technical forum where we get technical solutions not marketting and sales.
so please do not make the marketting forum.

you should hit on google to get the correct answer..

This is a bit rude, and coming from you, just a bit ironic. Isn't it you that often comes here to get other people to write scripts for you, because you don't check Google or try to do it yourself first? A few of your threads:

https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ne-day-947079/
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...up-4175412327/
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...n-50-a-920625/
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...eeping-745764/

The OP asked an honest question, and was only soliciting opinions. OP, I would break down the document in sections:

• Spell out what the client asked for, point by point. For example, if they want to replace an existing mail and web server, state those as separate items. Be SURE to note how many users for each of the services, and it wouldn't hurt to put in some usage information for their current system(s). If they have a web server that's getting hammered, that's a good thing to know, since you could then recommend putting web services on a dedicated machine from a shared resource now. Shows them you've done your homework.
• Break down how what you are specifying addresses each of the items.
• Show how what you've specified plans for growth in use of services.
• Give a brief outline of an upgrade path for 2 and 5 years out, using current hardware prices as a guide ONLY.

Most importantly; SPELL OUT YOUR WORDS. If you're putting "u" in a sentence here, that's a big red flag for anyone. If you want to be treated seriously, then act like it. Write clearly, use good grammar, and spell check EVERYTHING. Some examples from a brief Google search:
https://encrypted.google.com/url?sa=...xwaYGA&cad=rja
https://encrypted.google.com/url?sa=...zOjnfg&cad=rja

3 members found this post helpful.

Thanks TB0ne i really appreciate for supporting me on this. I guess a good and impressive technical writing is one of the major ways to work smoothly in a company. I find it really difficult in expressing my point of view to my clients even though understand their needs and requirements. Anyways i thought i forum is an independent place where you share your knowledge to one another.

Just leave it. As for the technical document, to be true i am really new at it. I use to develop software and i have recently thought of moving to networking an server.

Thanks again TB0ne, I hope you would not mind if ask some help for my project. It is from people like you we learn good things for experience rather from being discouraged by some unwilling selfish people.

as TB0ne hit the points the client asked for

lets say they wanted it to be fast, show them it is fast, compare it to other OS's
show them what percentage of the internet uses.. apache
show them all of this is free, and has plenty of people who help out and have knowledge of these things to do work on them (so if you leave they can easily hire someone to work on it, if needed)

You're very welcome. And don't think of this as any different than developing technical documentation for a program you wrote. It's just writing about a different thing. The points remain the same:

• What the program does
• Program speed benchmarks
• Troubleshooting

So, document a server proposal the same way: What the SERVER does, benchmarks, troubleshooting, etc. Take it one step at a time, but with a client-facing proposal, be SURE to write clearly, and use proper grammar/spelling. NOTHING will kill a proposal and make it look more unprofessional than that.

i actually had to do this for a project not too long ago myself (college assignment, not a real world job, mind you) but the idea is still roughly fresh in my mind

first thing, identify what this server is going to DO (and what, if anything, it intends to replace)

second, identify the base cost of the software/hardware you propose, as well as the labor and time required to install the system and configure as necessary, however no experiment/proposal is valid without a control group, which in this case would be the base cost of doing the same task with a Windows server, in short, people spending money on something like this usually want to see alternatives, and clear side by side comparisons of those alternatives.

third, Analyse the type of long term upgrade/maintenance will be required and compare it again to your hypothetical windows server.

fourth, come up with a risk assessment for both your proposed system and your hypothetical windows box (what kind of attack surface each provides, the sensitivity level of the data on the server, how much of the rest of the network would be exposed if the server were compromised, the amount of effort/cost involved in recovering from a disaster, the ability to mitigate damage in case of a disaster etc...)


most importantly spell out clearly WHY this change is necessary, and the long term 'penalties' (cost) of NOT installing and migrating to the new server.

Thanks guys,i am really feeling supportive now. Nice thinking frieza & GreggT about the risk management and long term support. I have done some research on high availability using failover cluster and disaster recovery with maintaining backup or hardware features like raid etc and i will include those in the document.

The next big thing is i find really difficult in writing the requirements section. I do know what the client wants but i cant elaborate in simple terms. All they want is a system which is feasible, secure and highly available. The next thing they really focus is on flexibility whether the sever can be upgraded or migrated with least chances of data loss and server uptime. I guess i am gonna write just the way i said in here but a little modest terms.

I have also liked the template sent by TB0ne where you include a architecture design and then implementation design.

Once again thanks guys . I have also posted a thread about how i am planning to design the system and i do have some queries related to it so i would really appreciate if you guys can share some of your experience and i would do the same.

They ALL want that ... just take it as read.

Try defining it in
a) tech terms eg need a webserver (Apache), need a DB (MySQL), need ...
b) business: DB provides reliable data store with x-ref ability, webserver provides user friendly front-end to users , ...

Actually, document in reverse ie start with business requirements, then list Tech solns (which & why).
Obviously Linux requires no Licence Fees/CALs etc ...

Can I place an order with you for 10,000 Redhat Enterprise workstation installs please.

Oh, and while you're at it, can I also have a few dozen Redhat Servers too

Note what Chrism01 said:
So, tell us what kind of license you need for openSUSE, Debian, Ubuntu server, Fedora Core, CentOS, Mandriva, etc?? And you CAN use Red Hat Enterprise as freely as you'd like, zero cost, just as you can use SLES. Did you read their license terms? You PAY FOR SUPPORT, and access to their patches/fixes/etc., NOT for the operating system.

So go right ahead and load 10,000 workstation copies of Red Hat, and build the servers.

Quite correct, you don't - did I say these needed licences?


I understand the cost is for support with RHEL. Can you please point me to the download page where I can get a copy of RHEL (not a 30 day trial) without the option of paid support as I don't require the support option.

riiight, and when those servers get cracked open because they are unpatched...

1 members found this post helpful.

Nope. But you quoted Chrism01, and implied that.
The 30 day trial is 30 days of TRIAL SUPPORT, and access to the Red Hat network. You're not forced to pay, and you download it for free. A small bit of effort on Google can get you the ISO's, and you can probably get them on Bittorrent too, if you tried to look.

true, but using software that can't be updated in a production environment is reckless, and would probably get you fired.