[germainelong]

2. Open Source is relatively safe when you are able to self-host it. It is good to setup an environment and test the features on your own machines and also check how easy is to extract the data.

1-3 is a roulette. Unless they have a technology that you cannot substitute with an open source solution then it is difficult to justify using it. There must be a solid extraction plan available so that you can move your data to an alternative solution in reasonable time. Sometimes it is better to hire a team and expand existing open source solution with necessary features. Sometimes this could lead to a side product and another stream of revenue.

[oliwarner]

Having source and license to run something, and being willing and able to self-support the software through (eg) security issues are two very different prospects.

This is network infrastructure stuff. Not the kind of thing you leave to fester.

[nine_k]

At least, it gives you a much longer runway to migrate off the no-more-supported solution.

SaaS, if it closes shop, becomes instantly unavailable.

[germainelong]

You can always outsource the support but being in the control as well.