By Renee Boucher Ferguson
Open-source ERP software developer xTuple on Jan. 3 will launch a new three-tiered network service, the xTuple Network. Dubbed XTN for short, the network is essentially a suite of managed services designed to help users better maintain and upgrade their xTuple enterprise resource planning applications. While XTN is a step in the right direction when it comes to easing companies fears about reliable service and support for open-source software, the real question is whether open-source ERP applications will ever truly make inroads in the enterprise.