Because GPFN is a volunteer-driven, non-profit organization, cost containment is always an organizational issue. The UMS must be implemented in as cost-efficient a manner as possible. This necessitates the use of open-source or ther free software and development tools; conversely, GPFN discourages the use of products which require license fees or other costs.

Because GPFN’s environment is exclusively based on Linux, any system must be implemented on the latest release of RedHat Linux. At the same time, because Linux is a constantly evolving operating system, any system should be sufficiently flexible and robust that it can be ported to newer releases of RedHat as those releases become available.

This requirement can be met by attempting to confine operating system specific calls to a single layer within the application environment.