Generally, the best way to prepare support staff for Linux client problems 

depends on which level of support is given. In the case of helpdesk or level 1 

support the best training is using a Linux client. When the support moves more 

toward administrative tasks, a basic Linux (or even Unix) training will have the 

best effect.

4.8.3  When to contact vendor enterprise support

Vendor support is usually contacted when the problem is found to be a bug or 

when software is not acting as stated in specifications or manuals. If the problem 

is not related to a vendor specific part of the Linux OS or suite of applications, it 

is also possible to find a solution or a fix in the open source community. 

The decision for searching community support has to be made for each issue. 

When a support contract with an enterprise distribution vendor is in place it is 

best to explore that avenue first, because trying to incorporate a community fix in 

a vendor distribution might lead to new problems. 

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Linux Client Migration Cookbook   A Practical Planning and Implementation Guide for Migrating to Desktop Linux