Can You Spot Linux Hosting?
Familiar with the Linux operating system? When it comes to Linux hosting, you don’t necessarily have to be. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to choose a Windows hosting package just because you run a Windows-based PC. In fact, the operating system installed on your desktop or laptop computer has nothing to do with the web hosting environment you can choose. Your website data is stored on a web server, giving you the ability to log in and manage your hosting account from any computer with an internet connection. As far as these aspects go, Linux and Windows hosting are virtually the same. As platforms are concerned however, these operating systems are two entirely different animals.
Most everyone knows about Windows, the popular Microsoft computer system installed on homes and office PCs world wide. Linux however, is not as well known in the home setting. A newer variation of the Unix operating system, Linux has always been more of an academic or network solution. Both of these platforms make viable options in the web hosting environment but there are some differences that may influence your decision.
Cost and Licensing
The first thing many associate with the Linux system is its status as open-source software. The system began as a hobbyist project and was released under the GNU General Public License. As an open-source product, the software and its code can be freely distributed and modified, unlike Windows which is proprietary solution with licenses tied to Microsoft. What all this basically means is that Linux hosting is usually cheaper than Windows hosting.
Reliability and Performance
Linux has been used in the network server environment for years, much longer than Windows. The system is known for being stable and highly reliable. Although the underlying server technologies play a major role, Linux is designed to handle demanding tasks and give you the maximum up time. In addition, Linux has natural speed, which is enhanced with the aid of the Apache web server, one of its components from the LAMP server configuration. This gives it the ability to quickly process web pages and applications scripted in complimenting languages such as PHP or CGI.
Open-source Support
The Linux operating system is largely supported by the open-source community. The wide range of technologies that have been designed to work with the platform all play a significant role in the Linux hosting environment. The Apache web server, MySQL database system, PHP and Perl server-side programming all integrate seamless with the Linux system. Many of these technologies can be freely obtained and incorporated into your hosting environment. Although Windows technologies such as ASP, MS SQL and MS Access generally are not supported, many Linux hosting packages do support Microsoft FrontPage extensions. This is an attractive feature for someone who is familiar with the Microsoft Office environment.
As long as you pick a reuptable provider, Linux hosting is a choice you simply cannot go wrong with. This is especially true if you are opting for shared hosting with minimal access to core of the operating system.
