The demand for cutting edge solutions by establishments and applications that will better drive their businesses is on the increase. This means platforms like Linux Servers which have a less rigid interface are also in high demand.
The need for innovations has to be met and developers are continuously coming up with solutions to make this possible.
Have you been thinking about switching to the Linux server? Read on to see the options available out there!
Linux is a Unix-like open-source operating system based on the Linux kernel for smartphones, cars, desktops, and home appliances.
Linux is a platform of choice for computers and embedded systems as it is the most reliable, secure, and worry-free operating system. An operating system handles communication between computer software and hardware.
Although Linux operating systems are not popular on desktop computers, they are the most preferred choice when it comes to powering servers, supercomputers as well as mainframe computers around the globe.
It will interest you to know that 90% of the world’s cloud infrastructures run on Linux and this means that Linux is here to stay and is making a huge impact by providing the perfect cloud-based solutions.
Linux is the world’s most popular web server. It is usually bundled with Apache, MySQL, and PHP also referred to as LAMP configuration. Linux server is a high-powered variant open-source operating system designed to handle more demanding needs of business applications like web services, database management, network, and system administration.
Linux servers are usually selected over other operating systems for their stability, flexibility, and above all security advantage.
Leading Linux server operating systems include the following:
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1. Ubuntu
Ubuntu is an open-source Debian-based Linux operating system developed by Canonical Ltd. Ubuntu is the most popular Linux distribution and best known for bringing Linux to the masses with a server variant that is also extremely competitive.
Ubuntu is built as Long Term Support (LTS) versions of the Ubuntu Server, which like the desktop version can be updated up to five years after the date of release. This saves the user the stress of updating the server repeatedly.
According to Canonical, over 55% of the Open stack cloud already runs on Ubuntu. They also periodically release versions of Ubuntu server at the same time as the latest desktop distribution.
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2. Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is an open source Linux distribution developed by Red Hat for commercial use. Red Hat provides a comprehensive suite of cloud computing products, including Red Hat Cloud Infrastructure, a management option that is used to build and manage cloud solutions.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is stable, powerful, and secure for powering modern data centers with software oriented storage. It also has amazing support for big data, visualization, cloud, and containers.
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3. OpenSUSE
OpenSUSE Linux enterprise server is an open-source, stable and secure server platform built by SUSE. It was formerly known as SUSE Linux and it is purposely designed for developers who wish to run their own server. It is developed to power physical, virtual, and cloud solutions with support for visualization and containers.
SUSE provides free online and offline documentation for SUSE Linux Enterprise server features. The use of SUSE is free and comes with a 60 days free trial period.
Users can get technical support and services under various categories including priority support, dedicated engineer among others, with SUSE subscription.
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4. CentOS
CentOs is a stable and open source derivative of Red Hat Enterprise Linux and it is operationally compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
It is an all-round community-supported distribution without paying a sizeable amount of money for a subscription.
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5. Debian
Debian is a free open source and stable Linux distribution maintained by its users. It comes with 51,000 packages and a powerful packaging system.
It is used by business companies, government establishments, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations.
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6. Fedora
Fedora is a community developed an operating system based on commercial Linux Distros Red Hat. Fedora operating system comes with a powerful PostgreSQL Database Server.
It is a good choice for big businesses and establishments who want a powerful and secure platform.
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Open Source – Linux source code is available for free. It is a community-based development project and there is no restriction on usage. Developers around the world work as a team to enhance the capability of the Linux operating system and it keeps evolving.
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Security – Security is the principal concern of every user. Linux security is one of the top features that make it unique. Linux provides users security using authentication features like password protection, data encryption, and controlled access to specific files. Linux servers have a high level of security because they have an efficient firewall and strict file access system.
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Stability and durability –Linux servers are very stable and rarely crash. Linux servers are highly durable and can run for years, so long as the configuration are done properly, they don’t need periodic reboots and further updates devoid of any service interruptions.
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Multi-programming – Linux servers support multiple software applications because of its in-built technical strength.
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Multitasking – Linux servers are built with the ability to run multiple programs simultaneously. Linux servers enable the programs to continue to run in the background while the user works on some other programs. This feature makes Linux web servers to have multitasking capabilities.
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Economical – Linux is an open-source operating system, its versions are available with a lower cost when compared with other similar web servers.
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Ease of administration – Linux server administrators have no need for special software to help them set up. They can be controlled and managed remotely across multiple places.
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Operational efficiency – Linux servers have the ability to handle high user volume efficiently. Linux servers are ideal for networking purposes and perform well with connected devices.
Linux servers have so many powerful features and users will agree that the Linux operating system for web servers will continue to be popular as the go-to solution for operating servers.
Knowing that web servers need a high level of security, and Linux has high security as its strongest feature, more establishments will definitely be maintaining or switching to Linux.
With the security threats and the need to keep customer information safe, Linux has definitely won the hearts of many. With Linux, security repairs usually come out much faster than they do on commercial operating systems, making Linux Servers a perfect platform when security is of great concern.
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