iPage, BlueHost, Arvixe
Linux and its LAMP (Linux, Apache HTTP Server, MySQL database system and PHP programming language) software bundle is the most popular and widely used operating system when it comes to web hosting, and the number of users continues to grow. Contrary to popular belief, the fact that Linux is a free operating system and that this also makes Linux web hosting a dirt-cheap option (just $1.68 a month at iPage, for example) isn’t the only reason for the immense popularity that it enjoys today.
Ever since Linux’s first component was released by Linus Torvalds on October 5th, 1991, the number of people falling in love with it has been growing at a constant and unforeseen rate for any operating system on the market today – just ask the people at Blue Host who have consistently managed to rank in the top 10 Linux webhosting solution providers, mainly because of the sheer number of their clients. It has become the leading operating system on servers, mainframes and even supercomputers – with 95 percent of the fastest 500 of them being Linux-ran systems. As a matter of fact, the fastest 44 of them are all Linux-based systems.
How does it Work?
Linux webhosting is one of the handful of hosting solutions that allows for a wider range of compatibility with other non-Linux based applications and even operating system software – it can in fact be installed and smoothly run on a Windows server with ease. It can also accommodate any type of software a hosting client could ever wish for. At Arvixe Webhosting, the number of software and applications that are made available for developers and webmasters covers almost all aspects of a website – from creation to marketing and even security and anti-viruses. Another feature driving the rapid rise in popularity of Linux webhosting is the fact that consumer hardware makers of desktops, laptops and net-books are leaning towards the operating system. This has driven up the number of website developers who primarily create their sites with these consumers in mind.
Next to push on the popularity are the Android mobile device manufacturers who helped in making Linux and its hosting as popular as ever. This led to rise in hosting, too, as games that were specifically designed for these devices also gained popularity.
But the points mentioned above don’t even begin to explain the popularity and advantages of Linux webhosting. To see a few more:
- Linux is from the open source family of software. This means that it never stands still; it is always changing as developers all over the world contribute towards making it an operating system that enhances users’ experience as new features and functions continue to be added to it. It is estimated that the size of Linux increases by an average of 10 percent each year – that is a lot of change.
- Linux operating system is light. That makes it installable on small servers. Developers don’t need to sign up for the hosting plan with the biggest hard disk space on offer. As a matter of fact, the disk space on a desktop computer is more than enough to run Linux.
- Its being light also means that it is fast. There is no need to purchase plans with the highest amount of processing power included in it.
- Another “lightness” is in the pages that are created using say, PHP, which are also small in size. This means that a vast number of web pages can be created and stored on smaller hard disks. This also contributes in making Linux hosting the optimal choice when it comes to performance, cost and resources required – it is simply unbeatable.
- Scripting languages for MySQL and PHP might be required to perform input/output operations. Adding them to Linux hosting will have no adverse effect on the overall performance of the website. Adding any scripts to other operating systems would almost instantly be noticeable as performance nosedives.
- Clients who choose Linux webhosting will have a bigger choice of databases. Examples are MySQL, MariaDB, Drizzle and PostgresSQL.
- To be technically correct, Linux isn’t an operating system on its own. It is called a Kernel – it is in fact, GNU Linux that is the operating system and it has over a hundred versions, another sign of its huge popularity.
- Attacks on Linux webhosting servers are rare and successful attacks are even rarer. Clients can rest assured that if their hosting provider implements even the basic standard of security, the chances of a successful attack are as close to zero as they will ever be. If that weren’t the case, Linux wouldn’t be the operating system of choice for bullet trains and continental jetliners – it would just be too risky to use.
- Should there ever come a time when everything (web pages and databases) need to be moved to another operating system, the webmaster can rest assured that it will all run smoothly on the new platform and environment. Not many operating systems can boast the vice-versa.
All in all, when it comes to price and performance nothing beats the Linux-based website and webhosting combination.
