Linux Web Hosting
Linux web hosting services are usually the cheapest web hosting packages available from most web hosting providers and can offer a large proportion of users the features that they require from a web hosting package. Linux web hosting services are popular with users who have static HTML websites but a Linux web hosting package will also be able to host dynamic websites that have been developed using open source technologies such as PHP and MySQL. If you are looking for cheap web hosting then a Linux web hosting service is going to be the way for you to go since a basic Linux shared web hosting package will be able to provide you with a wealth of features at an acceptable cost; it is also a good idea to consider that any reputable web hosting provider will allow you to modify the specifications of your Linux web hosting service so that you can create a web hosting package that is more ideal for you. Linux VPS servers and Linux dedicated servers are available in large numbers for those who feel that a Linux shared web hosting package won’t be capable of meeting their requirements perfectly; however, a dedicated web hosting service is going to cost more and you will need to take on more responsibility in terms of the management of your server. Most web hosting providers will also allow you control panel access so that you can manage your Linux shared hosting account, the most popular control panel being cPanel; cPanel web hosting services are generally very reliable and the control panel itself is able to add an extra later of security to the hosting server. The architecture of the Linux operating system means that Linux web hosting can offer you a highly reliable web hosting experience that will guarantee you high levels of uptime; for businesses this can be highly beneficial as it means that they are able to get on with the tasks that are more important to them without having to worry about the uptime of their website.
Security is another important factor that can be offered by Linux web hosting as there are many different applications and components available for use on Linux servers that can be used to create a highly secure web hosting environment; if your website is going to be handling the personal information of your visitors to any extent then it is important for you to be using a secure web hosting environment as you will be the one who is held responsible if any of the data is leaked or stolen.
What are the advantages of using Linux web hosting?
Linux web hosting can provide advantages to both users who are starting out with web hosting for the first time but also for businesses that rely on their web hosting services to provide them with a source of income. The cost of most Linux web hosting services is very low due to the fact that the operating system is open source meaning that web hosting providers don’t require a license to use any Linux distribution, thus reducing the overheads that they have to pay for their Linux servers; this means that Linux web hosting is very favorable with consumers looking for cheap web hosting that can offer them good value for money in the long term. Linux web hosting services will also be able to offer a good level of reliability to those who go for the higher end forms of Linux web hosting, but for the most part any Linux web hosting package should be able to attain a high level of uptime which will help to ensure good value for money; although shared hosting isn’t known for its reliability, a Linux shared web hosting service will be able to offer you a good level of uptime whilst Linux VPS servers and Linux dedicated servers are easily capable of offering 100% guaranteed uptime. Security is something else that you will get out of a Linux web hosting package as there are many different security measures that can be implemented on Linux servers that will allow web hosting providers to create a web hosting environment that will be very hard to compromise; if you are using shared web hosting then this will mean that you are offered a highly secure shared hosting environment, whereas with Linux server hosting you will need to install these components and applications yourself if you wish to be able to make the most of your server. In summary, the main advantages of using Linux web hosting include:
- Price – Linux web hosting services are very attractive to most purely because of the cost of Linux web hosting services when compared to Windows web hosting services of a similar specification – all Linux distributions are open source meaning that they are free to use which reduces the overheads that web hosting providers have to factor into the prices of their own web hosting services – Linux is the main platform used by web hosting providers that are offering low cost web hosting and cheap web hosting services as the only costs that they need to consider beyond that of the server being used are software licenses for any third-party applications that may be used such as the cPanel control panel as well as any labour that may have been required to set the server up
- Reliability – if you want a web hosting service that can offer you a high level of uptime then you will want to consider a Linux web hosting package of some sorts for your requirements – Linux makes much better use of system resources than the Windows operating system automatically meaning that it is going to be able to offer greater uptime than Windows, and on top of that you will also be able to modify core system and application code in most situations to ensure that applications which are too resource intensive ease up their use of your system a bit – when installing applications on a Linux server it is also highly unlikely that you will need to reboot the entire to make the changes take affect, something that has blighted the uptime rates of Windows servers for a long time
- Security – a secure web hosting environment is something else that businesses especially will consider in a web hosting service these days as most businesses are now processing or storing the personal information of their visitors in one way or another – there are many applications such as the ConfigServer firewall that can be installed in Linux web hosting environments to help increase the overall level of security and to help ensure that any would-be hackers or attackers aren’t able to gain access to the Linux hosting server – web hosting services that use the cPanel control panel can also be relied upon for security as the control panel itself generally adds an extra level of security and carries out behind-the-scenes security work during the installation process.
Linux web hosting services can benefit most users in one way or another and it is a good idea to start with a Linux shared hosting service if you wish to receive good value for money from the outset. If you combine a Linux server with popular Linux web hosting applications such as the cPanel control panel then you are able to develop a feature-rich system.
What are the disadvantages of using Linux web hosting?
There are also disadvantages to using Linux web hosting although these are only likely to affect specific groups of people and if the disadvantages to effect you in any way, you may wish to consider another form of web hosting for your requirements. Linux web hosting services aren’t able to offer any high level of support for Microsoft technologies of any type which could cause issues for you if you are a Windows web developer, but then again if you are a Windows web developer you should be considering Windows web hosting from the outset; this means that if your website has been developed using classic ASP or ASP.NET then you will need to consider a Windows web hosting package for your requirements – the same can also be said if your website makes use of either a Microsoft SQL Server database or a Microsoft Access database. The management of Linux servers can also be an issue for those who choose to consider a Linux VPS server or Linux dedicated server for their needs as you need to be fairly competent with Linux beforehand as the only way in which you will be able to manage a Linux server via SSH; SSH is a command based interface meaning that you will need to be well versed in the various commands if you wish to do a decent job of the management of your Linux server. Overselling is also common with Linux web hosting services as control panels such as cPanel allow web hosting providers to do this without an issue, and it is important for you to avoid web hosting providers that appear to oversell their web hosting services as this could cause reliability issues for you; overselling occurs when web hosting providers sell too many web hosting packages on a single server meaning that they each individual user will never be able to fully realize the resources that they have purchased through their Linux web hosting package. The main disadvantages of using Linux web hosting include:
- Support for Microsoft technologies – if you have developed a website using classic ASP or ASP.NET then Linux web hosting won’t be for you as Linux web hosting services aren’t able to support Microsoft technologies as they are commercial products owned by Microsoft that therefore won’t run on any other platform apart from Windows – it is also the same for Microsoft Access databases and Microsoft SQL Server databases as if you have used either of these as part of your website then you will need to consider a Windows web hosting service for your requirements if you wish for your website to function correctly
- Server management – if you choose to go for a Linux VPS server or Linux dedicated server then you will need to be sure that you can manage your server properly as otherwise it isn’t worth the money that you are spending on it – managing Linux servers can be hard for some as you are only provided with access to your Linux server hosting service via SSH which means that you will need to be fairly competent with Linux commands and so it is recommended that you have some level of previous experience with Linux servers – if the management of your Linux server is going to be an issue then you can always consider a managed Linux VPS server or Linux dedicated server for a small premium
- Overselling – some web hosting providers that are using Linux as their operating system of choice may be overselling their web hosting services and it is important for you to be able to spot an overselling web hosting provider from a mile off so that you don’t fall into any traps – any Linux web hosting service that is advertised as coming with unlimited assignments of disk space or bandwidth is being oversold as such large assignments will never exist as there has to be a physical limit to everything – the same can be said for Linux web hosting packages that are advertised as having disk space and bandwidth assignments running into the hundreds of gigabytes.
The disadvantages of using Linux web hosting will have a negative impact on your web hosting experience if they affect you since the likelihood will be that if they affect you, Linux web hosting probably isn’t going to be the right form of web hosting for your requirements.
In conclusion, Linux web hosting will benefit you greatly if you are after a cheap web hosting service that can provide you with the features that you require to get your website up and running. However, Linux servers can also offer businesses with a scalable web hosting environment that will be able to meet their requirements for a long time to come – it’s just up to you to ensure that you choose a server that is of a good specification from the outset.