Posts Tagged ‘server’

Linux: The Other OS

Monday, August 17th, 2009

Linux servers are treasured for their high level of security and wide application coverage. The platform delivers outstanding productivity on a variety of computers, including AMD and Intel-based hardware. Where did Linux get its start, and how did it reach the esteemed status of a major server platform?

Linux Background

The Linux OS began as a hobby of Linus Torvalds, a young student who attended the University of Helsinki in Finland. With a keen interest in Minix, a small Unix-like system, Torvalds wanted to develop a system that exceeded Minix’s standards. He released version 0.02 in 1991 and worked steadily until releasing version 1.0 of the kernel in 1994. The core of all Linux systems, the kernel was released under the GNU General Public License, which made the source code freely available.

During the mid to late 1990s, the techie community dismissed Linux as merely a hobbyist project, unaware of its potential. In their mind, the system was not suited for the computing needs of the general public and definitely not the server environment. This was due in large part to the system’s complexity and unfamiliarity. How times have changed! Thanks to the creators of desktop management systems such as GNOME and the Mozilla web browser project, a wide range of applications can now be run on the platform and used by virtually anyone regardless of their experience.

Securing the Linux Experience

If you are interested in running the Linux OS on your server, you can get a feel for its power by downloading a live CD version of the software called Knoppix. This version comes equipped with everything needed to carry out day to day tasks. After getting familiar with it, you may then wish to seek out other Linux distributions, such as Red Hat, SUSE, CentOS or Fedora. Although the system does require a bit of technical skill on your part, there are a number of modules that be incorporated to make the platform both easy to configure and use.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Dedicated Server Best Practices | 3 Comments »

What Does the Future Hold for the SUSE Server?

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

The enterprise server OS market is dominated by Microsoft Windows, Unix and Linux. Although Unix still has a sizable share of the market, that share is declining rapidly. In contrast, Windows is performing quite well and holding steady, while the smaller Linux share is consistently growing in popularity.

The War between Windows and Linux

What does the future hold? This battle will likely come down to Windows and Linux, especially as Unix is being slowly phased out of the industry. There are a few enterprise distributions of Linux, but what of the SUSE server platform? Will it survive?

Microsoft and SUSE

Red Hat and Novell SUSE are the two major enterprise Linux distributions. These two heavyweights are fighting toe-to-toe for the Linux market share while trying to secure the upper hand on Microsoft as the same time. Although Red Hat is currently winning the battle, one may assume that SUSE is the fitting candidate, especially when considering that the server platform is being backed by Microsoft. In fact, Microsoft has invested in nearly $350 million Novell coupons, a move implemented to cater to customers who prefer Linux and ultimately spite Red Hat. The SUSE server OS is gaining ground, but what happens when the funds from Microsoft run out?

What the Rumors Say

The rumor mill says that Novell is having a tough time making ends meet, as its Linux invoicing dropped 42% last quarter. In addition, the company appears to be overly reliant on Microsoft to acquire new customers. Who will be laughing in the end? Probably Microsoft. Who will suffer the most? The Linux user community. This is especially true if Red Hat and others cannot gather up the resources necessary to compete.

Diehard fans of the Linux server are screaming for fair competition. Most of them view this as a battle that will come down between Red Hat and Windows – not Microsoft and what many are now calling Microsoft’s lapdog. This isn’t a criticism of the SUSE server, as it is still a very secure and capable platform. It does, however, raise the question: is SUSE worthy of the Linux title?

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Dedicated Server Best Practices | 1 Comment »

Top Options for Dedicated Server Control Panels

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

With all of the advancements made in the hosting industry, it is hard to believe there was actually a time when developers and server administrators were forced to utilize shell commands and complex configuration files to accomplish simple tasks like setting up an email account.

Thankfully, in today’s industry, all these tasks can be achieved with ease thanks to control panel software. Even though most of these applications strive for the same goals, no two control panels are alike. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular options you have for your dedicated server.

cPanel: Popular for Good Reason

cPanel is the most popular control panel on the market, beloved for its simple interface and powerful features. The capabilities of the software range from mundane tasks, such as adding a new user account, to more complicated processes like backing up an entire domain. Although it is primarily designed for Linux-based servers, cPanel’s developers are currently working on versions that will be compatible with the Microsoft IIS server and Windows platform.

Plesk: Competitively Capable for both Linux and Windows

The Plesk control panel supports both Linux and Windows servers, giving it a competitive edge over cPanel. What many users like about the software is that it offers a default interface quite similar to Windows XP, making it easier to use for those familiar with this OS environment. Plesk is very capable, offering the ability to manage web servers like Apache and IIS, as well as database servers such as MySQL and SQL Server. Though friendly to the end-user, Plesk has a reputation of being more complex for server administrators.

These are just a few of the popular control panel options you have for your dedicated server. Whether you prefer the software mentioned here or another, be sure to check with the hosting provider regarding the administrative panel offered before you sign up.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Dedicated Server Best Practices | 1 Comment »