What operating systems are available on managed hosting?

Managed hosting gives the clients the choice to have any operating system installed on the server. But not all operating systems could by catered by your web server for managed hosting. Knowing what operating systems could be used is important. This will help you to determine what kind of operating system works best for you.

The Available Operating Systems

There is a good number of operating systems you could choose from for managed hosting. They may be free or proprietary. The most common operating systems for managed hosting are:

  •  CentOS
  •  Red Hat Enterprise
  •  Ubuntu
  •  Debian
  •  Microsoft Windows Server
  •  Linux
  •  FreeBSD

With the exception of Microsoft Windows Server, all the above mentioned operating systems are UNIX or Linux-based. They are also open-source software which means that they are free. The most popular operating system used by managed hosting web servers are CentOS and Red Hat Enterprise. Aside from being free operating systems, they have also proved to be able to maintain stability even when the network traffic is at the heaviest. There is also a huge support from their respective communities The Windows Server is also a popular choice for servers even when it is proprietary. It also maintains top system performance even with heavy loads. Additionally, lots of software and frameworks needed for web hosting are compatible with Windows.

How to Choose the Operating System

In order to choose the appropriate operating system that you need, there are factors that you have to take into consideration. These are:

 The database you are using

 Both Windows and the Linux-based operating systems allow you to use MySQL, which is the most common database format used by websites. Windows also allow you to use Microsoft Access.

 The scripting language you are using

Check that the scripting language you are using is supported by the operating system. You may have installed just about any server but they do not cater to the scripting language you use for your website. This will render your website useless.

 The ease of use

 Even if have managed hosting, you may still have to interact with the server now and again. It is important that you know how to get your way around the OS.

Why the Operating System is Important in Managed Hosting

You may be thinking: why go through all the trouble of selecting an operating system when anything will do? The operating system is the heart of your server. Without the operating system, your server will not run and your website would not be up on the Web. Also, you can’t just select any operating system. There are factors that you have to take into consideration. The operating system will also be a huge factor on how your server behaves. Your website should be up and running efficiently and excellently all the time, and your server’s operating system affects that. Choose your operating system wisely and make sure to go through all the checks that need to be done.

Misconceptions about the Operating System in Hosting

The common misconceptions about the operating system used in web hosting are:

  •  Not being able to run the website because the server and the client’s computer have different operating systems
  •  Not being able to access the server because you are using a different operating systems
  •  Going for the same operating system will make it easier for you to use

You would still be able to access your website and your server regardless of the operating systems of your server and your machine. They are different from each other and are not connected. Also, server OSs have different interfaces compared to the usual ones you are using, so is not always true. You may be familiar with the feel, but the functions could be different.

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