There is no shortage of server operating systems on the market. Some servers still run Apple’s macOS Server, particularly in an Apple-exclusive environment. Windows Server is another popular server operating system among enterprise users, mainly because of solutions like Azure and MS SQL.
The majority of servers behind the best companies, however, run Linux or a variation of the operating system. There are so many reasons why you should choose Linux for your server, and we are going to review the top 5 reasons in this article.
Linux is Free and Open-Source
The Linux kernel, also known as Linux/GNU, is an open-source piece of software. This means you have direct access to the source of your server’s kernel, making it possible to review the code, track bugs, recommend changes, or even make your own changes as needed.
Being open-source, Linux is also very flexible. If you want to run a proprietary runtime that requires a specific handling of server resources, a custom driver, or an entirely customized kernel, you can do so on a Linux server.
Powered by Developers
Stability is one of Linux servers’ strong suits, but stability itself isn’t its only advantage. The reason why Linux servers are notoriously reliable is because of the developers behind Linux. Linux is powered by a large community of developers that actively improves the kernel and Linux distributions.
With certain distros, you can even find teams and companies that offer premium support. On top of that, there are even enterprise-grade Linux distributions to choose from. Suse in particular is even compatible with other enterprise solutions like SAP, making it very robust as a distribution.
Expandable Capabilities
Let’s not forget that there are so many server components that work with different Linux distributions. Finding packages that add certain functionalities to the distribution that you use is as easy as doing a Google search.
The way Linux servers incorporate repositories is also very handy. Rather than having to go through the usual process of downloading packages, adding them to your servers, and installing them manually, you can add packages with just a single command.
Easy to Maintain
Speaking of a single command, maintaining a Linux server is also a one-command thing. For upgrades, you can rely on the usual apt-update and apt-upgrade combination, and all of the relevant packages will be updated to the latest version. Managing dependencies is just as easy.
Regular maintenance tasks can be automated using cron or other tools. Accessing the servers for maintenance is done via a GUI or using any terminal app you are comfortable with. Everything works seamlessly, making server maintenance a breeze.
Maximum Security
The last reason we are going to review in this article is security. Being backed by developers and used on a massive scale, Linux servers are also very secure. You get regular security patches for free, plenty of security measures to deploy, and easy tools for maintaining server security in general.
These are some of the things that make Linux servers very popular among businesses and developers alike. Regardless of the cloud infrastructure you are investing in, Linux is the server operating system to go for.