Archive for About Web Hosting
A Comparison of the Most Popular Linux Distributions
Posted by: | CommentsIf you are considering the mighty migration from Windows to try out Linux that you hear is so popular, you might expect there to be a few types to choose from. You might not quite expect that “a few” numbers in the hundreds! Linux’s open source nature has made it a serious programmer’s playground.
With such a large number we obviously cannot go into all of them. What we will do instead is to focus on a few of the biggest ones. In doing so, it’s important to remember that for this type of operating system (ie, open-source), users are building on each other’s work. This creates a tree of variants, some of which are major branching points. The Linux Tree has three major nodes that most of the rest of the distributions branch out from. Let’s look at each of them.
Linux as an operating system is based on ideas ported over from UNIX. Different Linux distributions vary from their UNIX origins by different degrees. Of the three major Linux nodes, Slackware is the variant that aims to be the most UNIX-like. Relatedly, it attempts to emulate UNIX’s goals of simplicity.
Note that for this case, though “simplicity” refers to simplicity of design, not necessarily of use. This means that unless you have some UNIX experience or understand the general approach of command line interfaces, this may not be the best starting point for Linux beginners. If you do, you might sink right into this one.
Note also that the word “Slackware” was not a joke. Or rather, it was one: it was meant to refer to the fact that this was originally a side project not intended to go anywhere. As a result, it is the most decentralized of all of the three major branches, with only a loose “team” associated with it. This means that you’re not going to have much of any official project to go to for information, though there are still large user communities that can help you. Don’t misconstrue all of these warnings though: it is still a popular Linux variant with many loyal adherents.
There aren’t many very popular Slackware children (there’s a joke in there somewhere), but there are a few minor deviations to mention:
- Slax – This is an operating system recommended to only be run externally. It is known for being easily customizable.
- SUSE Linux – Developed in Europe and still popular there, this is a desktop-oriented operating system with a few sub-branches of its own.
Debian is also heavily UNIX based, and is designed around the philosophies of open-source, collaborative design and testing. It also aims to be a secure, stable system, and as such is the basis for more Linux variants than either of the other two major branches listed here. In fact, one of its sub-branches, Ubuntu, has about as many children variants as does all of Slackware.
Debian’s construct is about half-way between the chaotic approach of Slackware and the business model of Red Hat below. It is still open-source, but has a well organized community supporting it. When Debian was initially released, it was built around a set of core principles: the “Debian Social Contract”. From that the Debian Project was formed with its own constitution and organizational structure.
No list of sub-branches of Debian could start with anything but:
- Ubuntu – In 2007 Ubuntu ranked as the most popular Linux variant; more popular, even, than the Debian system it is derived from. It is estimated that more servers use Ubuntu than all other Linux variants combined. Is it really that good? Most users of it say yes. It is frequently described as easy to use. With 12 million computers running it, it is quickly becoming a common home for software ports of all kinds. In short, this might be the best choice of all variants for new users.
- Knoppix – While not nearly as popular, Knoppix deserves mention for being another OS designed to be externally bootable. Unlike Slax permanent installation is possible, or at least not discouraged. It itself spawned the interesting children Music/GNU Linux, a multimedia-friendly OS, and Damn Small Linux, a version designed to work well on older systems with fewer resources.
Linux is an open-source operating system on the whole, but that doesn’t mean that all of its development is non-profit. Red Hat represents the business model wing of the Linux family.
That doesn’t mean that they’ve taken this work and gone proprietary. Red Hat operates on the “professional open-source” model. This means that the code itself remains free and alterable, but the company offers paid services of various kinds related to it, such as training and support. So far this has worked for them, as this year they look to be hitting $1 billion in revenue for the first time.
The point of this isn’t to discuss economics, though, but technology, so we mention this to point out that the company is putting out a quality product that, from all we can tell, remains popular in the Linux community. Thus, Red Hat might be a good start for the user who can probably handle most of the technical side themselves, but would like a professional set of hands to fall back on when they need it.
Red Hat Linux itself is no longer supported, but has instead been split into the following two sub-branches:
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux – This is the most commercial of all of the major Linux distributions, though that doesn’t seem to have significantly impaired its quality. It is commonly sold both to customers and IT firms. There are also “Academic” versions of the software.
- Fedora – The Fedora Project is open-source, but is sponsored by Red Hat. This gives it the positive combination of being both openly developed and quickly developed. The downside is that new versions come out frequently. If you like being on the cutting edge of OS technology this is good. If you like long-term familiarity, it’s not so good.
More even than most of our articles, this is one that you are definitely going to want to get community feedback on. There is way too much about even one operating system to squeeze into an article of this size. Use this as a guide, and then ask around for opinions from people who have used them. There are enough people who have put a lot of time into their use for you to get the solid information you need to join the world of Linux.
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A Look at Common Cloud Hosting Lingo, Part One
Posted by: | CommentsIf you haven’t heard about cloud computing yet, God bless you: We haven’t a clue how you missed out on the barrage of hip new trends, but we sure are proud of you! However, no matter how secluded your rock may be, you’ll have to come out into the open sooner or later, and cloud computing is here to stay. Services based in “the cloud” are becoming nearly ubiquitous, rocking our computers with everything from Google to Amazon, and we don’t see it going away anytime soon. So the real question is this: What the heck does all this techno jargon mean?
We’re glad you asked! We’ve got enough expertise under our belt to give you this quick guide to common cloud computing lingo. We’ll be looking at some standard phrases, giving you the low down on what in the heck of things all this really means. Check below, and keep your thinking caps on!
“The Cloud”: So, what in the heck is a cloud, anyway? A cloud is simply a different way of storing data and information. With a cloud host, the data, software, and code you upload are stored directly on the Internet, rather than the provider’s personal intranet. This means you can get at your data from anywhere in the world, and it also means you have the option to scale up as much as you need, and to release that scalability once you’ve completed whatever task you needed. This isn’t a new way of doing things—at least not very, anyway—but referring to this process as “the cloud” has only just now become standard.
Hybrid Hosting: This is a combination for both cloud hosting and standard dedicated hosting, in which more vital information, like the operating system, is saved to the hard drive. All the other stuff you put up is saved to the cloud. This is because a dedicated server is much sturdier, as well as safer, and is better suited to holding your vitals. The cloud, on the other hand, performs better under heavy load, and is perfect for holding all the extra junk—like your graphical website—that you want the users to see.
Cloudsourcing: Rather than having a traditional IT service that handles your support, a cloud service handles all of your troubleshooting needs.
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A Lightning Quick Guide To Intel Processors
Posted by: | CommentsBack in the golden days of web hosting, it was a simple task to figure out if your server’s processor was heartier than the chap’s down the street. Manufacturers kept things simple, and used basic naming patterns based around clocking speed. However, those days are long gone, leaving us with almost literal Power Processor 6500 XLT 3-Bit’s—we made that one up, obviously, but it’s not far from the truth. Thankfully, with a little bit of education, understanding Intel’s numbering system, as well as its current product line, isn’t too difficult.
We’ve got a quick guide to the company’s processors locked down below, and we highly encourage you to give it a go. No matter how well you think you know the line-up, you can always learn more about Intel’s taxonomy. With that in mind, the educating starts now:
Silly i7, Xeons Are For Servers!
You may recognize the i3, i5, and i7 processors from the world of desktop computing. These are the current (at press time) and cutting edge processors from Intel, the ones that come stock and recommended with every new Macintosh computer. Their rough equivalent in the server world is the Xeon processor. This delight comes in a similar number pattern, going from the Xeon E3, to the Xeon E5, and then finally to the Xeon E7.
From there, the exact name and number of the processor can be broken apart into seven elements. We’ve listed these below alongside explanations of each, hopefully simplifying the process of reading something like, “Intel Xeon Processor E3 – 1235 L v2”
- Brand: This is the name of the processor itself. In this case, the brand is “Intel Xeon Processor.” Simple enough, right?
- Product Line: Here we have the model of the brain, eg. E3 (single core) or E5 and E7 (multi-core).
- Wayness, Maximum CPUs In A Node: This lists the total available number of sockets built into the processor.
- Socket Type: The higher the number the more the socket can handle in load.
- Processor SKU: The part number of the processor itself.
- Power Usage: i.e. “L” means “low power usage.”
- Version: The version number of the processor in relation to its predecessors.
Hopefully you should now understand a little better how to read a processor’s name. However, to fully understand how powerful the machine is, you’ll still need to check various online benchmarks.
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How Much RAM / Bandwidth / Disk Space Do I Really Need?
Posted by: | CommentsIf you’ve ever been shopping for a server or a web host, then you know exactly how often this question comes up. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for the perfect dedicated host, or just a shared provider that will snuggle up well with your personal blog: At some point, you’ll start to worry about the amount of available RAM, bandwidth, and disc space. If you take a look around, you’ll very quickly come to realize that most providers offer a wealth of plans, each with diverging selling points where these hardware pieces are concerned. In essence, it’s a jungle out there.
Before you panic and purchase too much—or worse, too little—of each, though, let us guide you through the questioning process. We know a bit about server load, and considering we’ve put them together below, you might as well use our server statistics tips to guide you through the shopping blues.
What Does Your Five Year Look Like?
Right off the bat, it’s worth considering what you actually want to do with your website. Are you using your chunk of the Web to hock product, or are you posting daily content to a news bog about kittens? Will you be hosting information about your multimillion dollar corporation, or are you just creating a personal portfolio for your design gig?
Consider the Scalability
Once you’ve got the exact five year plan of your project in mind, consider how hard it would be to compensate for unexpected growth within your target market. In other words, the question is not so much how much RAM, bandwidth, and disk space you need, but how hard it will be to get more later. If your business takes off in a massive way, will you be able to upgrade quickly to match pace? If not, starting out large may be a better course of action. If your personal blog is not likely to garner much attention, and smaller specifications will match your initial need, it’s a safe bet that going budget will be an ideal solution.
Remember too that it’s easier to scale up when using shared hosting than it is with dedicated hosting. You can always bump your plan up a tier at HostGator, but adding more disk space to your dedicated server may be much more costly. Always keep the budget in mind, but don’t short change yourself in the future by staying cheap.
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Guarantees – Separating Fact from Fiction
Posted by: | CommentsAs web hosting companies continue to try to get a leg up on one another, many of them include in their offerings different types of “guarantees”. This is the point at which we remember that, like any other, these are businesses, and the “guarantee” is a marketing tactic.
We also remember, though, that this word does still mean something: it bounds the web host to certain types of behavior, with potential consequences if they don’t follow through. What do guarantees mean then, and what can you expect if your host can’t meet them?
Disk space and bandwidth – Not so much
One of the most popular is the guarantee of “unlimited” disk space and bandwidth. It shouldn’t take too much of a technical expert to be suspicious of this one. Of course, disk space and bandwidth can’t possibly be unlimited. Walk into any one web host right now, and you can calculate the precise amount of data they can hold and data transfer they can handle. Granted, those numbers will boggle you if you think about them too long.
To run afoul of this guarantee, though, won’t require you to go that high. It will only require you to go high enough that you are long past using what you pay for. It’s impossible to say how high this is, and maybe some hosts will bite the bullet and not say anything no matter how bad you abuse their systems. Likely, though, what will happen is beyond some very egregious point, your host will ask you to either upgrade your account or (politely) take a hike. Since they are free to do business with you or not they aren’t technically breaking their pledge. So just don’t host the entire EMI back collection on your $3.99 account.
Uptime – Possibly more true
Since uptime is one of the most critical features a web host can provide, providers attempt to guarantee percentages of time your web site will be accessible. This is another one to take with a grain of salt. There is clearly only so much a web host can control, especially outside of its own facility.
99.9% uptime is the industry minimum standard, and is the only one you should really put much stock into: at a minute and a half a day, it’s a reasonable expectation. Just adding one more 9 to that brings it to questionable enforceability. 99.99% uptime means that your site is down no more than one minute per week. 99.999% gives them 26 seconds a month to get your site back up.
Now granted, web hosts are doing more real work to back up these guarantees, such as the increasing use of multiple data centers in different cities. Just make sure that your host gives you some indication that you will be compensated if your site goes down for longer than 26 seconds.
24/7 support
Finally there are support guarantees, and these you should keep them to. Given the chaos that can go on in any business, let alone a web host, these can be brazen claims depending on the specifics and one you might need to rely on. Hold their feet to the fire on this one.
Guarantees from any company many not be completely reliable, but that doesn’t change your need for reliability. Know what you’re getting into with them, and know what your options are if they fail.