Dedicated Server Operating Systems

XLHost is proud to offer more dedicated server operating system choices than any other hosting company on the Internet today! XLHost offers over 50 operating system versions and we realize that it can sometimes be difficult to make sure that you are selecting the right operating system for your personal or business requirements.

32 Vs 64 bit

One of the most common questions we hear at XLHost is: "What is the difference between 32 and 64 bit operating systems?" For most users, the largest deciding factor between 32 bit and 64 bit operating systems will be application compatibility. Even though most applications written for a 32 bit OS will run in a 64 bit environment, if you intend to run an application on your dedicated server which requires or recommends using a 32 bit operating system it would be a wise decision to stick with a 32 bit operating system. However some very popular server applications such as Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 will not run under 32 bit Windows so it is a good idea to check with your application vendor prior to deciding.

The default kernel in most Linux distributions as well as many 32 bit editions of Windows have a memory limit of 4GB, however a secondary concern with 32 bit operating systems will be the amount of addressable memory. Addressable memory refers to the amount of RAM the operating system is able to use after the BIOS/hardware has reserved a certain amount of RAM. Although most 32 bit operating systems have a limit of 4GB the addressable memory available to the operating system could be as low as 3.2 GB by the time the operating system finishes booting. Many if not all 32 bit Linux distributions and Windows offer what is known as a PAE (or Physical Address Extension) kernel. PAE allows the operating system to relocate memory reserved by system allowing the operating system to access most if not all of the physical memory available in the system.

Linux

Linux is the most popular choice for dedicated servers at XLHost; many users choose Linux because of its reliability, security, and the wide availability of open source software. Many Linux distributions come with no licensing cost. Applications for Linux range from anything to a simple dedicated web server, to VoIP, to a fully fledged hosting environment using cPanel. Many Linux distributions today come ready for Virtualization using the Xen hypervisor. XLHost dedicated server Linux installations are CLI (SSH) based and do not come installed with a GUI (Gnome/KDE) although with most Linux distributions it is very simple to install the GUI after your dedicated server has been provisioned.

Ready 2 Go Linux

Available on most Linux distributions/versions, Ready 2 Go Linux is a regular server installation of your favorite distribution of Linux with some pre-configuration already finished:

Software installed:

• The latest version of Apache supplied by your Linux distribution.
• The latest version of MySQL supplied by your Linux distribution.
• The latest version of PHP supplied by your Linux distribution.
• The latest version of vsftpd (Very Secure FTP Daemon) supplied by your Linux distribution.
• The latest version of some popular PHP modules (GD, MySQL, etc) supplied by your Linux distribution.

Other:

• Services which are never used on dedicated servers are automatically disabled (Bluetooth, PCMCIA, et cetera).

For more information or a complete list of Ready 2 Go Linux editions please click here.

XLHost offers the following standard Linux distributions:

CentOS

The Community enterprise Operating System, hands down the most popular choice at XLHost. CentOS is 'downstream' from Redhat Enterprise Linux meaning that it essentially uses the same packages, kernel, and core OS bits as Redhat Enterprise Server. In addition to being almost identical to Redhat Enterprise Linux in operation, CentOS offers a long software update support cycle. XLHost recommends CentOS to anyone new to Linux, anyone who is familiar with Redhat, or anyone who is interested in running cPanel on a dedicated server.

Fedora

The Fedora project is consistently on the leading edge of Linux development including the newest kernel and package updates and versions. Like CentOS, Fedora is very similar to Redhat Enterprise Linux and can be seen as sort of a testing ground for new features which will eventually make their way into CentOS and Redhat Enterprise Linux. Unlike Redhat and CentOS, Fedora has a relatively short update support cycle which means that once a new major version is released updates for the previous versions are only produced for a very short period of time. XLHost only recommends Fedora for users who need the advanced functionality, power users, or users who are able to maintain security on a Linux system without updates released from the maintainers.

Redhat Enterprise Linux

Redhat is one of the leading dedicated server Linux distributions today. Very similar to CentOS, Redhat adds technical support and very quick security update releases to the mix. Functionality, application compatibility, and even system administration of Redhat is virtually identical to CentOS and Fedora. Redhat generally releases security updates for the Linux kernel and supported packages within a few days to a week before CentOS. XLHost recommends Redhat Enterprise Linux to any organization or individual who requires up to the minute updates and enterprise grade technical support. Redhat makes an excellent platform for cPanel as well.

Debian

Debian, a favorite of many users at XLHost and the father of Ubuntu, has always provided a stable and secure dedicated hosting platform. With its easy to use package manager and excellent application support it has quickly become a favorite amongst hobbyists, organizations, and IT departments across the globe. Debian tends to have a very long cycle between major releases. XLHost recommends Debian to any user who is not interested in running cPanel, and has some knowledge of Linux.

Ubuntu

Ubuntu, a "fork" of Debian has made quite a splash on the desktop Linux scene in the few short years since it has been made available. Ubuntu offers configuration and operation which is nearly identical to Debian. Ubuntu also has one of the largest Linux user communities which offer technical support (commercial technical support is also available). Ubuntu has a fairly regular major release cycle and publishes security fixes very quickly. The current LTS Server version of Ubuntu which XLHost installs will be supported until 2013. XLHost recommends Ubuntu to any user which is not interested in cPanel, has at least minimal Linux experience and doesn't mind self or community based support.

Gentoo

Gentoo is a completely different distribution than any other which XLHost offers. XLHost offers a 'self-install' Gentoo environment which consists of a Secure Shell (SSH) connection which allows a user to install the operating system remotely. Gentoo gained a reputation as being the most complex Linux distribution in terms of system administration, but recently strides have been made to simplify the installation process and some of the more common system administration tasks. XLHost recommends Gentoo for any user who has extensive experience with Linux or needs granular control over all components of the operating system.

Unix

FreeBSD

FreeBSD has quickly become the most widely used open-source version of UNIX. With its popular and very user friendly library of ported software (software which was originally designed for Linux or another operating system but now has been made to work on FreeBSD) it is easy to install well known software such as Apache, PHP, and MySQL within a true UNIX environment. XLHost recommends FreeBSD for any user who is familiar with Unix, is not interested in cPanel, and does not require a binary package system (such as Yum or Aptitude).

Windows

Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 offer security, reliability, and ease-of use for many dedicated server applications. With IIS 7 Windows Server 2008 has made great strides in improving the performance, security, and compatibility of the flagship Windows web server. Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 come in various editions (see chart below ) which add additional functionality and the ability to use more memory. Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 dedicated servers provide a graphical user interface (GUI) via remote desktop which allows (by default) up to two simultaneous users to administrate the server. XLHost recommends Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 to any user who is more comfortable with Windows than Linux, wants a graphical user interface, and is not interested in cPanel.

Other

VMWare ESXi

VMWare is not a traditional operating system; VMWare is a hypervisor product which allows a user to run multiple Virtual Machines (VMs) on a single dedicated server. Each Virtual Machine has its own disk and memory resources and is mostly transparent to the guest operating system. By having an ultra-thin footprint VMWare ESXi takes hardware virtualization a step further in removing the operating system layer which reduces system resource consumption and security concerns. Unlike products like Virtuozzo which share the host kernel, VMWare offers a completely separate hardware space for each VM, which allows a dedicated server to run Linux, Windows, and UNIX based operating systems all on the same physical machine. VMWare ESXi is managed via the VMWare infrastructure client. XLHost recommends VMWare ESXi to any user who wishes to consolidate multiple physical hosts, or who needs the flexibility to run multiple operating systems on a single dedicated server.