What Is The Optimum OS To Select When Using Cloud Server Hosting

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You can generally choose from a variety of operating systems offered through cloud server hosting services for utilisation on cloud servers. These operating systems can range from Linux distributions such as Gentoo, Ubuntu and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, to OpenSolaris to Microsoft Windows Server to name a few. Some UK cloud host companies allow you to use any operating system you want and/or to upload your own operating system onto cloud servers.



When considering an OS, investigate whether it’s portable across a variety of processors (for example ARM, PowerPC, RISC and SPARC). Find out if it supports multiple users and what its multitasking abilities are. Check whether the OS has time-sharing capabilities. Find out which operating systems have the best uptime. Compare the scalability of different operating systems. Oracle Solaris for example is known for its scalability, particularly on SPARC systems. Check if the OS can access remote resources as well.



The Linux-based Google Chrome operating system is aimed at users who spend most of their time on the internet. It essentially supports Google’s Chrome web browser and relies on internet applications to be used in the web browser for tasks such as word processing and viewing media.



You may like Windows Server 2008 R2 for your cloud server, which is an update of Windows Server 2008 and is produced by Microsoft. It comes with a range of capabilities, such as Live Migration and Cluster Shared Volumes, and the addition of DNSSEC support for the DNS server service.



Alternately you can get one of a multitude of free distribution open-source operating systems, from Linux for example. Remember that you won’t get company-backed technical support with free distributions but there is a large online community of users who are happy to provide free assistance and advice in regards to the free distributions. Usually open- Nici's blog is better supported than closed-source OS security, as patches can be quickly developed when risks are spotted, as opposed to waiting for a large closed-source company to release security patches. You will however get technical support with closed-source systems produced by large companies.



Remember as well that not all software runs on every OS, so bear this in mind when deciding on an OS for your cloud server and pick one that will support the software you want to use.



If you’re a small business you may want to consider the Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2011. Nici's blog is aimed at the commercial market, including mainframes. A potential Mac consideration is the Mac OS X Server Snow Leopard, a Unix server OS with contact and calendar sharing, project collaboration, podcast creation and distribution as well as remote information access features among others.



Choose the cloud server OS that best fits your needs. To get the best experience from utilising cloud servers you can obtain assistance with your choice of OS from cloud server hosting companies.