Every computer and server that connects to the Internet must have a networking address in order to communicate. The Internet has grown so rapidly over the last decade and a half that the system designed for internet addressing is quickly running out of addresses. The IP address system, which has been the basis of all Internet communications since the inception of Internet, is in the process of being revamped to allow for the huge number of new network devices. The original IP version 4 addresses used the dotted quad format, which looks something like 235.198.351.223. The new system, called IP version 6, will incorporate letters into the dotted quads to provide millions of new addresses. Part of the demand for IP addresses comes from new Internet users, but a huge chunk of the IP addresses go to web hosting servers.
Since the number of websites online today is close to the number of people on Earth, and each website is hosted on a server, it's easy to see why this new block of IP addresses is necessary. The growth of web hosting, in addition to necessitating new Internet addresses, also provides a lot of choices for the would be webmaster. Despite all the hosting options available, there is one category of hosting plan that is the most popular by far. Virtual Linux hosting enjoys that top spot, due to its competitive price, reliability, and long list of features.
A virtual host is a software approximation of an independent web server. To create one of these virtual private servers (VPS), a single physical web server has its computing resources split up into many virtual servers. These virtual machines run their own operating system and software, and generally deliver a user experience that is identical to having a dedicated server. Although many virtual private servers are using the resources of a single actual server, each one affords total control and flexibility to the user. And they deliver all this at rock bottom prices, since the expense of the one web server is shared between many customers. When a virtual host is configured with Linux, it's a recipe for the most powerful and affordable hosting solution available.
Linux is the most popular operating system for web servers, and for good reason. Linux is extremely stable. It's an open source operating system, so thousands of software developers are working constantly to keep it running smoothly and free of bugs. The versions of Linux used in web servers are among the most reliable operating systems in existence, which is one of the reasons hosting providers can guarantee upwards of 99% uptime. In addition to its noteworthy reliability, Linux is also extremely flexible and quick to adapt to the ever changing demands of web servers. This makes it very attractive to both server administrators and savvy webmasters alike. Linux servers often come with the venerable LAMP software stack, which is an acronym for Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP. This combination of software allows webmasters to do pretty much anything they can dream of. That's why it's used on more web servers than any other software bundle.
If you're looking for an affordable hosting plan that isn't fraught with limitations, a virtual Linux host is tough to beat. We've seen that these are the most popular plans in existence, and looked at the reasons why. If you're still not sure, try one of our Linux based VPS plans yourself and see just how affordable and powerful they are. You can easily customize the amount of storage space and bandwidth, depending on what your website requires and what your budget will allow. The result is a plan that's perfect for you!