Why CentOS is the most linux distribution on Servers?
A lot of web hosting providers, (perhaps even most), use CentOS to power their dedicated servers. Of the many options for paid operating systems (such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux or even Windows) or free operating systems (such as Debian or Slackware), these hosts choose CentOS.
The answer is pretty simple
- You get an enterprise-quality operating system, basically because it is based on the source code of Red Had Enterprise Linux (RHEL), which has been examined and stabilized extensively prior to release.
- CentOS is completely free, open source, and no cost, offering all of a typical user support and features of a community-run Linux distribution.
- For updates, CentOS relies on the tested and trusted Red Had Enterprise Linux update network. This means that all of the packages that come through are identical, and CentOS maintains binary compatibility with Red Hat. This means you get an enterprise OS for free.
- For Linux hosting cpanel is the most preferred control panel. I will say almost 80-90% Linux hosting services uses cpanel control panel for service management. (Available control panels that support Linux is CPANEL, PLESK, DIRECT ADMIN), So when you want to use cpanel then they only support Centos, Cloudlinux and red hat OS versions. They don’t support Debian / Ubuntu OS.
- RHEL is always better supported by all main server manufacturer and the other way around. If you intend to run your server on various profesional server machines, you will usually get better support and drivers for RHEL than for Ubuntu.
- If you intend to run 3rd party commercial hosting server software RHEL usually have better support than Ubuntu.
- RedHat is simply corporate world, with a long history behind of commercial relations between RedHat and everyone else involved into servers business.
- Ubuntu try to fill this gap but still remain a newcomer into the servers world. It’s a promising child, increasing year after year it’s portfolio of dealings with big server industry players… but the reality is: it still lacks experience and relations that RedHat already have to offer.
That’s all for now!
