web hosting

Five Reasons to Choose Unix Hosting

Though Red Hat Linux and Microsoft Windows are currently prevalent on the market, Unix is making a comeback as a viable web hosting solution.  The platform offers all the power and stability of Linux at a price that is often considerably cheaper than Windows.  Many web hosting operations are currently run on Unix-based systems that range from Mac OS X to FreeBSD.  While these platforms are great alternatives, this article will give you five reasons why Unix itself makes a great choice for your hosting needs.

1.) Tried and Tested

Unix is arguably the most dependable operating system for the network server and web hosting environment.  The platform has thrived for more than 30 years and has been tightly integrated with the internet since its inception.  Although other systems have received worthy improvements over the years, Unix is a time-tested platform, offering the power and flexibility needed to meet a wide range of hosting needs.

2.) Unrivaled Stability and Security

During its tenor in the hosting industry, Unix has proven to be notably faster than other operating systems.  It also has a reputation for having the ability to create the most secure hosting environment imaginable.  These qualities have made it a mainstay in the world of corporate business and e-commerce.  Perhaps the greatest benefit Unix offers is its high level of stability and performance.  Unrivaled processing power and a rock-solid core makes it an ideal choice for simple web pages and complex applications alike.

3.) Unmatched Reliability

While Microsoft Windows offers a graphical icon-based interface for added simplicity, Unix has no GUI at all.  This dramatically reduces overhead and allows the system to dedicate the full power of the hardware to quickly and efficiently serve web pages when they are requested.  Even in a shared hosting environment, Unix is virtually impervious to server crashes or any types of faults caused by administrative errors dues to its user-level permission structure.  When used as a platform, it can help create a fault-tolerant web server with the ability to prevent potentially damaging processes, thus enabling your website to continuously run smoothly.

4.) Extremely Compatible

Being a veteran server operating system, the Unix platform is largely supported by software developers and vendors.  The software integrates seamlessly with Apache, PHP, Perl, MySQL and other web technologies commonly used with Linux.  It also offers full support for Microsoft FrontPage, a web design and management tool that was once only available in Windows-based hosting plans.  Thanks to compatibility enhancements, FrontPage can now run flawless on both Windows and Unix servers alike.

5.) Affordable and Easy to Use

Several have the misconception that Unix is an open-source operating system.  This is not true.  In fact, its source code is under license with numerous vendors and much of the core remains proprietary.  However, Unix hosting still tends to be affordable because of its integration with free and low-cost open-source products.  And while naturally a more complex system, this platform is just as user-friendly in the typical shared hosting environment as Windows or Linux.  Therefore,  it does not matter if you are an inexperienced webmaster or a novice, Unix hosting can offer all the power or simplicity you need to succeed with a website.

Introducing Cold Fusion Hosting

Now an Adobe product, Cold Fusion is one of the most powerful programming languages available.  As a server-side scripting technology, it is used to create dynamic web pages and applications, quite similar to languages such as ASP, Perl and PHP.  Cold Fusion gives developers the ability to create and deploy interactive features that power self-service applications, content management systems, e-commerce sites and much more.  As a tag-based language, it is said to be one of the most comprehensive programming tools to use in the world.  In order to enjoy all Cold Fusion has to offer, you need a web hosting provider that supports it.

This article will go over the factors you must consider when looking for Cold Fusion hosting.

Available Version

When it comes to Cold Fusion hosting, it is always best to choose a web hosting provider that offers the most recent version of the language.  This will allow you to benefit from the latest features to create powerful, user-friendly web pages and applications.  It also makes it much easier to integrate the language with the database system you prefer to work with.

Possible Limitations

Choosing the right Cold Fusion solution is very important as some environments prevent you from getting its full potential.  For example, there are a few shared hosting providers that will limit the use of its tags because they are often viewed as security risks.  This is mainly due to the  mere structure of a shared server.  This is very understandable as the vulnerability of your site opens potential threats to everyone else hosting on the server.  You can get around these limitations by opting for dedicated server hosting.  Though it is considerably more expensive, dedicated hosting gives you complete control over which tags can or cannot be used on the server.

Cold Fusion Features

Cold Fusion is a powerful feature in its own right but there are some minimal requirements.  Most web hosting providers will set you up with everything required to get the maximum use out of this dynamic programming language.  All that is really needed to excel with Cold Fusion is a complimenting database to provide back-end in support for your web applications.  This shouldn’t be a problem as Cold Fusion integrates seamlessly with popular databases such as MySQL, Postgre SQL and MS SQL.

Cost Factor

Lastly, you need to consider the budget you have available to put towards a Cold Fusion hosting package.  Because it is one of the oldest languages around, you can find Cold Fusion offered in many low cost hosting packages.  However, some companies charge a pretty penny for all the advanced functionality it offers, especially when bundled with compatible Microsoft products.

In the end, it is mainly the complimenting features such as bandwidth and software add-ons that will impact the cost of Cold Fusion hosting solution.

While it goes without saying, Cold Fusion hosting is something you should only seek when having a specific need for the functionality it offers.  Though it may not be as popular as ASP or PHP, the language is widely available.  As with any hosting service, the most important aspects of this niche are reliability and quality technical support.  A stable platform will give you all the ammunition you need to thrive with a Cold Fusion website.