4 Ways Businesses will Benefit from Using Linux

Microsoft Windows has dominated the business world and consumer computing industries for several years. But, unknown to many, much of the World Wide Web is actually operated by an alternating operating system (OS) known as Linux. While there are plenty of Windows-based hosting services out there, Linux will be a better alternative for most businesses, and here are some of the reasons why.

1. Freedom

One of the biggest benefits of using Linux is that most Linux distributions come with no-cost investment, which means there is no vendor lock-in. Using the Linux software is generally free. Even with a distribution tailored to rapidly expand a business, paying for support alongside is often cheaper than Windows and other proprietary software.

Since Linux is generally free, you do not have to worry about paying licensing fees. There are also several virtual machine software platforms online that will let you install the Linux operating system on your computer. As a matter of fact, Microsoft’s Windows 10 now comes with Linux as a virtual machine environment. But if you are not keen on using virtual machines, you can use an older PC. Simply install a Linux distribution for the main operating system. Most of the Linux distributions come with low resource needs. However, keep in mind that they will provide any hardware drivers you need.

Much of the software on Linux is free and open-source. It’s incredibly more cost-effective compared to Windows, which can get very expensive since you need a license for every installation.

2. Stability

Linux will not only offer stability but reliability as well. Having a reliable distribution like Linux offers peace of mind. The thought that only a few users can experience crashes is one of the reasons why businesses can benefit from Linux. Sure, no technology is perfect. But since Linux is very stable and reliable, you know that your computer systems will be operating smoothly. Thus, you would be able to run your business with no worries. This is especially ideal for small business owners since even a short system downtime could have devastating consequences. Any downtime could negatively affect productivity and, ultimately, revenue.

Even though Microsoft Windows has made significant improvements in reliability in recent years, it’s still less reliable than Linux. Microsoft has made several sacrifices in the name of user-friendliness, but this could possibly lead to system instability and vulnerabilities. Linux is notoriously secure and reliable. It has a strong focus on system security, process management, and uptime. Users are guaranteed to experience fewer issues when using Linux.

Linux is a type of operating system that’s Unix-based. It was originally designed to provide a powerful and stable environment that’s also reliable and easy to use. For this reason, Linux is widely known for its reliability and stability. In fact, many Linux servers on the Internet have been running for several years without experiencing any failure. In Linux, you can easily modify a program or system configuration file. The changes will immediately take effect without having to reboot the server, which is not possible for Windows. It also provides reliable and efficient mechanisms for process management. So, whenever a process is not behaving normally, you can use certain commands to prevent any implications on the overall system performance.

3. Security

The Linux operating system’s overall design has made it more secure than the Windows Server, which helps keep your data protected from cybercriminals. The main core of Linux is built upon a security principle, which ensures that the entire system is fully secured from the ground up. Thus, the kernel will be protected with several layers of security, preventing any accidental or deliberate modifications from outsiders.

Linux’s tough approach to security means that those websites hosted by Linux will be less likely to get hacked or attacked by viruses and malware. The operating system’s rock-solid security is one of the main reasons businesses can significantly benefit from using it and why recruitment agencies specializing in Linux help recruit Linux developers to set up and maintain their systems.

Linux is undoubtedly the most secure kernel, making it more suitable for servers. For servers to be useful, they should have the ability to accept requests for services from remote clients. Because of this, it’s always vulnerable since it gives outsiders access to its ports. But Linux has implemented numerous security mechanisms to protect the files and services from cyber abuses and attacks.

You would be able to secure services with the help of programs like a firewall, Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux), and TC wrappers, which help minimize the resources that a service could access in a server. With Linux, before any user or program can access a resource or execute any file or program, it needs appropriate permissions. Otherwise, all unauthorized access will immediately be blocked.

4. Options

Suppose you’re looking into using Linux distribution, whether, for a business computer or a server, you will have plenty of choices. You can use any of the following:

• CentOS
• Debian
• Red Hat
• Slackware
• SUSE
• Ubuntu

The choices of distributions that Linux can offer are profound. Since there’s not a single vendor trying to lock you in, you have the freedom to choose whatever provider you believe suits your business best. This will give you full control of how your business can benefit from Linux.

Linux provides many choices in the type of software you can use, including many popular tasks, such as spreadsheets and word processing. It is built to handle hundreds of different programs, giving your employees the option to look for a solution that they find most appropriate while also ensuring that the final results are compatible across your workplace.

So, what would be the best Linux distros for your business? Stability should be a priority, especially for small businesses. Remember, uptime is highly critical if you’re putting the distro to work. In addition, it should be easy to configure, manage, and deploy.

Overall, Linux is a great option for your business since it gives you absolute control over your computer system, allowing you to build and customize the server just the way you want it and wherever possible.