Two main operating systems that hosting companies provide to their clients are the Linux and Windows server hosting. Like any other things in life, there are advantages as well as drawbacks to both of these operating systems. Which one you choose would depend on your personal preference and requirements.

Linux is well-known to provide better reliability than Windows. It is free because it is open-sourced software. However, there are some downsides about the Linux hosting that you should know about. Here, we have the top four downsides that you need to face if you choose a Linux hosting.

1- Varies from different companies

2- Lack of application and software that is compatible

3- Not easy to use for a newbie

4- Difficult operation due to shell based.

Because it is a free operating system, many companies will not provide upgrades and maintenance for this type of operating system. Even though many web developers are working together to improve it, they remain independent as they do not rely on another company. This can create some sort of confusion when it comes to the question of compatibility.

Compatibility is very important in web hosting because it will allow the webmaster the ability to use applications and software in order to build and manage their sites. Due to the multiple sources for Linux, there are a number of issues with the compatibility which can really create a lot of trouble for individual or business website owners.

Users of Linux will also have to face the problem of the lack of support for Windows-based scripting technologies like the ASP. This is a very popular script that is used by many websites because it offers a lot of useful extensions. These extensions do not work on Linux-based operating system. So, it won’t be easy for users that are using Windows to switch to Linux.

Then, there is the issue of getting support when you need it. Since it is open-sourced, there is no particular company that will be responsible for the use of it. Therefore, a newbie would find it difficult if he runs into a problem while using the Linux. With Microsoft, there are support centres that can provide users with professional advice when they require.

As it is built based on a shell-based structure, this will be difficult for a newcomer. Instead of getting something easy that can help them get started quickly, they will have to spend time to learn about this. This is not an ideal situation for them. There will be a certain level of difficulty if the user is using a shared server but things get even more complicated when you are using the dedicated server.

As you can tell by now, the Linux operating system is affordable and reliable but it will require some technical knowledge in order for you to use it nicely. With compatibility issues that you will have to face and lack of support, it is really something that you need to consider if you are going to use this system. If you can handle it, it will be a great hosting platform for your website.

There are currently four Linux program certification bodies that you can choose from if you are interested in leaning Linux, these are The Novell Corporation, the Computing Technology Industry Association, Red Hat Inc, and Linux Professional Institute. The Computer Technology Industry Association and Linux professional Institute and are professional Linux teaching associations whose certificate programs are not dependent on any specific Linux distribution. Red Hat and Novell certifications on the other hand are closely linked to these associations’ popular Linux distributions. In order to prepare for the Red Hat or Novell Linux certification, access to their Linux versions is definitely a must.

If you are planning to obtain Linux certification then there are a couple of things that are required. The first thing that is required of you in such a situation is that you pass one or more extensive Linux tests that illustrate your prowess in handling typical as well as atypical issues faced by Linux system administrators. This article takes a close look at Linux+ Certification which is typically recommended by experts as the primary certification for people new to Linux. This certification does not apply to any specific version of Linux. Instead it is a test fashioned to validate the knowledge gained by people with a minimum of 6 -12 months of practical Linux experience.

Individuals who are able to attain the certification according to the Computing Technology Industry Association have a clear understanding of the fundamental management of this system from command line, software configurations, user administration, file permissions, security, server systems and management of Linux-based clients. For those who wish to practice these fundamentals, most of the above functions can be found on Damn Small Linux. This certification is a fundamental entry-level certification program for person who wish to become Linux system administrators. This program is meant for people who have six or more months maintaining, operating and installing this operating systems.

In order to attain this certification candidates must pass the exam which consists of 98 questions covering areas of installation, planning and implementation, configuration, systems maintenance, administration and trouble shooting. This certification exam is a $232 multiple choice exam that offers a great starting point for individuals who wish to continue on to learn other Linux certifications including those from Red Hat and Novell. There are a number of learning options available for those who wish to lean Linux. One can opt to enroll in a computer teaching institute that offers the certification or learn online.

This time we are going to have a look at Linux permissions. Every current operating system deals with permissions, whether it is ownership of a file or just gaining read access to a folder. As with everything else in Linux there are command line tools and the graphical user interface so we shall discuss both.

The Chown Utility

This is a command line tool that deals with the ownership of a file or folder. Open up a terminal and switch to root. Navigate to the directory which contains the file / folder you want to change and type:

chown [username][file /folder]

So for example if I wanted to change the owner of a file called tools to natasha and it was located in /home/chris I would type:

cd /home/chris

chown natasha tools

To check who owns a particular file / folder you can navigate to the directory that contains the file / folder and type:

ls -l

The Chmod Utility

Next up is the chmod utility which deals with permissions themselves. Open up a terminal and switch to root. Navigate to the directory which contains the file / folder you want to change and type:

chmod [777][file / folder]

Lets first explain the numbering system above. There are three types of permissions in Linux – Read, Write and Execute which are given values of 4, 2 and 1 respectively. So in the syntax above the file would be given Read (4), Write (2) and Execute (1) permissions (4+2+1 = 7). But don’t you give permissions to people and not files or folders? Correct, that is why there are three numbers which represent the owner, group and others. Lets take an example to illustrate the point. Say I wanted to change the permissions of a file called tools.doc to owner (rwe), group (rw) and others (r) and it was located in /home/chris I would type:

cd /home/chris

chmod 764 tools.doc

This gives the owner (rwe = 7) group (rw = 6) and others (r=4) different levels of access to the file.

Graphical Means of Changing Permissions and Ownership

For people who don’t want to use the command line there is another way to do all this. I shall illustrate this using Linux Mint 9. Locate the file you want to alter by using your file manager. Right click and go to open as root. In Linux Mint 9 the background will go red when a file is open as root. Right click and go to properties. On the properties page you will be given the option of changing permissions for the owner, group and others along with changing the owner of the file. Change accordingly.