An Operating System is the low-level software which controls a computer. It controls the way the hardware operates, the communication with peripherals for instance a monitor, a printer or a keyboard, the allocation of memory between various applications, plus the prioritization of apps when multiple ones run simultaneously. Each program that is installed on a notebook or a desktop functions by sending requests to the OS for different services via an application program interface (API). The communication with the OS can be achieved through a Graphical User Interface (GUI) or a command line. In the web hosting world, the OS is what runs a web hosting server as well as all of the software installed on it, which includes not only website scripts, but, in addition any other application for instance a VOIP or a game server. In case there're virtual machines created, they work with a guest OS which is run on the server host OS.
Multiple OS in VPS Servers
In case you choose one of our VPS server plans, you'll have three different Operating Systems to pick from - CentOS, Debian and Ubuntu. They are all Linux distributions and we offer them instead of offering just one OS, as the applications that you may wish to run on the server could have specific requirements about the software environment. Each of the three has some pros in terms of the available packages that you can later install, but what is common between them is that they are really stable and reliable and have large communities that support them. The web hosting Control Panel alternatives for the VPS accounts depend on your OS choice, so as to give you more flexibility. When you order the virtual server with one OS and you need another one later, our technical support team can easily reinstall the VPS with the new one in a couple of minutes. We also offer you the option to maintain the Operating System on your server up-to-date on a weekly basis.
Multiple OS in Dedicated Servers
In case you decide to buy one of our dedicated servers, you will find three Operating Systems on the registration page as we want to give you a larger choice for the system environment on the server as different apps may have specific requirements. CentOS, Ubuntu and Debian come with different modules developed by their huge support communities, so you can select any of these OSs and take advantage of a reliable and safe hosting service. Based on your decision, you will also have different Control Panels to choose from. Of course, we can always replace the Operating System if the one you've selected at first does not meet the requirements of the software which you want to run. We can also upgrade the OS on a regular basis to keep it as risk-free as possible through our Managed Services upgrade package.