Ubuntu Dedicated Servers

Ubuntu SERVERS

Launching in 2004, Ubuntu was developed as a Linux distribution that is user-friendly, frequently updated, secure, and that can be utilized by individuals and businesses around the world. Since then, Ubuntu has arguably become the most popular desktop and server Linux distribution.

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Frequently Updated

User Friendly

Variety of Graphical Interface Options

Heavily Security Focused

Open Source

Key features

Ubuntu Desktop provides a user-friendly operating system that is compatible with a wide range of desktops and laptop hardware. Installation is fast and easy using a bootable flash disk or DVD and provides full support for 40 different languages, with partial support for hundreds more.

Many familiar open-source applications are packaged with the standard Ubuntu installation, such as the Firefox web browser, Thunderbird email client and Libreoffice office suite. Using the Ubuntu software center, thousands of additional popular applications such as Skype, VLC, Visual Studio Code, Virtualbox and many more can be installed with a few clicks.

Due to Ubuntu’s compatibility with the majority of Debian’s .deb package files and the dpkg package manager, virtually any application that has been packaged for Linux can be installed with a single command.

A new major version of Ubuntu is released twice a year. This release aligns with the releases of GNOME and X, delivering an up to date version of these applications with each new Ubuntu release. This release is supported for 5 years, and users can upgrade between major versions of the same type (LTS or non-LTS) at any time. This frequent development cycles ensures that users always have access to the latest and most secure OS experience.

As the most widely used Linux desktop distribution, Ubuntu is an ideal operating system for anyone starting out with Linux. Ubuntu supports a wide range of hardware, and will run perfectly on most laptops and desktop configurations out the box. However, as with all Linux distributions - it is recommended that prospective users research hardware before purchasing to ensure the best compatibility with Ubuntu, especially regarding graphics cards and available drivers.

It is in the web server arena where Ubuntu dominates. Quick and easy to deploy on all major public clouds, it has a huge user-base and is used by anywhere between 35% and 50% of all Linux web servers. Ubuntu is a often a favourite with web developers due to its up to date repositories and excellent support forums. Most OpenStack development is done on Ubuntu, which is not surprising as Canonical is a founding partner.

Ubuntu STRENGHTS & WEAKNESSES

Strengths

Ubuntu’s Debian derived package manager:

Providing the widest range of prepackaged software applications for Linux.

Community and commercial support:

Due to Ubuntu’s popular forums, most issues are easily resolved through a quick web search. Businesses and organizations can obtain official support from Canonical.

Proprietary software and hardware support:

As the widest used Linux desktop distribution, Ubuntu is usually the best supported OS for 3rd party applications and drivers.

Stability:

As with Debian, Ubuntu provides a rock solid server environment, with extensive testing done on LTS releases.

Weaknesses

A single company driving innovation:

With its failed forays into mobile operating systems with Ubuntu Touch, and the abandoned Unity desktop environment - Canonical and Mark Shuttleworth in particular have been accused of ignoring community feedback regarding the future of Ubuntu.

No support for some popular commercial software:

Like other Linux distributions, Ubuntu is not supported by Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite and other Windows & Mac only software. However, the Wine project has come a long way in providing support for Windows software on Linux, and many popular Windows applications now run perfectly on Ubuntu.

‘Buggy’ releases:

Ubuntu has been criticized of blindly sticking to a fixed release schedule and releasing incomplete or unsufficiently tested versions. Especially with non-LTS versions, it is recommended to wait a few months before upgrading to ensure that major issues have been fixed.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How much does Ubuntu cost?

Ubuntu is a free and open-source linux distribution.

Which versions of Ubuntu do you offer?

By default, we install the latest version of Ubuntu to your server. If you need a specific version, we also offer the option for you to install a custom OS using our KVM.

What is the release cycle of Ubuntu?

Ubuntu versions are released every six months. Each release is given an alliterative code name by Mark Shuttleworth, using an adjective and an animal - creating gems such as Utopic Unicorn (14.10), Yakkety Yak (16.10), and Bionic Beaver (18.04). By following the progression of the alphabet, it is easy to determine the order of releases (version 17.10 ‘Artful Aardvark’ restarted the cycle). \n\n x.04 versions are long term support release and are supported for five years. X.10 versions are regular releases and are supported for 9 months and are usually used as a test bed for new and upcoming features.

Is Ubuntu a good desktop Linux distribution?

Ubuntu is a great choice for server and desktop installations. It has a robust GUI support system for both GNOME and KDE.

Which company oversees development of Ubuntu?

Canonical is the London based company behind Ubuntu which markets commercial support and related services for Ubuntu Linux and related projects to commercial users.

Are there any derivatives of Ubuntu?

Apart from the various official Ubuntu ‘flavours’ which are released by the Ubuntu Foundation, there are also a wide number of derivative distributions which rely on the repositories of Ubuntu and Debian. \n\n Probably the best known and most popular of these is Linux Mint, designed to be user friendly and to support a wide range of proprietary media formats and hardware. Other noteworthy derivatives include Zorin OS, MythBuntu, Elementary OS and Goobuntu.

What flavours of Ubuntu are available?

Ubuntu comes in many different desktop configurations (often referred to as ‘flavors’) depending on user preferences. Since version 17.10, Gnome 3 is the default desktop environment, but other official Ubuntu builds are Kubuntu (KDE), Lubuntu (LXQt), Xubuntu (Xfce), Kylin (Chinese language focus), MATE, Budgie and Studio - each with their own choice of default applications and settings.

Is Ubuntu good for gaming?

Big improvements have been made with regards to gaming on Ubuntu with the Steam and Wine projects, but serious gamers are still advised to stick to Windows for the widest compatibility and performance.

More useful information in our Knowledge Base