What is the LAMP stack?

LAMP stands for Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP (or Perl or Python). Used together, they represent the most popular and most powerful form of web servers and website hosting.

All of our websites are hosted on LAMP servers, even Adobe Coldfusion based websites (where normally Coldfusion Server is best set for a Windows Server environment).

Why should your website be LAMP powered (or at least hosted on Linux)? Read on »

The benefits of running on LAMP are monumental versus a Windows Server. Response time, stability, and uptime all increase tenfold on a Linux server, such as Fedora Core 9, CentOS 5 or RedHat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). A Windows based server running IIS (Internet Information Services) most likely sees a reboot at least once a month or more, as its memory and CPU usage pale in comparison to a Linux operating system. Over time, Windows’ resource mismanagement causes system degradation. Even home users are aware of this phenomenon with a Windows machine. After 6 months on a new PC, it doesn’t feel so new anymore, and generally feels sluggish and worse as time progresses (without preventative care and maintenance of course). Taking user operator error out of the picture, a Linux server could run for a year or more without the need for a reboot, update, or upgrade. More uptime percentage for you, less downtime for clients and potential customers on your website. Whatever you throw at Linux, it can handle.

MySQL Database server is extremely popular, powerful and free used on massive websites like Digg, Slashdot, Suzuki, YouTube, Wordpress, Google, Yahoo!, and most Web 2.0 applications. Being open source grants the additional benefit of a large user community dedicated to making it even better as well as patching any exploits that may arise far quicker than a giant like Microsoft. Other technologies like Windows SQL Server are proprietary, closed source and can cost thousands. It also locks you into Sysbase-db type, where MySQL gives you a handful of database formats to pick from (InnoDB, MyISAM, Berkeley, etc). There are many case studies available that detail why MySQL is better than the ‘big dogs’ of data management. Again, speed, reliability, and response time are key here, and is a reason why MySQL is extremely popular.

Apache HTTP provides lightening quick request handling and a slew of features. Apache has been the most popular web server on the Internet since April 1996. Apache is also designed to work with a wide range of languages by directly incorporating the language interpreter into the Apache environment. This significantly speeds up the execution of dynamic components for languages like PHP, Perl, and Python, thus making your website faster than on other systems. It can also be run under Linux or Windows, where IIS is Windows only, thus locking you to Windows Server should you want to use IIS. Click here for a more detailed comparison. Tighter security? Check. A properly configured Apache / Linux server can keep anything out. Maybe even water.

So, what are you running on? Thinking about switching?

Inclind, Inc offers full IT Services and consulting for a wide array of technologies including Linux operating systems, Windows operating systems, Windows Server, Exchange, network administration, PBX and Asterisk phone systems, IP based phone systems, databases, server management performance tweaking, PHP web applications, Coldfusion web applications and more.

For more information call us today at 302-856-2802.

July 25th, 2008    posted by: Kevin Quillen of Inclind, Inc

This entry was posted on Friday, July 25th, 2008 at 10:30 am and is filed under Blog Hosting, Content Management, Custom Website Design, Delaware Website Design, Hardware, PHP, Security, Software, Web 2.0, Web Applications. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.