The remote services of all kinds have become indispensable in the daily life of internet users, since we use them both for the display and hosting of web pages, such as for remote file storage.
Between the many uses that the Linux operating system has, we find the possibility of creating, configuring and managing web servers of any type, using certain dedicated tools available from specialized distributions.
In the next few paragraphs, we will teach you the best Linux distributions dedicated to servers, as well as certain external tools that are very useful for administrators of this service.
List of the best Linux distributions to create and manage servers as easily as possible
The variety of distros available for GNU / Linux, as well as the fact that many are designed for dedicated functions, make this operating system one of the best options for managing all types of servers.
Here are the best distros with dedicated settings for the proper management of this function:
Ubuntu Server
Ubuntu is one of the most popular and multipurpose Linux distributions available today. It has a version dedicated to creating servers, offering the user a stable, agile and versatile environment. It offers the user economy and performance for their data centers, adapting to the user’s need, and offering a tight interface, regardless of whether it is a private cloud server, or a central node.
Fedora Server
Is the Server-focused version of the Fedora operating system. It is designed to provide experienced developers and administrators with the tools required to manage their servers. Offers user interface capabilities Cockpit for easy system administration and performance monitoring. It also includes business domain options, with advanced identity management and DNS.
Cloud Linux
It is a distribution designed for the shared hosting business service. Its kernel is based on the open source software OpenVZ, and is used by many hosting servers. It is mainly focused on improving the stability of servers that have shared accounts function. This is possible thanks to its virtualization function that allows you to individually adjust the parameters of each account.
Debian
It is one of the purest Linux distributions. It offers great performance and stability supported by the great community that supports this distro, being a more than satisfactory option for any type of user. Regarding the creation of servers, Debian offers the stability necessary to function as a server thanks in part to the more than 20 years of development behind it, providing a valuable balance between economy and professional support.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
It is one of the operating systems Linux More stable, used as a business platform, it allows the application of new technologies on different computers without an operating system, as well as in virtual and cloud storage environments. Its infrastructure offers great stability for servers, since it is executable on almost any platform and it has features that facilitate server migrations to and from the cloud.
Clear OS
It is a specialized Linux distribution for server administration. Its installation process is really simple, and includes more than 100 tools available in its repositories. It is designed to support web servers for small and medium-sized companies, with an operating system that allows them to deploy applications necessary to sustain the server.
Oracle Linux
It is built from Red Hat Enterprise Linux source code. It is certified to be the service software of companies like HP, Lenovo and IBM. Includes plugin Ksplice which greatly increases the security of the kernel being one of the best options to create data center or clouds with Openstack. But nevertheless, It is intended exclusively for companies, since the price of its support is not profitable for personal use.
Slackware Linux
It is a Linux distribution designed with the purpose of facilitating its use and increasing stability. It takes certain inspirations from other Linux operating systems to offer an amalgamation of the best of all. It was originally designed to function as a desktop operating system, but it evolved thanks to the support of its community, until it acquired tools to meet the needs of users, serving as a desktop, web server, email and NAS, among many other capabilities.
CentOS
It is a corporate quality operating system based on RedHat and Linux, being one of the most used by corporate IT. Being considered a replica of RedHat, allows you to manage the parameters of your Server in one of the best Linux distros.
Its strong point is its stability and its security, since it has the support of a vast community, giving you access to many corporate security updates. Certainly one of the safest options for managing a server of any kind.
Arch Linux
It is designed for advanced users and consists mostly of free and open source software. It supports community participation, thanks to which it has great support for its maintenance. It has its own package manager with access to a wide variety of server management tools.
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
Powered by SUSE and based on Linux, This distribution is intended for servers, virtual workstations and mainframes, although it is also adaptable for desktop computers. Includes IBM Systems Z RAS, designed to increase the availability of the environment, thus increasing server uptime. In addition, it supports customization of the system using YaST, increases reliability and efficiency among many other attributes.
AlmaLinux
It is a community-driven open source Linux distribution. It is designed to function as enterprise server support software, focusing on durability. Provides a firm and stable work environment, compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and has the graphical interface GNOME default. It is considered a clone of Cloud Linux, making it a very viable alternative to this distro.
Mageia
Mageia It is a derivation of the Mandriva Linux distribution, created in 2010 and, unlike the original, it is a 100% community and non-profit project. It includes by default desktop environments such as GNOME, LXDE, Xfce, among others. It has the stable and secure environment of a dedicated distribution for servers, and is complemented by the inclusion of tools such as MariaDB Y Kolab Groupware Server.
OpenSUSE Leap
It is based on SUSE Linux Enterprise and was created for server production. It works, not only with the same SUSE Linux source code, otherwise with exactly the same binary packages, reinforcing the compatibility and fluidity between Leap Y SLE.
Your shared workflow is so efficient that It is possible to use Leap as a working test environment, which can then be uploaded to Enterprise. It has the Xfce desktop environment in version 4.16, among many other management and visualization tools.
OpenMediaVault
This Debian-based operating system works like manager for NAS servers (Network Attached Storage). It is designed primarily for small offices and personal storage services, although it is not limited to those tasks. Its modular design framework gives you access to a wide variety of services, such as SSH, SFTP, DAAP media served among many others. What’s more, includes the option to expand its functionalities through plugins.
These are the best server management tools you can install on Linux to make your life easier
In addition to all the specialized distributions we have mentioned, Linux gives us access through repositories, forums and web pages, to external tools that greatly facilitate the administration of servers of any type.
Go for it:
Webmin.com
It is a server configuration tool that can be accessed through the web. Thanks to it, it is possible to modify internal parameters of many free systems such as PHP, Samba, Y DHCP. Its browser-based interface it is so simple that no programming or scripting knowledge is needed to perform server tasks, since more complex processes are relegated to the background.
Cockpit-Project.org
It is a web server administration tool with a browser-based interface. Allows you to individually manage multiple servers, and you have access to a wide variety of free system domains. You can enter Cockpit through the web https: // localhost: 9090 (or the name of the host where the program is installed). To access, you can enter any of the system credentials
Zenmap
It is a cross-platform functional and open source nMap security focused graphical user interface. Offers a friendly interface for newbies in server security while provides a large number of security options for more advanced users.
Nagios.org
It is a multiplatform network monitoring system that has three different versions dedicated to specific tasks. It is used by multiple companies around the world.
Their versions are Nagios XI, which provides complete supervision for all systems connected to the server and its components; Nagios Log Server, which works as a credential manager; Y Nagios Fusion, which expands the visibility and scalability of your network, allowing you to solve problems due to the use of multiple networks in separate geographic locations.
Nmap.org
Works as a port tracker, and is used for polling computer networks, allowing to detect equipment, operating systems and external services. In addition, it supports the use of scripts to extend its functions.
Its main use is in the identification of computer systems by sending packages to other teams, and analyzing their responses. One of its best attributes is its adaptability, since it can adjust to the conditions of the analyzed network, including congestion and latency.