Virtual Linux use gains momentum with Web hosts, ISPs

ASPs, ISPs and other alphabet-soup service providers believe they can reach new markets with "virtual private servers," Linux instances offering root access and control without the need for a dedicated box. Companies like South San Francisco-based SWsoft, for example, allow users to run as many as 50 copies of Linux on one box. "We've tested it with about 2,000 [copies] on one server, but if users go above 50 the resources on the physical server tend to be constrained," says Craig Oda, vice president of business development for SWsoft.

This approach is especially popular with smaller hosting providers, such AWorldWideMall.com Inc., based in Alexandria, Virginia.

Until recently, AWorldWideMall.com offered a "developer" option to shared hosting customers, using SSH access as a secure connection method. The problem was, SSH-based tinkering often had a catastrophic effect on servers, says Andreas Barth, CEO of AWorldWideMall.com. "What happened was that after a year and a half, the server was destroyed," he says. "When too many people tweak around on a server, installing and configuring stuff, it's like beating on a car."