For Many Web Hosting Shops, All Roads Lead To Linux

A trend called virtual hosting is also boosting the popularity of Linux. SWsoft, for example, developed a Linux solution that lets solution providers run as many as 50 copies of Linux on one Intel box. In turn, the San Francisco-based service provider is now able to offer dedicated-style hosting in a virtual, shared and less expensive hosting environment.

As of August, 40 hosting providers were using SWsoft's hosting operations management product, called HSP Complete.

SWsoft partner Penguix is hosting about a dozen small-business Web sites using HSP Complete. "Linux is an assemblage of small programs, and you can slice the environment to a finer degree," said Todd Robinson, CEO of Penguix, Tampa, Fla. "Linux allows you to do virtualization in a way that's not possible in Windows."