In order to understand the difference between Centos and Cloud Linux, one must be aware of the key features of both. Let us dive into the definition and differences between CentOS and Cloud Linux.

CentOS

CentOS, also known as Community Enterprise Operating System, is a community-driven free software that focuses on providing a robust open-source ecosystem.

Cloud Linux

CloudLinux Operating System is created for shared hosting providers. It partitions customers into LVE (Lightweight Virtualized Environment) which divides, allocates, and also limits the server resources.

While being in a shared hosting environment, it is essential to make sure that no single user overloads the systems with their applications. CloudLinux has been designed to fight all web hosting issues.

Centos vs Cloud Linux

Since we have a slight brief of CentOS and Cloud Linux definition, let us get into the differences between the two.

Easy Use

The important part of setting up the server is the maintenance. If the server is poorly maintained, it is likely to be hacked frequently. CentOS has a plethora of application updates as well you also get an option to automate the package updates.

However, in CloudLinux, it has its own packages. They offer a bunch of features to make web hosting pretty easy.

Stability

Stability is of utmost importance when it comes to Web Hosting servers. CentOS is comparatively old in this industry and it is quite efficient in handling the websites that demand high resource usage.

However, CloudLinux servers have an option to limit the resources that are allocated to a specific user. It is beneficial if there are multiple websites being hosted on the same server.

Cost

The cost is a major factor in any business. Therefore, before making an investment, one must know what they are getting into. CentOS is free of cost. So, you don’t need to invest a penny in installing CentOS.

But, CloudLinux demands a license. However, you can get various discounts in order to get licenses in a bulk.

Usage Tracking

In CentOS servers, you won’t have any in-built system for the purpose of user resource usage tracking. You will have to install applications, such as monit, psacct, etc for usage tracking of every website

CloudLinux tracks the resource usage for every user. Also, CloudLinux is able to cPanel (domain management panel) to offer the users the exact brief graphs on their application usage.

Security

In CentOS, the security systems are pretty easy to install. The developers constantly work on security updates to defend attackers and ensure a smooth flow.

On the other hand, Cloud Linux uses CageFS technology. In this technology, one user is not allowed to view another user’s files. This is a beneficial service as the hacking of one account won’t affect others.

Conclusion:

Choosing between CentOS and CloudLinux is very much dependent on the purpose of the server. Therefore, before picking the server, figure out the needs of the business and take an action. If you need to host fewer websites, then CentOS is good to go. But, for the purpose of shared hosting, Cloud Linux is a better option.