Amazon Web Services (AWS) uses it. Elastichosts uses it. Google uses it. Yahoo uses it. Engine Yard uses it. Facebook uses it. "It" is Linux, of course. But what else do all these companies have in common? If you said "cloud technology," you're correct.
Perhaps the best known of all cloud vendors, AWS, makes the most of its resources through the use of Xen's Linux-based virtualization. AWS is the gold standard in the cloud-computing business. Although not the cheapest cloud solution, it's reliability, ease of use, stability and superb technology make it a wise choice for companies who need 100% uptime.
Elastichosts, a UK-based cloud computing company uses KVM on CentOS Linux for their cloud-computing delivery. KVM provides a fully virtualized server for more control and the feel of a physical server. Elastichosts offers competitive pricing and fast EU connect speeds.
Google has invested a huge amount of money in its Linux-based infrastructure to provide the world with personal and business applications such as Gmail, GoogleDocs, GTalk, Google Sites and Google Calendar and its vast internet search engine. They use Linux, MySQL and other so-called open source technologies to bring the best service, highest speed and most innovative web-based applications available.
One of the best kept secrets in cloud-based businesses is Engine Yard. If you need highly available Rails-based support and a rock-solid development platform, Engine Yard deserves a serious look. They know all about Rails, deploying your apps in five minutes and keeping you up to date with the latest Rails-related development advances. They have daily online demos that you'd be advised to register for if you want to see true innovation at work, sit still an watch.
Facebook has created the world's most popular social networking sites with over 350 million users to date on Linux and open source technologies such as PHP, memcached, MySQL and others.
If you knew all five of these companies were cloud-based before reading this entry, you receive a very high score on your cloud knowledge. If you didn't know that the likes of Facebook and Google were cloud-based, it might be that they aren't usually associated with cloud-computing. Google and Facebook developed into cloud-based computing companies out of necessity to support their ever-growing numbers of worldwide users. The others were created to take advantage of cloud-computing resources and 100% availability.
They all chose Linux-based and free technologies upon which to build their services.
Why?
Stability? Price? Freedom?
Yes.
Can you think of other reasons why these companies chose Linux and other free technologies? Do some research and let me know what you find.
