FreeBSD Hosting

FreeBSD is an open-source operating system (OS) designed specifically for the unique needs of server environment, including web, email, and file servers. It has it roots firmly planted in academia: the OS itself was derived from BSD UNIX, the version of UNIX developed at the University of California, Berkeley. FreeBSD is one of the common "Unix-like" operating systems, a list that includes Linux, a Unix clone written from scratch by Linus Torvalds. In fact, many people regard FreeBSD as an official Unix operating system and refer to Linux as a "Unix-like" OS.

FreeBSD differs from Linux at many levels. Linux is a kernel, not a complete OS, meaning Linux is just one component of a complete distribution. FreeBSD is distributed as a complete, ready-to-function package just like common desktop operating systems like Microsoft Windows. Unlike Linux, which has many individuals and organizations creating multiple distributions, there is only one official source for FreeBSD. Many argue this centralized distribution contributes to the remarkable stability of the FreeBSD operating system.

Poor memory management is one of the most common causes of a system crash, and it is usually the fault of a specific application. The root cause, however, typically involves an operating system that did not manage memory correctly or smoothly handle a faulty application. High traffic loads can also contribute to this problem, especially if the system does not release memory in a timely fashion. FreeBSD offers highly advanced memory management features that enable it to seamlessly handle thousands of simultaneous user processes.

Although there is a core team of developers and one centralized distribution point for FreeBSD, the project is still an open-source initiative that anyone can download for free. It has a very generous licensing policy and the entire source code is also available for free. This enables developers to build highly-specialized operating systems using the core functionality and stability of FreeBSD. One example is the true virtual servers offered by B2 NetSolutions that gives each user their own dedicated FreeBSD operating system and, optionally, unlimited root access to their server.