To be able to choose a proper web hosting plan for your business, you must review different hosting options and then take a decision, based on your performance and budgetary needs. It goes without saying that high-cost hosting plans will typically offer better quality of services while a cheap server may compromise on its features and services. The best dedicated server plans are perfect for ecommerce stores and sites which get a lot of web traffic. This is because the dedicated server can guarantee a higher reliability, flexibility, security and continuity for businesses. To choose dedicated hosting however, you will need to decide on an operating system. So, you can either sign up for Windows or Linux dedicated server hosting plans. Each type has its advantages and shortcomings and you must analyze your business requirements before you sign up for any type. There are some distinct advantages which you can hope to get from Linux dedicated server hosting: In terms of costs, Linux dedicated servers are found to be cheaper compared to Windows because Linux operating system is open source and unlike Windows, you do not have to give license fees. In short, Linux is a workable alternative for most small sized businesses that must work with a tight budget. When you have some specific requirements for your business, you may have to choose a Linux dedicated server over a Windows dedicated server. This is when you use open source applications and scripting languages which are likely to be most compatible with Linux hosting solutions. Another important benefit which businesses can get from Linux dedicated server hosting is control. When you opt for unmanaged solutions, you can enjoy complete control over the Linux servers. You may find it necessary to install custom software, tools and other kinds of applications for dedicated hosting and even reboot the server if you need to. You are free to customize the server with your preferred operating system. Linux being open source is easier to customize and the host will ensure that the server gets updated often. There are free applications designed to integrate with Linux dedicated servers. Moreover, updating existing applications is also easy and free of cost as they are all open source applications. Viruses are known to make websites vulnerable to breaches and these are designed not simply to make the servers crash; they will also try to steal the data and corrupt it. When you choose Linux dedicated server hosting, you can expect your web host to install effective firewalls, anti-spyware and anti-malware systems to counter these threats. Linux dedicated servers are also believed to be more reliable and perfect for sites which use scripting languages. When your website needs scripting languages like MySQL or Perl or PHP, it is the best choice. Windows, on the other hand, will not allow these scripting languages to run optimally. Since the servers are scalable, it is possible to add new servers without much difficulty. So, a Linux dedicated server is usually equipped with features to handle high web traffic with maximum cost-efficiency. Linux dedicated server hosting will also allow you to choose suitable DDoS protection to prevent the server from becoming unresponsive because of deadly DDoS attacks. To choose Linux dedicated server hosting , it is important to find a reliable web hosting provider. Not all web hosts are trustworthy or reliable. You should read up reviews about them in advance and even sign up for trial periods offered by most of the popular ones. This will allow you to test their services free of cost for a specific time period. If you are satisfied with the quality of their services you can sign on an agreement to buy their hosting plans. Else, you can always try out another Linux dedicated hosting provider. When you choose a web host, you should review their Service Level Agreements with care to know about the uptime guarantees they offer. It may be a good idea to inquire about their data center facilities because unless these offer redundancy, high uptime, excellent network connectivity and scalability, you cannot hope to grow.