Unix Servers

Just like Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003, Unix is an operating system that can be used for workstations or servers. As a server, Unix is considered the workhorse of the Internet and is used for high-demand applications on large corporate networks. Unix has acquired this role because of its superior reliability and performance that has taken decades to develop.

Unix has had a long history. Its roots begin in the 1960s at Bell Telephone Laboratories at AT&T, where it was first developed. Since then, Unix has rapidly grown into several versions. The most notable achievement is the development of BSD Unix by students at the University of California at Berkeley. In those hallowed halls of UC Berkeley has risen an operating system that has been the basis for the development of other versions of Unix, from Sun Microsystems and Hewlett-Packard to Apple Computer.

When to Choose Unix

The list of reasons to choose Unix are as varied as the versions of Unix in existence today. The reasons for selecting Unix as your NOS include:

• It is the most stable and fastest operating system available.

• It is the best choice for supporting critical applications because of its rock-solid performance and proven reliability.

• It is the undisputed king of the Internet.

• There are hundreds, if not thousands of tools for managing your Unix server.

There are disadvantages to consider, including:

• Unix is a complex system that requires learning hundreds of archaic commands.

• Proprietary versions are expensive.

• Some proprietary versions will run only on that same company's hardware.