Ubuntu Server: A General Overview

Ubuntu is one of the most widely searched Linux distros in use today. A group of Debian developers led by Mark Shuttleworth formed Canonical, Ltd. in 2005. They also created the Ubuntu Foundation to provide support and development of Ubuntu. They currently release upgrades on a 6-month schedule. The current release is version 18.04 LTS (Long Term Support)- also called “Bionic Beaver.”

Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning ‘humanity to others.’

Ubuntu Server provides multipath, full-disk encryption and can easily scale to server a single server or thousands. This versatility makes it useful for beginning users as well as professional users and organizations. The 18.04 version includes nginx 1.14.0, PHP version 7.2.x, Apache 2.4.29 (with HTTP/2 support)

File Systems supported by Ubuntu

Ubuntu Server supports various file systems (FS). The recommended system you should use depends on your storage needs. The man page for the 18.04 version includes the following list: ext, ext2, ext3, ext4, hpfs, iso9660, JFS, minix, msdos, ncpfs nfs, ntfs, proc, Reiserfs, smb, sysv, umsdos, vfat, XFS, xiafs, and ZFS.

Package Management for Ubuntu

There are a couple of package management tools available to you in Ubuntu. One is dpkg and the other is APT. Dpkg can be used to install, remove and build packages, but it can’t automatically download and install these packages or the package dependencies. It’s best used for locally installed packages. APT is another command-line tool that you can use to install or upgrade packages in your Ubuntu installation. The APT system can also be accessed using Aptitude. Aptitude is a text-based menu-driven system of APT. It is not as flexible or powerful as the command-line version, but it provides a quick and easy way to install, remove or upgrade packages. For more detailed information on each of these options check out the man pages (man dpkg or man apt in a terminal console).

Init System for Ubuntu

The INIT system or process is the first process that is executed when starting up Linux or Unix-based operating system. Ubuntu has been using Systemd since version 14. Previous to that the init system in use was Upstart.

Other Ubuntu Install Options and Architectures

Ubuntu Server supports server provisioning using MAAS (Metal as a Service). This option allows you to deal with servers as a whole instead of as individual systems. This allows for the construction of data centers and networks while providing for support for multiple operating systems such as CentOS, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Windows. There is also support for OpenStack and different server architectures like ARM, POWER, and IBM Z.

If you need expert help with your Ubuntu installation, check out:

  • Ask Ubuntu
  • IRC-based support
  • Ubuntu Forums

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Arnel Custodio Content Writer I

As a writer for InMotion Hosting, Arnel has always aimed to share helpful information and provide knowledge that will help solve problems and aid in achieving goals. He's also been active with WordPress local community groups and events since 2004.

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