Ubuntu 16.04 or CentOS 7?

Wut

Wut

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I'm about to move my main site over to a VPS server and I'm in the process of deciding what OS and software to use. I'm looking for speed and security first and foremost.

I'm running with dedicated 4 cores and dedicated 4gb RAM and 8gb SWAP.

I've settled on the following for the software I will run:
Litespeed server
MariaDB
CertBot

Now it's just basically deciding between Ubuntu and CentOS. What do you guys recommend?
 
My choice would be CentOS 7, but a friend of mine swears by Ubuntu. I think it's a personal choice at the end.
 
SharkBait said:
My choice would be CentOS 7, but a friend of mine swears by Ubuntu. I think it's a personal choice at the end.
Click to expand...

Exactly! So many people swear by each version that it's a super hard choice for someone just getting into running a VPS server :-(
I have spent all morning creating and destroying instances to test memory usage etc.

Ubuntu 16.04 Minimal seems to use 27MB of RAM after a fresh install. CentOS 7 Minimal uses 7MB of RAM. Ubuntu seems to have more packages available in their repository which will simplify installation and configuration, but most people seem to think that because CentOS has less that makes it more secure.

Argh, tough decision for something that should be so simple...
 
Don't know much about CentOS 7, but it is handy to have so many standard configurations, existing support threads for typical problems, first-time-right sequences of instructions etc. when installing software on Ubuntu 16.04. I guess how and for what you are going to use it as well as your linux expertise could be the deciding factors.
 
One of the things that made me change from Ubuntu to CentOS, with Ubuntu you can't be root. Sudo su does the job yes, but why the extra steps...? :p
 
SharkBait said:
One of the things that made me change from Ubuntu to CentOS, with Ubuntu you can't be root. Sudo su does the job yes, but why the extra steps...? :p
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Yah that is a schlep, being forced into nanny mode. One of my Ubuntu 16.04 servers (at ISP) somehow allows for direct su as opposed to sudo su though and allows login over ssh as root, not sure if they had a preconfigured image rolled out to servers where they spent some extra time disabling all the nanny stuff.
 
SharkBait said:
One of the things that made me change from Ubuntu to CentOS, with Ubuntu you can't be root. Sudo su does the job yes, but why the extra steps...? :p
Click to expand...

Of course you can be.

Just set the root passwd and enable login via SSH...
 
Norrad said:
Exactly! So many people swear by each version that it's a super hard choice for someone just getting into running a VPS server :-(
I have spent all morning creating and destroying instances to test memory usage etc.

Ubuntu 16.04 Minimal seems to use 27MB of RAM after a fresh install. CentOS 7 Minimal uses 7MB of RAM. Ubuntu seems to have more packages available in their repository which will simplify installation and configuration, but most people seem to think that because CentOS has less that makes it more secure.

Argh, tough decision for something that should be so simple...
Click to expand...

It's like saying "While I can tow my big caravan down to the coast with my big, strong, 4x4, I prefer using my 2L Mercedes."

CertOS is much more of a server OS that Ubuntu. Put personal preference one-side and see if the packages you need to use are available on both platforms, which versions are available, and what issues people run into. I've been hosting websites and managing servers in '99. CentOS would outlast Ubuntu, as a server, any given day
 
If you want to install Cpanel then go with Centos, if you want to do it all manually go with Ubuntu and follow the tutorials on DigitalOcean to setup LAMP/LEMP, but if you do this yourself, mails is usually the fckup.

By all means I prefer Centos above Ubuntu for the server, but ubuntu has better documentation and tutorials out there so if you are new to this, use ubuntu until you understand the different aspects and then google how to do that on centos.
 
Last edited:
Thanks guys. I have been playing around with both and getting a feel for them. I'm using Minimal installs of both and both have all the packages I need. I don't need Cpanel as it will be hosting a single site that I can manage directly. I'm already doing mail hosting with Zoho, so all I need is PHP sendmail enabled which I found a few tutorials for.
 
I am a fan of both, however I usually use CentOS for server purposes
 
It seems everyone is leaning towards CentOS for server purposes and Ubuntu for ease of use. I don't mind getting my hands dirty, so I'm going to go with CentOS.

Thanks for all the help guys.
 
Hi Norrad,
depending on what you want to do,
Centos is awsome,
if you want to offer shared hosting however I strongly recommend you give CloudLinux a look.
All our servers run CloudLinux.
 
SharkBait said:
Cloudlinux isn't free and he said, he is using a VPS. :confused:
Click to expand...

Where does it say hes looking for "free" he said hes looking for speed and security.
Hes referencing his use of litespeed which isnt free either ?
Litespeed is also supported by Cloudlinux as well as its use of Cagefs which makes it more secure.
I guess some people want to troll ?

Touch Crowd ?
 
He also said that he will be going with CentOS so there is no need to respond to this thread anymore? :D Enjoy the weekend guys and gals
 
hoodie said:
Where does it say hes looking for "free" he said hes looking for speed and security.
Hes referencing his use of litespeed which isnt free either ?
Litespeed is also supported by Cloudlinux as well as its use of Cagefs which makes it more secure.
I guess some people want to troll ?

Touch Crowd ?
Click to expand...

You aren't the smartest cookie in the jar, are you? Also, read his post again please and then go google what a troll is, before you just come in here and comment.
 
SharkBait said:
You aren't the smartest cookie in the jar, are you? Also, read his post again please and then go google what a troll is, before you just come in here and comment.
Click to expand...

Oh boy, youre so right, you dont seem like a troll at all, my apologies. And calling me a dumb cookie too, how will I ever get over your rejection ? Oh and I should read his post again, sure, it has "I want everything free" absolutely written all over it I dont know how I missed that, Im so sorry I hurt your feelings. I must not be as smart a cookie as you are. Im so sorry.
 
A bit late to this.
Agree with almost all recommendations.

If it is me.
CentOS for work servers.
Ubuntu for ease. {Not your question, but, in last number of years I prefer to use Debian if it must be this distribution.}
Many persons will have many*n pros and cons.

An easy cold measure, look at the support life cycle of any product.
I maintain tables for quite a number of products I work with.
In this case:
a. CentOS 7 end of life 2014.06.30 as per wiki.
b. Ubuntu 16.04.x end of life 2021.04.x as per wiki.
 
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