This is mainly a screenshot review of Linode‘s excellent VPS hosting and online interface. A VPS you could say is somewhat between shared hosting and a dedicated server though it has its advantages over a dedicated host as well.
Ok so here is what you get:
- Runs on Xen
- 4 core Xeon @ 2.27Ghz
- 512 or more ram depending on your plan
- 16GB or more hard disk space depending on your plan
- Backups available for $5+ extra / month
- Choose your datacenter from US and UK
- Console shell access via web browser in case you hose yourself
- Click to deploy a variety of Linux flavors
- Add multiple users to manage your Linode service
- Custom DNS including TXT such as DKIM, SPF, etc.
- Clone disk images from Linode Manager interface
- Auto-reboot of server in case of a crash or problem is available
- Email alerts based on your settings of high CPU, disk, or network usage
- A recovery distro you can boot if needed
- Support forum and IRC chat -> http://www.linode.com/community
You do not need a domain name to use Linode – each ip has a random li166-.something DNS attached to it. Though if you need a domain name, I suggest using a service such as hover.com.
Network performance:
I get about 10Mb/s max in/out from my Linode from the fastest place I have access to (UC Berkeley data center), though this varies for a variety of reasons.
CPU performance:
I am yet to fully max out the four core Xeon, though my use of a LAMP server is not that CPU intensive. CPU availability seems limitless to me, for the most part. scottlinux.com runs on a 1024 Linode!
$ cat /proc/cpu
$ cat /proc/cpuinfo processor : 0 vendor_id : GenuineIntel cpu family : 6 model : 26 model name : Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU L5520 @ 2.27GHz stepping : 5 cpu MHz : 2266.746 cache size : 8192 KB fdiv_bug : no hlt_bug : no f00f_bug : no coma_bug : no fpu : yes fpu_exception : yes cpuid level : 11 wp : yes flags : fpu de tsc msr pae cx8 cmov pat clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht nx constant_tsc nonstop_tsc pni ssse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 popcnt hypervisor bogomips : 4533.49 clflush size : 64 cache_alignment : 64 address sizes : 40 bits physical, 48 bits virtual power management: processor : 1 vendor_id : GenuineIntel cpu family : 6 model : 26 model name : Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU L5520 @ 2.27GHz stepping : 5 cpu MHz : 2266.746 cache size : 8192 KB fdiv_bug : no hlt_bug : no f00f_bug : no coma_bug : no fpu : yes fpu_exception : yes cpuid level : 11 wp : yes flags : fpu de tsc msr pae cx8 cmov pat clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht nx constant_tsc nonstop_tsc pni ssse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 popcnt hypervisor bogomips : 4533.49 clflush size : 64 cache_alignment : 64 address sizes : 40 bits physical, 48 bits virtual power management: processor : 2 vendor_id : GenuineIntel cpu family : 6 model : 26 model name : Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU L5520 @ 2.27GHz stepping : 5 cpu MHz : 2266.746 cache size : 8192 KB fdiv_bug : no hlt_bug : no f00f_bug : no coma_bug : no fpu : yes fpu_exception : yes cpuid level : 11 wp : yes flags : fpu de tsc msr pae cx8 cmov pat clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht nx constant_tsc nonstop_tsc pni ssse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 popcnt hypervisor bogomips : 4533.49 clflush size : 64 cache_alignment : 64 address sizes : 40 bits physical, 48 bits virtual power management: processor : 3 vendor_id : GenuineIntel cpu family : 6 model : 26 model name : Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU L5520 @ 2.27GHz stepping : 5 cpu MHz : 2266.746 cache size : 8192 KB fdiv_bug : no hlt_bug : no f00f_bug : no coma_bug : no fpu : yes fpu_exception : yes cpuid level : 11 wp : yes flags : fpu de tsc msr pae cx8 cmov pat clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht nx constant_tsc nonstop_tsc pni ssse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 popcnt hypervisor bogomips : 4533.49 clflush size : 64 cache_alignment : 64 address sizes : 40 bits physical, 48 bits virtual power management:
Disk
$ sudo hdparm -t /dev/xvda /dev/xvda: Timing buffered disk reads: 318 MB in 3.01 seconds = 105.78 MB/sec
Linode Manager
Below are complete screenshots of the linode.com user interface Linode Manager. This interface was recently updated and it is quite slick.
Linode iPhone / iOS app:
The Android app is not as feature filled or polished as the iOS app, but it provides some general functionality.
Android app:
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Why not use Arch Linux or even Debian? I hear they have a lot less memory footprint?
Or am I mistaken? Thanks!
Twitter: scottlinux
Yeah – I decided to give Ubuntu Server 10.04 LTS a spin because of its long support cycle. (5 years or so?) So I don’t have to think about upgrading until 2015.
Otherwise I usually go with the lean and mean Debian,