In a world where new technologies follow one another at breakneck speed, two IT pillars have remained standing for decades: Linux and Unix. Whether it's financial systems, scientific research facilities, space exploration projects, or large industrial networks \u2013 critical IT infrastructures are still running on these operating systems.<\/p>\n
But why? Why do Linux and Unix remain so dominant in sectors where reliability, scalability, and security are crucial? And why do companies still engage specialists, such as USN, to manage these systems?<\/p>\n
In this blog, we dive into the power of Linux and Unix, and why they remain indispensable in modern IT landscapes.<\/p>\n
Whilst Windows and macOS dominate the consumer market, Linux and Unix reign supreme behind the scenes of the global IT infrastructure. More than 90% of cloud servers and supercomputers run on Linux, and Unix remains the standard in large legacy systems used by banks, government bodies and industrial companies.<\/p>\n
The three main reasons why businesses continue to rely on Linux and Unix are:<\/p>\n
\u2714<\/span> Stability & reliability \u2013 Downtime is not an option in critical infrastructures. Linux and Unix offer unparalleled uptime and resilience.<\/p>\n \u2714<\/span> Security & control \u2013 Linux and Unix are inherently more secure than commercial alternatives and give businesses full control over their data.<\/p>\n \u2714<\/span> Scalability & flexibility \u2013 From an embedded system to a data centre with thousands of servers, these operating systems scale effortlessly.<\/p>\n At USN, we support IT infrastructures daily in sectors where reliability and performance must be of the highest standard. Here are a few examples of industries where Linux and Unix continue to be the standard:<\/p>\n A major Dutch bank has relied on USN for over 20 years to keep their Unix and Linux infrastructure stable and secure. Payment processing cannot afford even a millisecond of downtime, and Unix systems offer the stability and security required for billions of financial transactions per day.<\/p>\n At a major Dutch university, we are helping to automate their Linux infrastructure, enabling researchers to process large datasets more quickly and reliably. Unix and Linux offer the computing power and stability necessary for high-level scientific research.<\/p>\n For 30 years, our engineers have been supporting the IT systems that develop and test software for satellite missions. This software is launched into space \u2013 and must be 100% reliable. There are no updates or patches if things go wrong. That\u2019s why Linux runs in space.<\/p>\n Feature<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Linux & Unix<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Windows\/macOS<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Uptime<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \u2714<\/span> 99,999%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \u274c<\/span> Regular restarts<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Security<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \u2714<\/span> Built-in hardening<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \u274c<\/span> Vulnerable to malware & exploits<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Adaptability<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \u2714<\/span> Fully configurable<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \u274c<\/span> Limited settings<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Scalability<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \u2714<\/span> From IoT to supercomputers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \u274c<\/span> Limited to specific hardware<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Costs<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \u2714<\/span> Open-source and royalty-free<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \u274c<\/span> Licence fees per device<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n In short, for companies seeking maximum performance, security and scalability, Linux\/Unix remains the best choice.<\/p>\n Linux and Unix are powerful, but not simple. These are not click-and-go operating systems like Windows. They require in-depth knowledge of command-line management, kernel optimisation and network configurations.<\/p>\n At USN, we provide this expertise. Our engineers help companies to:<\/p>\n2. Which sectors cannot do without Linux and Unix?<\/h2>\n
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3. The advantages of Linux & Unix over commercial alternatives<\/h2>\n
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\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 4. Why companies need Unix and Linux specialists like USN<\/h2>\n