HP ProLiant servers to support Ubuntu

HP's ProLiant line of servers is to begin supporting Ubuntu, it has been reported.

According to Computerworld.com, HP is to partner with Ubuntu parent firm Canonical to offer full Ubuntu hardware certification on the servers, which consist of blade, rack and standalone products.

Web hosting customers may be interested to note that this means HP will officially name Ubuntu as a supported operating system.

Steven Vaughan-Nichols of Computerworld.com said that Ubuntu first started to gain traction as a server operating system in 2006, when it released the Ubuntu 6.06LTS-the first Long Term Supported version.

"When Wikipedia chose Ubuntu to run its servers, Ubuntu officially arrived as a world-class server operating system," he remarked.

A recent survey by Canonical and RedMonk found that Linux servers are increasingly being used by businesses for a variety of purposes, including mail, database and web hosting.

A growing number of organisations are also utilising these servers for security, back-up and firewalls.