If you are a webmaster, a web developer, or a company that is interested in running your own web server, look no further: LAMP is here. LAMP, which stands for Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP, is a robust combination of applications driven on the powerful Linux operating system. This combination of technologies has a proven track record of being efficient, secure, and always on the leading edge of the ever so popular Internet.

What Is LAMP?

LAMP is a proven, efficient set of software that works well as a system. The open architecture of each of these elements allows for smooth and seamless integration with one another and results in a powerful combination. Early adopters of these technologies back in 1997 were seen as radical, but today the open source movement is on the rise, and both large and small enterprises are adopting the LAMP method of development. Steering away from the high costs of implementing licensed server and client software is becoming increasingly beneficial because the stability of each application is surpassing that of its far more expensive brethren. In recent events, some governments have decided to make the jump to open source software, touting its reliability, efficiency, and substantial cost savings over proprietary solutions.

Besides reaching this dependability level capable of being embraced by entire governments, the major advantage seen by LAMP adopters is speed. Each component of LAMP exhibits benchmarks that far exceed those of their competitors, and as with any equation the sum is much more than its parts. Let’s take a look at just the Linux/Apache combination for a moment. This outstanding combination is capable of serving more pages to its users than any other commercial or open source solution. “What about MySQL?” you might ask. MySQL is the fastest open source database available, with speed comparable to that of Oracle’s. This fact alone pushed NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) to switch to MySQL in 2000. With MySQL, the level of functionality offered to its consumers grows in leaps and bounds—most notably by offering stored procedures, a system found only in mature databases.

Which brings us to the power of PHP. PHP is the fastest server-side scripting program on the planet. Faster than a one-legged chicken on a downhill slope, PHP whisks by Active Server Pages (ASP), Java, .Net, and ColdFusion, allowing a greater maximum user count per server while providing the same amount of functionality—taking into account proper programming methods of course.

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