Software Alternatives & Startups

Altaro VS CloudLinux

Compare Altaro VS CloudLinux and see what are their differences

Altaro

Altaro is a backup software for Hyper-V and VMware.

Rating
0 reviews
CloudLinux

Making Linux secure, stable, and profitable for thousands of hosting providers and data centers worldwide.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Altaro
CloudLinux
Website altaro.com cloudlinux.com
Pricing —
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Altaro 6 features
CloudLinux 5 features
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Altaro provides an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface, making it simple for both novice and experienced users to manage backups and restores.
  • Efficient Backup Process
    The software is designed to perform backups quickly and efficiently, minimizing system resource usage and reducing downtime.
  • Flexible Restore Options
    Altaro offers various restore options, including granular restore capabilities, which allow you to restore specific files or emails rather than an entire backup.
  • Replication and Offsite Backup
    Supports replication and offsite backup, providing enhanced disaster recovery options by ensuring that critical data is stored in multiple locations.
  • Excellent Customer Support
    Altaro is well-known for its responsive and helpful customer support, offering various channels of communication and extensive documentation.
  • Scalability
    The software can scale to accommodate growing data needs, making it suitable for businesses of various sizes.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Platform Support
    Altaro primarily supports Hyper-V and VMware environments, which may not be suitable for organizations using different virtualization platforms or mixed environments.
  • Price
    Although competitive, the pricing structure can be relatively high for smaller businesses, especially those that do not require all the advanced features.
  • No Physical Device Backup
    Altaro does not directly support backup for physical devices, which may be a limitation for businesses that still rely on physical servers.
  • Feature Availability
    Some advanced features are only available in higher-tier plans, potentially limiting access for users on more basic plans.
  • Initial Configuration Complexity
    While the day-to-day use is intuitive, the initial setup process can be somewhat complex and may require a learning curve.
  • Enhanced Server Stability
    CloudLinux uses its lightweight virtualization technology (LVE) to isolate each tenant on a shared hosting server, preventing any single user from consuming excessive resources and crashing the server for everyone else. This ensures consistent uptime and performance.
  • Improved Security with HardenedPHP and KernelCare
    CloudLinux offers HardenedPHP, which patches old and unsupported PHP versions against known vulnerabilities, and KernelCare, which provides live kernel patching without requiring server reboots. These features significantly enhance server security posture.
  • Resource Limit Management
    Administrators can set granular resource limits (CPU, memory, I/O, number of processes, etc.) per user account using LVE Manager. This makes it easy to manage shared hosting environments and ensure fair resource distribution among tenants.
  • CageFS File System Virtualization
    CageFS creates a virtualized file system for each user, preventing them from seeing other users on the server, viewing sensitive configuration files, or exploiting server vulnerabilities. This adds an important layer of isolation and security.
  • Wide Compatibility with Hosting Panels
    CloudLinux integrates seamlessly with popular hosting control panels such as cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin, making it straightforward for hosting providers to adopt without overhauling their existing infrastructure or workflows.

Possible disadvantages

  • Additional Licensing Cost
    CloudLinux requires a paid monthly or annual license on top of the base server cost. For smaller hosting providers or individual server owners, this additional expense can add up and may not always be justifiable compared to free alternatives.
  • Limited to CentOS/RHEL-Based Systems
    CloudLinux is built on top of RHEL/CentOS and does not support other Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Debian. This limits its adoption for hosting providers who prefer or already run non-RHEL-based environments.
  • Learning Curve for Configuration
    While CloudLinux provides powerful resource management tools, properly configuring LVE limits, CageFS, PHP Selector, and other features requires a solid understanding of the platform. Misconfiguration can lead to users being unnecessarily restricted or resources being poorly allocated.
  • Potential Performance Overhead
    The additional layers of virtualization, resource monitoring, and file system isolation introduced by CloudLinux can impose a slight performance overhead on the server compared to running a bare, unmodified Linux distribution without these controls.
  • Dependency on CloudLinux Ecosystem
    Adopting CloudLinux means relying on their ecosystem for kernel updates, PHP patches, and security fixes. If the company experiences delays in releasing patches or changes its pricing/licensing model, hosting providers may find themselves locked into a dependency that is difficult to migrate away from.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Altaro
CloudLinux

Overall verdict

  • Altaro is generally considered a good choice for businesses seeking a robust and straightforward backup solution. Its focus on virtualization backup, specifically for Hyper-V and VMware environments, paired with strong user feedback on support and ease of use, makes it a strong contender in its field.

Why this product is good

  • Altaro is a well-regarded solution in the data backup and recovery sector, particularly for small to medium-sized businesses, thanks to its user-friendly interface, reliable performance, and excellent customer support. It offers features such as WAN-Optimized Replication and Continuous Data Protection which are beneficial for businesses aiming to minimize data loss and improve disaster recovery processes. Additionally, its pricing is often seen as competitive.

Recommended for

    Altaro is recommended for small to medium-sized enterprises that use virtual environments and need a reliable backup solution that's easy to deploy and manage. Businesses that prioritize good customer support and value for money will also find Altaro appealing.

Overall verdict

  • CloudLinux is a well-regarded, mature Linux OS distribution and toolset specifically designed for shared hosting and multi-tenant server environments, offering strong isolation, resource management, and security features that make it a solid choice for hosting providers.

Why this product is good

  • Provides LVE (Lightweight Virtual Environment) technology for per-tenant resource isolation, preventing 'bad neighbor' effects on shared servers
  • Enhances server stability and security by isolating users so that one account's issues (crashes, resource spikes) don't affect others
  • Offers extended lifecycle support (longer than standard CentOS/RHEL support windows), which is valuable for legacy systems
  • Includes tools like CloudLinux OS Shield, Imunify360 integration, and hardened kernel options for improved security
  • Compatible with popular control panels like cPanel and Plesk, making it easy to integrate into existing hosting stacks
  • Backed by an established company with a long track record in the hosting industry and responsive support
  • Offers granular control over CPU, memory, I/O, and other resources per user account
  • Provides PHP Selector and multiple PHP version support, useful for hosting providers serving diverse client needs

Recommended for

  • Web hosting companies running shared or reseller hosting environments
  • Hosting providers needing to isolate customer accounts on the same physical server
  • Businesses requiring extended OS support lifecycles beyond standard RHEL/CentOS EOL dates
  • Enterprises using cPanel or Plesk that want tighter security and resource control
  • Hosting companies looking to reduce support tickets caused by noisy-neighbor resource contention
  • IT teams managing multi-tenant infrastructure who need governance and monitoring tools built into the OS layer

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Altaro 3 videos + Add
CloudLinux 3 videos + Add

An Introduction to Altaro VM Backup v8

More videos

  • - Altaro Product Overview
  • - How to get started with Altaro VM Backup

When To Use Cloudlinux On Your Virtual Private Server (VPS)

More videos

  • - CloudLinux OS+ in a minute: Explore Features
  • - How CloudLinux Plans to Keep CentOS 6 Alive

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Altaro
CloudLinux
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

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Alternatives to Altaro and CloudLinux

When comparing Altaro and CloudLinux, you can also consider the following products.