Realizing this, Web host and managed services provider Verio (verio.com) launched Linux virtual private server offering as part of its 360º Managed Servers suite of fully-managed hosting solutions this week.

After receiving considerable feedback from customers asking Verio to add a Linux-based VPS solution to its offerings, Verio has implemented a Linux VPS solution based on open source technology Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 4.

"The customers were asking for it in two ways," says Dawn Wells, senior product manager of for Verio. "One, they were asking for Linux specifically. And two, customers were asking for specific applications that were only supported on Linux. Cold Fusion is an example of that and Java is an excellent example of that."

The Linux VPS solution is designed for Verio's small business and reseller partner customers, which include Web developers and designers, independent software vendors and Linux users.

Verio's small businesses and resellers customers can use its Linux VPS service in a variety of ways: supporting a corporate intranet; hosting test sites; managing an email system; launching and managing complex, transactional, high volume or e-commerce sites; or blog or podcast hosting. Web developers and ISVs can use Linux VPS as a Linux development environment for building custom applications.

The market is flooded with Linux VPS solutions, including those of the many hosts offering solutions created by SWsoft and Go Daddy. However, Wells says that Verio's extensive experience in the virtualization will help differentiate its Linux VPS offerings among its competitors.

"Our more than 10 years of experience with VPS translates into stability and reliability and a high level of performance for customers," says Wells. "At the product-level itself, the two core differentiators are [Verio's] depth and grasp of add-on applications that are included at no additional price."

Currently, Verio is offering the Linux VPS plans in both the United States and Asia Pacific regions. The plans start at $55 and are offered in 10GB, 20GB and 40GB configurations.

All plans include unlimited email accounts and domain names, root access and no charge on bandwidth transfers. Customers will also be supported by Verio's around the clock technical support, which helps diagnose and answer problems for core and customer-installed applications.

The new Linux VPS offerings adds to Verio's 360° Managed Servers suite of managed and dedicated hosting solutions, which the company recently launched. The suite, which consists of managed private server solutions and Verio's VPS product line, is designed to help SMBs reduce recurring IT expenses, such as hardware and software maintenance and upgrades.

By offering the new Linux VPS solution, Verio is on the road to broadening its market reach by catering to the needs of a loyal Linux community, says Wells.

"We're really excited about it, because it does open up a brand new market in terms of the applications that we can offer because of the Linux operating system and just the following -- the Linux community," says Wells. "So far we're getting really good feedback from them."