The Difference Between Linux And Windows Servers

You've decided it's time to get your website, and have even found a host server you think you'll be happy with. Brimming with excitement, you sign up for your own domain, and decide on which hosting package you'll need.

As you look over your options, a bit of confusion hits: do you want your website hosted on a Linux system, or a Windows based server? What the...

Well, you're likely running Windows on your own computer, so that must be the same thing - and you haven't even a clue what a Linux computer is, so the last thing you want is to go out and buy a whole new computer just to run your website.

Besides, every website you've looked at has run fine on your home computer running Windows, so that's the obvious choice, isn't it? Then again, looking at prices, why is one version more than the other? Since it costs more, you must be getting a lot more features, right?

Well, slow down, take a breathe, and a step back from your computer. Before you click either button, Linux or Windows, let's take a simple look at some of the differences between Linux and Windows servers. Afterwards your choice should be pretty easy for your personal needs.

CLEARING UP SOME MISCONCEPTIONS

Before you start trying to calculate how much a new computer would cost if you made it on a Linux system, stop! It doesn't matter what kind of operating system you're running on your home or business computer. Which operating system you run on your computer is irrelevant in making your decision. Even if you have Windows 98, XP, or Vista, you can still build and run your website just fine on Linux hosting. Your personal computer is irrelevant when choosing your web host format.

LINUX HOSTING

Linux is a freely-distributed open source system, which makes it much more cost-effective for hosts to provide, maintain, and operate. It also has a very strong standing for both speed and stability. It's so accepted that the majority of websites are actually hosted on a Linux operating system.

SECURITY: Though both Linux and Windows can both face hacking attempts, because Linux is open sourced, patches to close security holes are implemented very quickly since so many people contribute to making it better daily.

COST: Again, since it's an open source OS, there is no licensing charge for running Linux operating systems. It costs less for the host to provide the service.

WINDOWS HOSTING

Windows, like your personal computer, is a Microsoft owned commercial operating system. Its main advantage is that it can also run Microsoft software such as Access and MS SQL databases.

SECURITY: As a commercial operating system, it may take a little longer at fixing some security issues (often by releasing security packs) since they must usually be provided through Microsoft.

COST: Just as you must purchase Windows for your own computer (the OEM cost is already in the price of your computer if it came with Windows pre-installed), servers must pay Microsoft for additional licensing fees for using their operating system. That's why hosts must usually charge more for Windows hosting.

SIMPLIFYING YOUR DECISION

While both types of hosting can maintain websites, the choice of which you choose may be quite simple depending on the type of site files you need:

If you have specific pages that need to run languages and databases such as PHP, Perl, PostGre, MySQL, PostgreSQL, then you'll want to select a Linux Hosting Server.

If your site needs access to Active Server Pages (ASP), MS SQL databases, or Visual Basic Scripts, then a Windows Hosted Server is required.

Apart from that, it's strictly a matter of personal taste, preference, and costs. Regular website pages and scripts run fine on the lower cost Linux option, and actually there are many more add-ons available that make use of the MySQL database.

If in doubt, remember that most websites are run from a Linux hosting package, so you really don't need to spend more on a Windows platform unless you absolutely need some of their specific programming functions.

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Best Server Systems For Web Hosting

Finding the best hosting servers for your website is the key to get the maximum out of every dollar of investment. Virtualization has enabled hosting companies to offer the best server systems to clients at competitive prices. Today, the best performing servers come along with a wide range of services and tools that help in better performance of the site.

While selecting from the offers, web masters should be careful about claims of cheap and unlimited performance abilities. Many a times, the cheapest on offer may not be suitable for your site. Some of the hosts cram a lot of sites into the same server, making it easier for them to reduce prices. It is a known fact, that a majority of independent web servers are under utilized. Hence, unscrupulous companies look to make a fast buck through such false claims. The best of server packages are those that suit the web space requirement, provide reasonable bandwidth, allow development of the desired number of sites and support the access to a large number of databases.

The location of the target audience also determines the host server to be selected. Across the world, there are regions that are conspicuous, due to the operating systems, database tools and home computer softwares that are used. A simple example is the use of Access as a database, in areas where a majority of users have it on their computers, thus making interaction between websites and users become easier and faster. A medium scale business may be well served with 50 to 200 GB of disk space, 1000 GB bandwidth, MySQL, Postgre SQL databases, PHP, Perl, CGI, phpMyAdmin, CRON Access, SSI, and so on.

The advent of virtual hosting has indeed changed all the former methods and introduced the concept of economics of scale. The packages involve a combination of servers that provide a flexible computing power and data transfer speed, so as to cover up for any spike in Internet traffic. Hosts have a variety of methods to lease out servers. They include dedicated servers, shared hosting, collocation and reselling. All these cater to specific clients and their needs with the appropriate rates per month. Dedicated servers are the best for the hosts and clients. They are easy to be secured and maintained with no overlap of network usage between different websites. These may be managed or unmanaged depending on the need of the clients. For the client, a managed server is preferable, since maintenance and repairs can be quickly carried out by the host. Dedicated servers provide the best possible security against Internet base and physical threats. Maintenance is crucial, since there may be no backup onto another server.

The concept of shared servers is best, while serving medium sized sites that do not require much space. The host company has an advantage to gain maximum returns through maintaining a single server hosting multiple sites. Shared servers are more prone to attacks, since there is a central system that controls every allocated section.

Collocated servers are also available for those clients, who want to lease the entire server housing. This improves security, although the onus of maintenance, repairs, and power supply lies with the client. This may prove better than dedicated servers, because of the freedom to upgrade and modify server functions, whenever required. For those clients interested to get low cost hosting can look for resellers. The concept is aimed at utilizing maximum available space and avoiding redundancy.

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