Choose Best Server Linux vs Windows

There is a lot of discussion in the web hosting world about choosing between Windows or Linux server.Choose Best Server Linux vs Windows Some of the arguments are ended up on choosing the one that suits your website and the way a website should be presented over the internet. Besides, there are many things in common and uncommon in between Windows hosting and Linux hosting also both possess many advantages and some disadvantages. Therefore, let’s discuss both the hosting types and then you can have a clear idea of what to choose from the offered services.

Choose Best Server Linux vs Windows :

Linux Web Server vs. Windows Web Server

Stability

Linux that is also called as UNIX operating system is believed to be very stable in terms of performance. The website hosted on a Linux OS capable of giving high uptime of about 99.9%. For websites that rely on .net or visual basic, Windows hosting is a perfect choice. Even, it’s the only available choice that will get your need to accomplish such as building a website with languages -.ASP,NET, PHP, MSSQL, MySQL, MS Access, & Visual Basic development.

Tip: Of course, the mentioned factors are important for a website, but you need to look for your requirements especially when it comes to maintaining the system uptime and the web support. As, it’s clear that Linux hosting is not able to work with any of these languages you need to build a site, so you’ve to go with the Windows OS.

Cost

When it’s about cost and server ownership, here definitely the Linux OS is the best option. It comes at a very significant cost and offered with a full-fledged server & desktop applications (DNS Server, FTP, Web Server, File Server, etc.) that come free with the operating system. Windows servers are higher in price than Linux servers but offered with specific features such as the integration with the FrontPage and all other Microsoft applications.How to Choose Between Linux Server or Windows Server

Tip: Both the hosting servers offer same level of reliability and performance. You will need to look for their prices that you can compare with the help of your hosting provider, or you can also check your own using popular hosting platforms – GoDaddy, BigRock, Bluehost, Hostgator. The final decision is completely yours may be it make more sense for you to use Windows OS even after its higher price.

Ease of Use

When it comes to ease of use, then Windows Server is the preferred choice. Although the process of hosting is almost same for both Linux and Windows web servers, you need to take care of choosing Linux web servers with FrontPage extensions. Basically, if you use FrontPage Extensions to design or develop your site, then a Windows platform will obviously be the best choice for you. It’s not that a Linux OS does not support Windows development programs, but a Windows based server would best serve it.

Tip: A UNIX web server support all types of file extensions – cgi, .html, .htm, .pl, .php, .shtml, .xml, and others. But having a Windows web server gives you more reliability if your business site is built on Microsoft applications, it will make the hosting & development process much easier. Even, there is no need to worry about to maintain a website or to learn a new language. Hence, it would be better to say that Windows Server is a definite plus for beginners.

Scalability

The Linux/UNIX based server offer more compatibility and meets the scalability requirements easily in comparison to Windows server. When we talk about easy accessibility or scalability then first we have to know that a website designed only have a few HTML pages in the beginning stage, but when it grows over a period of time it requires scalability, so that changes can be made easily without making any wide design changes. Hence, Linux is preferable over Windows when talking about this requirement.

Tip: The only downside of a Linux based web server is its non-compatibility with Microsoft technologies. So, when you require specialized applications for development of your website, it is best to host with a Windows-based web server. When talking about future requirements a website hosted on a Linux based server can be easily hosted on any other web server easily, whereas the reverse is not so true.

Have a Look at the Main Differences Between Linux & Windows Web Server:

Development Tool	Linux	Windows
WordPress® or other Web apps	✓	–
Dreamweaver or other WYSIWYG apps	✓	–
PHP, MySQL, CGI, Python, or Perl	✓	–
ASP, ASP.NET, MS SQL	–	✓
*ASP, ASP.NET and* PHP, MySQL**	–	✓

Moving From Windows to Linux

For many business organizations, migrating from Windows to Linux makes sense, and of greater relevance when it’s about stability and reliability, lower cost, access to application source code, greater security, and conformity with open standards. The industry experts suggest that before moving to another hosting platform, make sure your reasons for migration are well-planned & business oriented.

Tip: You need to conduct a thorough analysis of factors including cost-benefit, control you want over your website, uptime, server performance, security, and software requirements. When you move from a Windows-to-Linux, it’s guaranteed to save money and retain more control in the long run. According to research, most of the companies in the United States of America consider overall operating costs a top priority, and Linux is the best solution to that end.

Bottom Line

All in all, these are some critical factors important in deciding which hosting platform is suitable for you based on what applications you want on your website. Many business people are confused about the difference between Linux hosting & Windows hosting. Hopefully, this article helps you make the very best decision on which hosting solution is right for you.