Advantages of Linux Web Servers
By Mohan Kumar

If you need your web site to be online, you need a web hosting service to host your site. The servers used by them need an operating system (OS) to run. The two most widely used OS for web servers are Linux and windows. So which is the best? Linux based or windows based. You can’t decide on this issue by comparing your PC’s OS performance or user-friendly advantages. The OS used in your PC has nothing to do with OS used by web hosts. So just because of using user friendly windows in your personal computers, you can’t say it will do well for hosting your website too. The functions of PC’s operating system are entirely different from those of servers to host your websites. So if you are using windows running desktop PC, it’s not compulsory to have your web hosting in it too.

So when coming to web servers Linux is considered to be the best OS by many professionals. The several advantages of using Linux servers over windows are listed below.

Cost Effective : Linux operating system is an open source and therefore you get it for free with all server applications. Free availability of PERL, PHP and MySQL reduces the hosting cost effectively.

Very High Up-time : Linux servers have a very high up-time of 99.9%. So the proportion that your website will be down is very less.

Scalability : This is the most important feature for modern websites. The ages of static websites have gone and today most of the sites have high dynamic contents and it grows at a faster rate. Consider a blog or forum or social network websites, these websites have high amount of content added daily. Linux offers easy scalable options without having changes in the web design.

Portable: Websites with Linux based web host can be moved to a windows based web host but you cannot move a website from windows web hosting to Linux at all situations.

Robust and User Friendly : The robust nature of Linux is a great advantage against viruses, hackers. The steps involved in uploading and hosting your website in a Linux based web server is very easy and it’s user friendly.

If you are a professional in web development then install Linux, PHP, MySQl and apache in your PC to test your website before launching it live.

Take a look at this free e-book here on using Linux and Apache to host your website.

Windows Hosting versus Linux Hosting
By Calin Indre

The matter of choosing between the operating system (OS) running the web server hosting your web site as old as the web hosting business.
The OS controls all the functions of the web server hosting your site, so it comes naturally to pay special attention when choosing one over another. But what are really the options you have?

Mainly you can choose between web hosting based on Windows, Linux or Unix operating systems. A brief description and analysis of the different systems will narrow the list of options to only two.

Microsoft’s Windows server operating systems (NT/2000/2003) have a rather friendly and familiar user interface, making IT teams to easier in this aspect. Another plus is given by it’s excellent integration capabilities with other applications developed by Microsoft and let’s face it their range is absolutely impressive. The main key point of Windows based hosting is its support for .ASP (Active Server Pages) or the advanced ASP.NET. This language for web development was created by Microsoft to facilitate the creation of dynamic web pages linked to SQL databases. It also provides capabilities for integration with other systems.

It can be said that Unix is the OS that powered the beginning of the Internet era and due to his qualities is still used today. Linux OS was developed having Unix as starting point and this is how the two share many features. Today the Linux version of the Unix system is more common on web servers and this has to do with the higher licensing costs and with the rather specific hardware requirements for Unix. This is why we will continue with Linux only, but Unix is taken into account as well. Linux hosting has its strong points in fulfilling one’s requirements for a good web server and Web serving, file serving, mailing, and streaming are only a few. It proves itself is a very cost-effective choice from using hardware efficiently, and allowing an increased web sites per server ratio, this ultimately resulting in a decreasing the cost of hosting per account.

So here are our two choices Windows and Linux.

Reliability

In the past Linux OS were seen as more reliable over Windows. However with the release of Windows 2003 server Microsoft has gone a long way and closed the gap in this area.
Linux servers are compatible with certain Microsoft extensions and applications and the same is true for Windows.

Web Programming

Even if trying to host a simple personal web site, your might want add some simple scripts to spice up your pages. The issue gets bigger when you are looking to host an e-commerce site supported by some serious server-side programming. So how are our two contenders doing in this aspect?

Supporting java scripts is not a topic to be argued upon as they are executed on the client side (the user’s web browser) and both Linux and Windows have no problem feeding this content to your visitors.

It is a whole different matter when discussing server side scripting. For web site owners trying to implement forms on their site it is common knowledge that ASP is supported by Windows and PHP is the tool to do just that under Linux. However both developed solutions to support each other’s programming language for web development. This support is not perfect and its limitations recommend Linux for a good PHP support and Windows for ASP, especially when it comes to hosting web sites that require the full use the advantages offered by PHP or ASP.

Linux offers a support for FrontPage extensions. Windows has a weak point in offering only limited CGI/Perl support, so if Perl is the scripting language of your choice, you should opt for Linux.

Databases

Dynamically driven web sites require some sort of databases. Beyond sites employing databases, most frequently you will encounter mySQL or MSAccess. If your web site is relying on mySQL, then you’ll have no problems hosting it on either Windows or Linux. For MSAccess databases, look your only option is Windows.

Price

Linux web hosting is cheaper. The reason must be searched in licensing costs, that are lower that for Windows, and in the ability of Linux web servers to support a higher web sites per server ratio without compromising the quality of service.

Although Windows hosting cost a bit more, you will get something for your money. It’s reduced development time and functionality

As the option of one over another depends basically of your actual needs and of the plans you have made for the future of your web site. For example will it move from a rather static web site to one relying heavily on server side scripting? And if it is so what would be the programming language used: PHP or ASP? Consequently your web site will be set up on a Linux or on a Windows web server.

Almost all serious web-hosting providers will offer you the choice between Linux and Windows.

There is no winner of this contest, at least not yet. In today’s terms, your preference of one system over another should be given only by your requirements and the needs of your visitors.

Calin Indre is editor at HostPinPin (http://www.hostpinpin.com), a Cheap Web Hosting Directory Resource.

HostPinPin.com is a resource for webmasters and consumers looking to find a web hosting company. Providing web hosting articles, tips, web hosting reviews, compare web hosting plans and more.

This article may be reprinted or published without the authors consent as long as the “About” and “weblinks” are kept intact.

Recientemente mi hija viejo Pentium III portátil Compaq completamente muerto. Esto ocurrió cerca de la Navidad para que su lista de regalos fue fácil. El problema era que yo no quería gastar mucho dinero. El otro problema era que yo odiaba tener un ordenador.

Lo odiaba porque siempre había que trabajar en él. Se utilizó la computadora para hacer las tareas, la mensajería instantánea y navegación. Cada par de meses, me encontré la eliminación de basura espía y otro de la computadora. En ocasiones es más fácil sólo para reconstruir el equipo al volver a instalar todo el software, incluyendo el sistema operativo. El seguimiento de su uso de Internet a través de mi router, así que sé que ella no ha sido la de “cuestionables” sitios, pero estas cosas sigan abriéndose camino en su ordenador.

Decidí estudiar algo que nunca antes habían considerado. LINUX! Cogí otro Pentium III (este fue un poco más fuerte que su computadora portátil de edad) de escritorio por menos de $ 100.00. He añadido algo de memoria de edad que había sentado en un estante. He descargado SUSE Linux y se fue a trabajar.

Me ha sorprendido gratamente la forma en que la instalación ha sido fácil! Hubo muy poca interacción y mis opciones eran muy simples. En unos 30 minutos, tuve un equipo de trabajo conectada a la Internet.

Hay algunas cosas con las que yo estaba muy contento. Se ejecuta muy bien con el hardware antiguo. Si hubiera empleado de Windows XP que se han visto obligados a obtener una nueva computadora y gastar cientos de dólares. El sistema operativo viene con un navegador (Firefox) y el software de oficina completa (OpenOffice – que es compatible con los productos de Microsoft Office). Hubo también un momento muy agradable herramienta de mensajería que le permite usar muchos diferentes clientes de mensajería instantánea en una sola pieza de software. Se había extracción de CD y software de grabación, así como varios programas de audio. Además de eso, el sistema operativo y todos los programas eran libres!

Ahora sé que la mayoría de la gente que lee esto está pensando, “Ok, tenemos otro tipo de lucha contra Microsoft aquí”. Eso es absolutamente falso. Yo soy un desarrollador web de Windows y por el comercio y el uso de productos de Microsoft exclusivamente (salvo para el uso de Firefox como navegador cuando las pruebas). Yo soy un gran creyente de los productos que Microsoft produce simplemente porque el trabajo y en la mayoría de los casos funcionan muy bien juntos.

Lo mejor de este cambio de sistema operativo es que la computadora de mi hija está libre de spyware y no es objetivo de la mayoría de los virus. El hecho es que la mayoría de virus y spyware dirigidas a Microsoft Windows. Ahora puedo dormir tranquilo sabiendo que no voy a ser la reconstrucción de un equipo cada pocos meses.

Aaron Davis es un desarrollador de software Hna. Él ha sido un web / desarrollador de la aplicación de más de 12 años y ha servido a la industria de TI de más de 15 años. Su especialidad es. NET con C # y SQL Server. Aaron ha dedicado su nueva página web para proporcionar un foro para desarrolladores de software para expresar sus preocupaciones acerca de las caídas de las prácticas de desarrollo empresarial de software.