Windows Hosting Or Linux Hosting

There are a number of different operating systems that can run on a web server.

The most common configuration is for a server to be running Linux with Apache, though the flavor of Linux used can vary extensively.

Servers running Windows comprise around one-third of the total servers in use.

The main reason for the greater use of servers operating with Linux is due to the extended programming development of open source community projects such as Linux and Apache.

However, because Windows offers a more support-centric solution, many medium to larger businesses will opt for a Windows environment, because they know they can rely on Microsoft to provide support as and when required.

In the general web mastering environment, however, most people will see little difference between which type of operating system is used.

However, a big common question is as to whether go with Linux or Windows.

The simple answer to this is that it depends on what your actual software requirements are - most basic websites can be hosted fine on either, but once you start using third party software, there may be development issues that prefer one operating system environment over another, or else offer greater advantages in one and not the other.

A big misconception to make is to believe that Windows servers have any more security issues than Linux ones - ultimately, a server is only ever as secure as the competence of the systems administrator.

And whilst Windows servers may be prone to an additional number of viruses (there are no known viruses that specifically target Unix/Linux), Linux servers are commonly hacked through various exploits, not least through third-party software applications, especially through SQL injection vulnerabilities.

Most competent system administrators will keep on top of all the necessary updates and patches to close known vulnerabilities where they are known. After all, unpatched machines will always be open to easy exploitation regardless of the operating system used.

Other than that, general performance will vary not so much according to the operating system used, as much as the server hardware configuration itself.

Ultimately, asking which is the better type of operating system to use - Windows or Linux - depends entirely on your personal needs: if you have specific software development needs, such as a heavy reliance on PHP, then a Linux/Apache solution is almost certainly required.

However, for applications that rely on ASP, a Windows solution may be preferable.

Otherwise, many webmasters who run basic HTML sites are unlikely to be able to tell the difference in terms of site performance.