Linux Hosting And Windows Hosting – How To Decide Which One To Choose?

Making the final decision about a server’s operating system can be a daunting task. However, the task of making the decision may not have to be a difficult one.

No matter whether you are setting up a new website or choosing a powerful website for your ecommerce company, you should follow certain simple guidelines to make the right decision easily. Here are some of the essential guidelines you have to follow while making a choice between a Linux or Windows based hosting solution.

#1 What are the Budget Requirements?

The most important aspect one has to keep in mind while making choice for the right hosting solution along with the OS is the total requirement of budget. Startups generally have tight budgets for websites. In those cases, Windows servers can prove costly. This is mainly because Windows licenses can be costly. In such cases, Linux OS for servers are appropriate. Many Linux distributions are available for which no additional charges are needed.

#2 Requirements of User Interface

User interface usability can vary depending upon the varying technical knowledge of the existing team of an organization. Therefore, user interface requirements vary on the basis of technical know how of an organization. A Windows server may be attractive to you if you are already using Windows based solution. One of the major advantages of using Windows based server is that you can use RDP or Remote Desktop for connecting to the server. The entire use process must be very simple. It is as simple as using computer at home. These tools make use of the server easier. However, this doesn’t mean that the administration of website becomes easier due to this. One of the easiest ways of website administration can be achieved by using control panel. This is where Linux hosting comes handy. In case, you are habituated of using shared web hosting service then Linux server with a control panel is the best solution. This is mainly because of the fact that this process is extremely simple and you can migrate the entire database from shared hosting solution to a dedicated one. When you choose a reliable and popular hosting solution, you can get hold of a robust control panel for your server, which you can access from anywhere.

#3 Requirement of Software

A business owner or manager may not always be a highly knowledgeable person on software. That’s why it is not always possible to know the exact software requirements always. If this is the case for you too then the best thing for you is to ask your developer about it.

If your website needs applications such as Microsoft SQL, .NET, and ASP then Windows hosting solution can be the best one for you. All these applications are Microsoft technology based ones and therefore Windows server environment are best suited for that.

You also need to ask your developer whether your website needs MySQL or PHP programs. If they are needed in addition to other applications, you can use either Linux or Windows server. In case, MySQL or PHP is the only requirement then choosing Linux environment can be the best solution.

#4 Provide Access to Other Users

One of the most important things is the way access is provided to others. This is extremely important because it enables the owner or manager to include other team members of your company including development team or other clients to the server.

Windows servers come with powerful user management options. They help users in leveraging the Active Directory and Group Policy for enhanced user management. With the help of Active Dedicated Hosting Server, centralization of authentication can be done. This can be done across multiple servers. It helps in creating all your user accounts in a single place. Group Policy is yet another important feature of the Windows environment that enforces user restrictions throughout the Active Directory domain.

Now, let’s come to the Linux server. Robust file permission system can be gained by using Linux servers. This is especially helpful when there are multiple users present. There are many users who look for selling hosting packages to clients from their own server. In that case, using a Linux server can be extremely handy.

Conclusion

If you are choosing a Linux server then it is recommended that you should go for distribution that you are most comfortable with. Most common forms of Linux hosting solutions are based on Ubuntu, Debian, and CentOS. When going for a Linux server, you can use anyone of these operating systems. In case you are new to it, CentOS server can be extremely helpful. This is mainly because of the availability of cPanel, which is the most accessible option. No matter whether you choose a Linux or Windows server, two things are very important – stability and security. Therefore, you should keep these things in mind while making the final choice.