A Linux based hosting service can be appreciated if you have a true understanding about it. Linux is an open source operating system. There are no licensing fees for it. So, compared to windows, Linux is very cheap. Windows have software activation rights. A single copy of windows can be installed only on one computer. In the case of Linux once you have owned the software copy, you are free to install the software as many times as you wish on various computers.
On the other hand, Windows has a monolithic design, whereby it creates a sort of interdependence between the various parts of the server. A practical example can be seen in windows media player and Microsoft Internet explorer. In the case of Linux, it is known for its open source community development. Due to its group oriented approach method, Linux can easily oppose the monolithic based design concept by creating an operating system made up of parts that are freely independent of each other.
Linux and windows can successfully run popular web technologies such as HTML, CSS DHTML, XHTML, XML, JAVA Script, JAVA, CGI and Perl. They can also support Email, FTP, reporting and other basic features too. Also, both the operating systems (Linux and windows ) can do a good job when it comes to interfacing with Microsoft front page. Linux deals with open source development method, such as PHP nad RUBY on rails. Mostly, the Linux based databases use MYSQL. On the other hand, windows deal with ASP and other Microsoft proprietary applications such as Microsoft exchange. Window based databases mostly rely on MS SQL. When it comes to talking about the security risks involved on servers, one must be aware of the fact that one cannot ensure a 100 % risk free security service. I am saying this because even today there exist unskilled server administrators; people involved in brute force password crackers, unsecured PHP or ASP scripts etc.
In a windows based system, it becomes easy for hackers to compromise and entire server. The IIS web server is deeply interconnected with the core of the windows. Hence, if a security threat is found in the IIS web server, it could lead to compromising the entire windows server. That is why, external browsers such as Mozilla, Fire Fox are considered to be safer for a window PC than the integrated Microsoft Internet Explorer. Now in the case of a Linux security based system, there exists a large as well as an educated security team. However, one must also be aware of the fact that there exists a group of educated community of hackers too.
Linux is mainly used for database servers and Internet servers. Many companies prefer to use Linux on their servers as an alternative to other operating systems. Linux can be considered as a very efficient, multi-user multitasking operating system. Linux is popular on the internet as well as by many small companies. Linux is very stable and it uses the resources very efficiently. Linux is compatible with Microsoft windows, whereby it can support fully access to windows file system. Linux runs efficiently on your present hardware. Your older machines can also work on Linux.
In other words, your old hardware which might have discarded just because it was in adequate for the latest software upgrades can now be a valuable resource for your company. You can put your hardware back in service with Linux. Web hosting service based on Linux is easy and cheaper than windows hosting. It is a better choice over windows.
Linux Windows Web Hosting
When choosing a website hosting solution the first thing you should consider is the proper operating system for your system. The major hosting operating systems include Linux and Microsoft Windows. There are also unpopular solutions possible through Unix and Macintosh but you will often find less support for these platforms.
This article will focus on the popular solutions of Windows and Linux. Based on a given requirement each operating system serves their unique purpose. Comparisons below are made about important aspects of each operating system.
Security
Security is one of the most important areas within the industry. It is a common misunderstanding that windows servers contain more vulnerabilities than Linux servers. Security risks are often the fault of the administration rather than the operating system. Ensuring that your software updates and security patches as well as other tasks are always up to date is just part of a good security administrator's job. As software evolves there will always be new security risks and this will not change. For security, look at your server management team rather than the operating system.
Access
The most common type of server access is FTP and both platforms allow this type of access. Based on the software installed both also allow standard control panel access. The major difference here is that Linux is able to support SSH and telnet access. Windows has the ability to support telnet however it is neither standard nor common.
File Types
Windows and Linux both support standard HTML, Cold Fusion and JavaScript files. At one point it wasn't possible to use FrontPage extensions on a Linux server but it is now possible for Linux based servers to run FrontPage file types. Perl and CGI platforms are often supported by Linux rather than windows. If you need to use either of these file types on windows be sure that the software is specifically supported. PHP is commonly supported under Linux while ASP is commonly supported by Windows.
Databases
This is often where platforms can make a difference. MySQL is commonly only supported by Linux where Access is only supported by windows. Many users maintaining their databases through access will want to run a windows server and vise versa.
There was a time where operating systems made a big difference. Currently, most platforms are supported on both Linux and Windows. Just be sure when shopping for a server that you have everything you need to fully develop your project.
Both Web Hosting Geeks & Steven Cancel are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Steven Cancel has sinced written about articles on various topics from Water Garden, Recreation and Sports and Interior Design. The article was written for our website Secure Link Web Solutions - . Article written and distributed by Steve Cancel IT manager of Secure Lin. Steven Cancel's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.
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