If you’re not sure what Windows or Linux/Apache hosting means, then this article will provide some information the basic differences between the two operating systems. Some of the finer nuances between them can easily be explained, providing a clear distinction between Windows and Linux hosting. A lot of people will adamantly tell you that one or the other is “the absolute best,” while the other is “absolute rubbish.” Although it can be fun sometimes to watch these “debates” (from a safe distance), when it comes to making decisions for your website and hosting needs, it’s important to have real data and facts that don’t rely on emotions.

Apples and Oranges
The first thing you need to realize when noting the differences between Windows and Linux hosting is that while they’re both operating systems, they’re built differently. Windows is a single source proprietary offering created and maintained by Microsoft, whereas Linux comes in many varieties, also called distributions, from several different sources. And the distribution from those sources can vary widely in both code base and support. Though Linux is generally considered as “open source”, this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s free, it all depends on the distribution source.

While there are people who are vehemently attached to one or the other, in the end, it really comes down to a personal preference. Linux is rather command line/menu based; Windows Server offers more of a visually based iconic interface. It’s next to impossible to give a general answer to the “Which operating system is better?” question, as it all boils down to aspects such as work habits and individual preference. At the end of the day, the choice is each individual’s to make, so it’s all a matter of choosing the operating system that you believe will work best with your particular objectives.

With that in mind, this article will attempt to provide a fair and balanced look at the strengths and weaknesses of both Windows hosting and Linux hosting. Both operating systems have pros and cons to consider when deciding which to use for hosting. This is important to remember before getting caught up in the latest flame wars between fans on both sides of the Windows/Linux debate.

Similarities
One thing to keep in mind is that both Windows and Linux are just the operating systems for the servers they run on, and they both need additional software to run as Web servers and host websites.

Although they have a lot of differences, Windows and Linux servers do have some other general similarities. For instance, you can have a LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) setup on your Linux web server, but you can also have a WAMP (Windows, Apache, MySQL, PHP) setup on your Windows machine. There will be minor differences when setting up on both operating systems, but overall, both platforms offer the same basic abilities – namely, a web server, a database and a scripting language to manipulate data for display on the web. In addition, Windows Server has it’s own web server implementation known as IIS (Internet Information Services) which typically runs along with Microsoft’s SQL Server and .NET Framework. There are ways to run some of this on a Linux based server, but it’s very rarely seen outside of academic or experimental development groups.

Other similarities are that you can use software such as HTML, CSS and java script on either type of server. There may be minor differences, but for the most part, both operating systems offer the basics in web hosting: serving pages in the universal languages of the web; HTML for the page framework; CSS for the page design; and client side java script for data manipulation.

ASP/ASP.NET vs. PHP
While it is possible to run ASP on a Linux server and PHP on a Windows server, both scripting languages are usually better known as belonging to one OS or the other – PHP for Linux and ASP for Windows. While both are programming languages (actually scripting languages), they have different syntax for writing code and operate a little differently on each server.

ASP.NET, introduced by Microsoft in 2002 as the successor to Microsoft’s Active Server Pages (ASP), is basically a collection of programs that read and interpret the files that you create with easy to understand commands. From grabbing data from a database to manipulating that data to display on your website, ASP.NET is basically the glue that holds websites together on a Windows server.

PHP is available for the Windows platform, but it is generally rather associated with Linux servers and has been around since the days of UNIX. Over the years, this free, open source software became very popular and is today found running a lot of websites on Linux based web servers.

Closed vs. Open
Other differences lie at the core of the operating system. Windows Server is a commercial product that you need to buy an operating license for, so you can run the server software. Linux, on the other hand, is typically known as “Open Source” software, has both paid and free versions available, and generally runs under a GPL license. As you would expect, the amount of support for the different versions varies greatly. However, most corporate run on a paid version put out by a company named “Red Hat Linux”. They have managed to associate themselves with several of the larger hosting companies and control panel suppliers, capturing a large share of the commercial market. A list of most Linux distributions can be found at both http://www.linux.org/dist/list.html AND http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Linux_distributions

There are other differences in the two approaches to software, but the battle of Closed Software vs. Open Software has been raging since before the beginning of the Internet and is beyond the scope of this article. It could be viewed as nice side study on the differences between Windows hosting and Linux hosting.
Because of the difference in licensing terms, Linux as an operating system has gained more widespread usage. It is not to say that Linux is better or worse than Microsoft Windows, it is just that it used by many more people and services a different clientele.

Proprietary Technology
One thing you should consider carefully is whether any content on your site will only run with Windows’ proprietary technology – like Windows Media Player, for example. There is usually a free alternative in the Linux Open Source world, but it may not be as easy to find or configure. If you’re trying to decide whether you should go with Windows Hosting or Linux web hosting, you should compile a list of what technologies you employ on your website to make sure you’re not currently using any Windows only features that wouldn’t work for you on a Linux server without modifications.

On the other hand, if your current website is running on Linux, it may take a lot of work to switch it to be able to run under a Windows server environment. There are some programs that are only available for Linux operating systems. They’re not proprietary technology like Windows software, but they were created specifically for Linux operating systems.

As with most other issues concerning Windows servers and Linux servers for web hosting, there are pros and cons to each of the operating systems. Depending on your needs, and sometimes on your personal preferences (or the personal preferences of your web developer), either web hosting solution may be able to handle your idea for the next great website to be successful.

Accessing the Server
Both Windows hosting and Linux hosting providers will offer FTP (file transfer protocol) access to the files on your server and some sort of ‘control panel’ to administer the settings on your server – turning processes (like the web server or database, for example), or setting up domains to be hosted on the server. This feature would come down to personal preference. Linux will also offer SSH, a protocol that allows you to type commands as if you were sitting in front of your server. SSH was designed as a secure replacement for TELNET which did not encrypt the data as it was passed between the networked computers.

Web Server Security
If you do some research on Google, you’ll see a lot of pages on the web that swear up and down that Windows servers are more secure than Linux servers or that Linux hosting is infinitely more secure than Windows hosting. The fact is, both have security vulnerabilities that crop up. With either OS, you’re going to want to make sure you stay up to date with all the patches and security updates to keep your server “hardened” against attacks.

Differences in Pricing
While Linux hosting and Windows hosting are generally in the same ballpark range on pricing, Windows hosting can sometimes be more expensive – especially if you need an enterprise capable database like MS SQL or Exchange Server an messaging, collaboration and file storage management server, both of which are under Microsoft licensing. For this reason, some people tend to choose Linux hosting over Windows hosting. In the lower tiers of web hosting, the price difference isn’t much of a factor, but as you need more hardware and software to keep your website running, Windows software does have a higher upfront cost.

Outside Appearances
To the general visitor to your website, there will be no external differences between Linux hosting and Windows hosting. While a web savvy individual will be able to find out what operating system is running your website, the average, every day visitor won’t be able to tell the difference unless you tell them.

Which is Better?
This question has been around since the dawn of the modern Internet. If you ask ten different people in the technology field if Windows hosting or Linux hosting is better, you’re sure to get ten different answers, with ten different reasons for going with one or the other. The more you know about your needs, the better off you’re going to be when making a decision.

For some, which operating system platform is better suited to host a website is a heated argument that they follow with their heart and their feelings. If you’re serious about your online efforts though, you should listen to your head instead of your heart. Making a logical decision about what fits your needs and skill level, rather than one based on emotion can save you a lot of money and headaches in the long run.

It’s best to look at it this way: Windows and Linux Hosting each have their strengths as well as weaknesses. Some people say that Windows is better suited for intra-office corporate networks, and Linux based hosting for small to medium business Internet websites. Others will say both are equally capable of both scenarios. There are so many permutations to this equation, that it’s difficult to list them all. The best steps to take from here are 1) define what your basic needs are, 2) take into consideration the above information, 3) do some independent research using the resources listed, and 4) make a decision as to which operating system is better suited for your particular purpose. Then try it out!

For those of you who want a DIY development solution, or are simply curious, you can find trial versions of both by going to the following websites:

Windows Server – http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/try-it.aspx
Linux RedHat (Free and Trial versions) – https://www.redhat.com/apps/download/

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