Evaluating Your Needs |
Questions Answered
1. Shared, Dedicated or Colocation?
2. UNIX or Windows Operating System?
3. Choosing the right Database?
4. MultiMedia Support
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2. UNIX or Windows Operating System? |
| There are many combinations of operating systems and servers
that it is often difficult for us to know what to choose. For many beginners, the choice stems down to
simply choosing a Windows System since that is what they are running on their home computer. This is
ften the worst choice. The two most common server configurations are Windows running Internet Information
Server (IIS) or Unix/Linux running Apache Server. |
WINDOWS (IIS)
Contrary to what many people believe, Windows is typically less stable and more complex than UNIX
operating systems. In fact, many of the cheaper web hosting companies will not even offer Windows since
it will cost more money to simply support. I would only recommend using Windows if you are using a
Microsoft products/languages including MS-SQL Server and ASP.NET. IIS comes with full support for ASP,
while other servers don't support it without a 3rd party add-on
UNIX (APACHE SERVER)
Because Unix-based systems don't use as many system resources as those running Windows, it tends to be a
more stable and reliable option. Given identical hardware specifications, a Unix system will be more
efficient, as it doesn't need the resources that the Windows system would use simply to update and
interpret the GUI. If you want more server power for your money, Unix is a good choice: not only does
it boast more efficient resource management, but being open source, it's the cheapest option as well!
Unlike Windows, Unix, and its many variants (Linux, FreeBSD and Sun) provide the user with more
control over the configuration of the server and the software that it uses. By connecting to the
server using telnet or SSH connections, it is possible for users to schedule scripts to run
automatically (a cron job), edit file and directory properties and permissions, and even debug
scripts as they run on the remote server! Of course, to be able to use your telnet access
effectively you should know at least the basics of Unix; unfortunately it's a little more involved
than Windows, as Unix operating systems tend to use text-based commands as opposed to a Graphical
User Interface (GUI).
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