Linux Dedicated Server Hosting or Windows Dedicated Server Hosting
Posted on January 30th, 2009
It’s been a debate for years… should you select Linux (aka GNU/Linux) or Microsoft Windows for your dedicated hosting operating system? There is no right answer but most people in the industry will say that a Linux dedicated server is the way to go – well, most of the time. We agree and we’re going to discuss some of those reasons below in an effort to hopefully help you come to your decision.
Why a Linux Dedicated Server?
Well, for starters, one of the major pitfalls of the Internet is it’s way of bringing ‘unwanted attention’. This, for the most part, means security threats to both your desktop computer at home as well as your dedicated hosting environment.
Linux is open source. In very basic terms, this means that any person can view the programming language behind the operating system. Millions of eyes on the sourcecode means that security flaws and holes will come to the attention of the developers much more quickly. The nature of open source, as a result, means that the various versions of Linux are going to be quite secure as a result of exposure and the freedom for people to see what goes on behind the scenes, so to speak.
Linux is mostly developed by people as a hobby. This can be both a bad thing and a good thing. It means developers are programming in their spare time and are not paid for their work. This can sometimes increase development times, however, that is more than made up for by the sheer number of developers working on Linux distributions. Where Microsoft may employ 100,000 developers (no idea how many they actually have), Linux has access to literally millions. On the other side, because it’s a hobby, Linux developers are doing it out of passion. Chances are if you’re really passionate about something you’ll learn as much as you can to make yourself as proficient and get yourself as close to perfection as possible. This can clearly only result in a highly successful operating system and dedicated server platform. And it has!
Linux Dedicated Hosting Servers Run the Internet
For quite some time now, Linux has been one of the dominant work-horses of the Internet when it comes to website hosting. Websites are constantly under threat of hackers so having a dedicated server environment that has security in mind should be important. Linux has a significant focus on security making it the more reasonable choice for your dedicated server.
Did We Mention Linux is Free?
That’s right. Most Linux distributions are available absolutely free, and this is very significant. As a result, Linux dedicated hosting providers can keep their pricing more affordable than it would be if they have to purchase a Windows license. It’ll generally save you $15/month on your dedicated server but that can be much more depending on the version of Windows.
More Control
Linux generally provides you with more control over your dedicated hosting by it’s nature. Beyond just the control you get with the features of Linux, if you’re tech-savvy enough, you can literally go into the sourcecode and make any changes you see fit. This is something you cannot do with Windows. Of course this applies to very few people, but it’s nice to know that if you have the capabilities to do it that you can do it.
The Tradeoff of Linux Dedicated Hosting
One of the tradeoffs is that most computer users have become used to the look and feel of Microsoft Windows. A Windows dedicated hosting server would be more familiar to most. This isn’t to say that Linux cannot be configured to appear very similar to Windows – and many Linux distributions do this and still remain ‘stronger’ than Windows for a dedicated server operating system.
The downfall of Linux dedicated servers, and we hesitate when using that word, is that it can often require technical knowledge beyond what the average user has. Most of the time it’s not a point-and-click operating system, meaning you’ll probably need to know Linux commands through SSH if you’re going to successfully administer a Linux dedicated server. There are options that can help, such as the Webmin control panel.
Two Key Factors for Deciding
There’s two key factors to consider when decided on either a Windows dedicated server or a Linux dedicated server.
1.) Linux is pretty much made to be a server platform from day one.
2.) A Linux dedicated server will require a lot more patience and learning on your part if you’re used to Windows.