Web Hosting Reviews & Ratings

February 21, 2011

When Windows Web Hosting is Mandatory

If you've been shopping for a hosting plan recently then you've probably read about the debate of Linux vs Windows. Of course, as a novice webmaster you may be inclined to choose the Windows operating system due to your familiarity with the user interface of Microsoft products. However, experienced webmasters know that Linux is more reliable and much more flexible because it is an open source software. Even so, Linux is still cheaper than Windows and therefore provides a more affordable hosting environment, making it the most popular type of hosting available. The following information outlines some of the disadvantages of Windows hosting, while also summarizing some of the situation that require use of the Windows hosting environment.

Disadvantages of Windows Hosting

Windows is not an open source software, and therefore it requires more support on behalf of the web hosting provider (which has to rely on Microsoft for updates and bug fixes). This adds to the supports costs associated with Windows web servers, and along with the additional cost of the Windows operating system the total cost of Windows web hosting is significantly higher than Linux. Indeed, Windows web hosting has many disadvantages, most of which stem from the monopoly that Microsoft holds on Windows related service and support. If you're an independent web developer or webmaster that needs a flexible, reliable and cheap solution then Linux is most definitely ideal. However, there are some situations in which Windows webs hosting is absolutely necessary, the three most prominent of which are listed below.

Business Applications

Most larger businesses and corporations utilize a Windows hosting environment because it is readily compatible with all of Microsoft's incredibly popular business applications. Software like Microsoft Sharepoint and Microsoft Exchange server have become an integral part of corporate communication, and are therefore absolutely mandatory for some businesses. If you're currently using Microsoft software to manage your business then you'll need to purchase a Windows hosting plan, preferably a dedicated server that is fully managed. Although Linux can be used to host Windows applications through the use of virtualization software, this solution is not recommended as the performance of the applicators may suffer due to lack of allocated server memory for specific tasks.

Business Acquisitions

As mentioned above, many businesses and corporations use Microsoft software to organize, store and transfer data pertaining to their business. In many cases, the company may train their employees to use Microsoft software, which presents a situation in which the acquiring company may need to adopt the use of Windows web hosting in order to facilitate a smoother transition. The cost of re-training all of the employees to use Linux-based solutions will undoubtedly be higher than the cost of a comprehensive Windows hosting solution. Many business databases are stored in Microsoft file types, so rather than converting the files into a type that is compatible with Linux, it is much more cost and time efficient to simply use the Windows operating system for your business operations.

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