When renting a virtual dedicated server, its administrator has to make a choice: what operating system will be installed on the server. In most cases, there are 2 options: Windows Server or one of the Linux OS family. If we are talking about the subsequent launch of a virtual server site or blog, online store or corporate portal, most likely, the choice will fall in favor of Linux, but Windows is also suitable for managing your hosting and is indispensable for solving a number of complex and specific tasks. Let’s try to compare Windows and Linux on several basic parameters.
Availability
Almost all operating systems of the Linux family (except for rare commercial versions like Red Hat) are free, and the number of freely distributed popular distributions is very large: CentOS, Debian, Ubuntu, etc. Windows, as you know, is a paid operating system, and its installation on a virtual dedicated server requires the purchase of a user license. The price depends on the version: on The first vds platform, for example, the installation of Windows Server 2008 R2 costs 10 USD, and the version 2012 –15 USD. At the same time, you can install special closed-source SOFTWARE on a Windows server and enjoy all the advantages, such as working with a remote desktop directly from the “box”.
Computer language
When selecting an OS for a virtual dedicated server, the administrator must first think about the programming language in which the project is written, which is planned to run on this server. Both Windows and Linux (1 dollar hosting) work equally well with major languages like JavaScript or HTML, but this is not always the case. For example, for a project written entirely in PHP, it is better to choose Linux, as for this OS, this programming language is “native”. Despite the fact that PHP scripts can also run and execute on Windows, the speed of their work in the Linux environment, ceteris paribus, will always be higher. For projects created using Microsoft-developed technology, ASP.NET.there is simply no alternative – it is only supported by Windows.
Data transfer protocol
A similar situation is with data transfer protocols. Both Windows and Linux (unlimited reseller hosting) work almost equally with the most popular FTP and telnet protocols but interact differently with the secure SSH network Protocol. On Linux OS, this Protocol is supported by default and programs for work with him usually includes in the number of standard utilities. In Windows, work with the SSH Protocol is possible only after installing additional SOFTWARE, among which there are both free and paid utilities.
Database management systems
The Most popular MySQL database among web application developers is available for both operating systems, but given the popularity of the “classic” PHP+MySQL bundle, it can be considered a bit closer to Linux. Moreover, the bundle of MySQL, PHP language and Apache web server is today a “standard” complex of server software LAMP for Linux. MS SQL DBMS, often used by developers of complex corporate portals with high requirements for reliability and stability, works only in a Windows environment. The same applies to Microsoft Access databases.