linux vrs windows hosting

Linux hosting platform is more reliable, despite being an open source product, because its source code can be adapted by experienced programmers to suit their own maintenance and working requirements. Additionally with open source code they can install various security add-ons to create a secure environment. This ensures lower downtime, protection from third party viruses, hacker invasion and as a result more reliable.
 
As hosting provider I recommend Linux to our clients while we provide both service.
If you will run php or java website Linux should be your choice even if they are running on Windows, you can select windows only if you will run ASP or .NET website.
As other said Linux is more secure and open source that isn't required additional cost for license.
 
Linux hosting platform is more reliable..... Additionally with open source code they can install various security add-ons to create a secure environment. This ensures lower downtime, protection from third party viruses, hacker invasion and as a result more reliable.

You don't know how to manage Windows. Your ignorance is not a feature
 
For me it's just a question of type of server.
Windows hosting is really convenient as a remote desktop.
Personally I would never think of a Windows web server - but some people prefer it, maybe you could argue Windows is easier whenever pre-made packages are available. It's definitely easy with Plesk and other Parallels products.
But, for a barebones, efficient server I would choose a Linux server.
 
Speaking as someone who has achieved their MCSE and updated it twice of the past two decades, and currently holds certifications for RHCE, HP-UX and AIX. I can tell you this.
Windows has signficantly caught up with Unix in terms of reliability, and since most of us are running Linux, we are using similar hardware.
If you were using IBM pSeries or HP 9000 Series equipment, your hosting would be more reliable than anything budget Windows hosts could achieve, but we're not.
Linux and Windows reliability given a load they can handle are on par.
Linux does however, on average, use much less resources and appears to run more efficiently. This is taken from experience over decades working for many companies who have tried the same work loads on different platforms.
My particular affinity to unix came from studying computer science at university, where quite frankly what you could do with Solaris put Windows of the day to shame.
I do like windows, I've seen it mature, change it's kernel, scheduler and networking to become more and more like BSD Unix.
Windows is significantly easier to use and properly administer than Unix, which is a little freehand in it's configuration. With Unix's freedom to do things the way you want, comes the ability to really screw it up badly.
I don't think Linux can run windows apps at all well.
Windows on the other hand can run opensource PHP apps either through IIS or even apache or nginx, it can run varnish and everything than Linux can do, because the open source tools are available on windows.
All of the opensource tools are also efficiently coded, so will run equally well on windows.
I don't believe however that many people are running the open source tools on windows as hosts (other than for development) because their would be no point installing windows just to be the kernel for the rest of the GNU toolset.
I believe whether you choose windows or Linux should be down to what you are comfortable installing, configuring and troubleshooting.
At UnixGuru, we have a poster on the wall saying "Don't sell, what you can't support" it's no good bespoking everything, as the quality suffers. Design well made building blocks and base your solutions around those blocks.
So if you have trained for Windows and have experience with windows, choose windows, the same goes for Unix.
Whilst I own UnixGuru hosting, I leave my staff to run the business and consult for other businesses. I work with online retailers who are scaling up for Christmas (using only Linux), Banks performing stocks and money exchange systems (using Windows and Linux), and a well known Orange airline, who use ALL windows systems.
I tell you this, the traffic handled by those windows boxes for the airline is phenomenal, so windows does scale.
I don't think you can say one is better than the other.
For budget hosting Windows doesn't support CPanel, you may be pushed down the plesk route. I think plesk is a pain in Unix, as it rewrites all the confs if you so much as breathe on your keyboard.
You should first consider what you want to achieve, what you budget is, what you know and what you need to know and then make your decision.
(Sorry for the waffling).
 
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Well if you are talking of a server and can handle stable uptime. I would rather go for Linux.

Windows can be just as stable. We offer both Linux aswell as Windows but that doesn't mean one is less "stable" than the other. Generally Windows does consume more resources though if that is what you mean?
 
i can count on 1 hand how many times in my 11 years as a web host i have been asked about windows servers.

as i have resellerclub account for domains i have set up the windows servers they provide, so i anyone asks i can offer them windows through resellerclub
 
Linux is preferred with the different flavour of OS until any one needs a particular tools or software for Windows like Asp.Net, MSSQL...etc.

Obviously, open-source lovers choose the Linux (CentOS, Ubuntu, Debian) even the paid CloudLinux, but not the Windows because it is highly secured & more tools to use like: user friendly & high % of market share of the Hosting Industry Control Panel: cPanel/WHM for Linux OS.
 
Linux Hosting tends to be a lot cheaper than windows hosting. Does that mean that windows is better because it more expensive or is Linux better because its open source? Below a few benefits of the two. Which type of Hosting is your preference?

Windows Hosting Benefits:

- ASP Support
- ASP.NET Support
- Powerful SQL Server Database
- Access Database Support
- PHP and MySQL Compatible
- IIS Web Server

Linux Hosting Benefits:

- PHP and MySQL Support
- Apache Web Server
- Mod Rewrite Support
- Chmod file permissions

Neither is better than the other as they are built for two different tasks. As others have pointed out if you are needing PHP & MySQL you will likely want to choose a Linux web hosting package whereas if you need .net & MSSQL you will need to choose a windows hosting package.

Its like comparing a 4 door sedan to a formula 1 race car, they both can take you from point a to point b, but each is designed for a specific task.
 
Choice of OS depends on customer's requirements. When your website/application demand windows components like Asp.net or mssql database, then you have no choice but to go for Windows Hosting or else Linux hosting is best for standard requirements.
 
Linux is certainly more secure and reliable. In my experience it is also a lot less resource intensive. If you don't need a specific operating system and you can use either I would lean towards Linux in most cases.
 
Importantly it is depends on users compatability as one should be known of any one of these Operating Systems (Windows or Linux) if in case choosing slef managed hosting.

Linux hosting is cheaper as it is opensource. Linux provides command line interface to work and GUI should be installed to get GUI.

Windows hosting is expensive compared to linux as one need to buy windows license. Windows provides GUI interface directly to work.

Database setup is different in both case and requires different applications.

Vulnerability is more in Windows compared to Linux.
 
Linux is quite good. And windows also. You should exactly know what you intend to do. This will definitely define your choice. Now for example, windows services are becoming cheaper, because with hyper-v on windows server 2012 for example, you can run thousands of windows virtual machines without any license (according to your computer limits). The license of the main host is enough. And you will see that hosting services which are not using that technology will charge you on the license every year or month. In another hand many linux distributions are free, that's why the cost can reduced also. You have to understand also that windows runs many processes and needs more memory than linux kernel. But now they are trying to resolve that issue, by having a core version of the operating system. So if you are good with powershell, you can go for the core version.
 
Hosting decision is made to be on requirements. Linux is Open Source, free to use. The most popular OS used by mostly crowd. Linux hosting is good for open source platform like WordPress, PHP, MySql with an advantage of low cost.
Whereas you need to pay for Windows OS which isn't free of Cost, i.e need to pay for the license. you need to pay for everything(you don't get any kind of free software). Generally good for MySql, ASP.net. Windows is little expensive and not as much famous in Web Hosting industries.
 
Windows Hosting Vs Linux Hosting

Well, first i think you have made your mind for windows hosting already. Personally, I recommend Linux hosting because it supports lot of PHP apps such as drupal, joomla, wordpress, etc. Moreover, you get much more online support for Linux hosting (i think). But again it all depends upon your requirements. if you have to work on ASP then choose Windows hosting.
 
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