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Complete Guide To Hosting - Part 1
So Which Combination Should I Go For?
While it's certainly possible to install Apache on a Windows server, the two most common OS/Server combinations are Apache on *nix and IIS on Windows. IIS will only run on a Windows system at the present time, so having IIS on *nix is not an option.
- If you don't have any specific server or scripting needs, then it doesn't really matter which combination you go for; although choosing a *nix server over Windows will give you better value for money in terms of performance and uptime.
- If you need to use a specific technology and you know that it has limitations dependant on the operating system of your server, then the choice of server software should already be clear to you.
- ASP developers are better off using a Windows server running IIS, but can also use a Unix server if a 3rd Party add-on is incorporated.
- PHP and Perl developers can use any environment that supports their technologies, but it's worth noting that Apache offers modules that improve the efficiency of these languages; so perhaps they are more suited for use on a computer that runs Apache.
- If any PHP or Perl script requires the sendmail program, the operating system will have to be *nix.
If you're just starting out and want to know which server is the right choice for the development of your site, base your choice on the features you think you'll want to make use of in the future. Making the right choice early on will save you a lot of hassle; switching server side technologies from one platform to another is not as easy as simply uploading the files and hoping for the best!
For more information, visit:
Windows 2000 (and IIS) - find out more about Microsoft's server offerings.
Apache Server - get yourself a copy and learn more about the Apache Web Server.
Chili!Soft - ASP enable your non Windows server environment using Chili!Soft.
Unix vs. Windows NT Hosting - more about the pros and cons of each type of hosting.
And for server-related books, try:
Look out for Part 2 of this guide, where we'll look in depth at the hosting features you should assess using your checklist - file support, disk space, bandwidth and more!