Tag Archives: server
The Disadvantages of Windows Hosting
Windows hosting certainly has its advantages; it’s easy to use, and is compatible with Microsoft Access, Microsoft Frontpage, .NET and Visual Basic. However, there are some disadvantages to Windows hosting, too. While this doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t use a Windows hosting package, there are significant drawbacks to using one that you will need to know about before you choose. Let’s take a look at some of the best advantages that come with using a Windows hosting package; then, you’ll be able to make an informed decision.
Instability
Unfortunately, Windows is not as stable as, for example, UNIX. Therefore, if you are planning on running Windows instead of UNIX, you can count on having some downtime, perhaps significant. Most Windows servers will have some issues, because the platform itself is not particularly stable. If at all possible, it’s much more desirable from a stability standpoint to go with UNIX.
Slow performance
UNIX servers run much more quickly than do Windows servers. Therefore, if you want your content to come up quickly, you’re better off using UNIX. The slowness of a Windows server relates to the programming, and it’s not something you can easily fix.
System resources hog
Unfortunately, most Windows servers use many more resources than servers running on UNIX do. This means you’ll need more RAM, more bandwidth, and more disk space, likely, which can cost you significantly more money than if you were to go with a UNIX server.
Frequent reboots
You’ll need to reboot your Windows server more often than you will your UNIX server, which can mean your site will be down significantly more than if it were run on UNIX.
Incompatibility with Perl and CGI
Perl or CGI applications can cause Windows compatibility issues. These were developed in UNIX, which means that many scripts are going to be incompatible as written and you’ll need to be able to work around them. Many Perl and CGI scripts do indeed function correctly on Windows, but you have to do some research to find them, and they’re not particularly common.
No SSH or Telnet administration
You won’t be able to administer your site using SSH or Telnet, since these are UNIX based. If you’re used to being able to do so, you’re out of luck if you decide to go with a Windows server.
No “free lunch”
Because Windows is not a platform that is free operating, your Windows hosting package will likely cost more than if it’s based in UNIX. Very few free applications will also run on Windows server, which means you’ll have significant out-of-pocket expenses, likely, because you’ll need to pay for applications you could get free with a UNIX server.
What do these disadvantages mean?
Do these disadvantages mean you shouldn’t use Windows hosting? Not necessarily, but you most certainly need to look at the drawbacks a Windows server will give you versus one that runs on UNIX — as well as the advantages.
If your website is relatively basic AND you use FrontPage and/or Microsoft Access on your website, then Windows hosting may indeed be your best fit. For anything more complicated than that, though (and if you don’t need the “perfect fit” that Windows hosting provides FrontPage or Microsoft Access users), consider going with UNIX instead. UNIX provides you so much more flexibility and stability that it’s well worth your time.
The Disadvantages of Windows Hosting
Windows hosting certainly has its advantages; it’s easy to use, and is compatible with Microsoft Access, Microsoft Frontpage, .NET and Visual Basic. However, there are some disadvantages to Windows hosting, too. While this doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t use a Windows hosting package, there are significant drawbacks to using one that you will need to know about before you choose. Let’s take a look at some of the best advantages that come with using a Windows hosting package; then, you’ll be able to make an informed decision.
Instability
Unfortunately, Windows is not as stable as, for example, UNIX. Therefore, if you are planning on running Windows instead of UNIX, you can count on having some downtime, perhaps significant. Most Windows servers will have some issues, because the platform itself is not particularly stable. If at all possible, it’s much more desirable from a stability standpoint to go with UNIX.
Slow performance
UNIX servers run much more quickly than do Windows servers. Therefore, if you want your content to come up quickly, you’re better off using UNIX. The slowness of a Windows server relates to the programming, and it’s not something you can easily fix.
System resources hog
Unfortunately, most Windows servers use many more resources than servers running on UNIX do. This means you’ll need more RAM, more bandwidth, and more disk space, likely, which can cost you significantly more money than if you were to go with a UNIX server.
Frequent reboots
You’ll need to reboot your Windows server more often than you will your UNIX server, which can mean your site will be down significantly more than if it were run on UNIX.
Incompatibility with Perl and CGI
Perl or CGI applications can cause Windows compatibility issues. These were developed in UNIX, which means that many scripts are going to be incompatible as written and you’ll need to be able to work around them. Many Perl and CGI scripts do indeed function correctly on Windows, but you have to do some research to find them, and they’re not particularly common.
No SSH or Telnet administration
You won’t be able to administer your site using SSH or Telnet, since these are UNIX based. If you’re used to being able to do so, you’re out of luck if you decide to go with a Windows server.
No “free lunch”
Because Windows is not a platform that is free operating, your Windows hosting package will likely cost more than if it’s based in UNIX. Very few free applications will also run on Windows server, which means you’ll have significant out-of-pocket expenses, likely, because you’ll need to pay for applications you could get free with a UNIX server.
What do these disadvantages mean?
Do these disadvantages mean you shouldn’t use Windows hosting? Not necessarily, but you most certainly need to look at the drawbacks a Windows server will give you versus one that runs on UNIX — as well as the advantages.
If your website is relatively basic AND you use FrontPage and/or Microsoft Access on your website, then Windows hosting may indeed be your best fit. For anything more complicated than that, though (and if you don’t need the “perfect fit” that Windows hosting provides FrontPage or Microsoft Access users), consider going with UNIX instead. UNIX provides you so much more flexibility and stability that it’s well worth your time.
Overcoming the Disadvantages of Dedicated Hosting
Once you are ready to get your own hosting provider, you will find out that you will have a lot of choices when it comes to putting your website online. Even if you found a fantastic and reputable hosting provider, you will still have to choose one of the several plans available and not all hosts do a decent job of explaining each one. Shared web hosting packages are always available but looking at dedicated hosting offerings, you might be wondering what you will be missing out on if you stick with shared web hosting. While dedicated hosting is a good path to choose for many, you should know some of the disadvantages of this type of website hosting and how to overcome them.
High Cost
The average dedicated hosting plan can cost around 5 times as much as a shared package. Other plans may go as high as 10 times that amount and that amount is significant since there are other things that you can get for your website depending on your needs such as marketing or an autoresponder or possibly a template. If you are just getting started, carefully examine what the shared web hosting package has to offer and find out if it is enough to meet your needs. If you are not expecting a lot of traffic to your site in the early year, you won’t really need a dedicated server until later on. Take advantage of your first year by placing ads on your site so you will have extra money to afford your dedicated hosting package without emptying your wallet.
Maintenance Issues
There are more things that you need to worry about if you have a dedicated hosting plan. This is not a problem for webmasters that know their ways around the server but beginners may be frustrated with learning things like rebooting the server when there is a crash or configuring the server operating system if problems arise. Experimenting with the different server features is risky if your site is currently live because you may experience downtime which is never good for your visitors. Even the rebooting process puts your site temporarily offline.
Some dedicated hosting plans leave you with limited maintenance operations because the server is located in a remote area. These types of website hosting plans require you to rely on your provider to do these operations for you. Read what you get from the dedicated plan and what operations you are allowed to perform before getting that package. If you are not yet ready to deal with these issues, you are better off with settling with a shared website hosting and then spend more time studying dedicated hosting or have someone who has a dedicated hosting package assist you.
Several hosting providers give little to no support in getting you started. This is considered a red flag for those that are not completely knowledgeable in managing your own server. While finding a good hosting package in every angle is difficult, consider doing more research in finding good website hosting providers that really prioritize support. Even if these plans are priced higher, you are paying for the assurance that your site will be in good hands with your chosen dedicated hosting plan. Finally, watch out for any penalties that you may incur if you exceed your bandwidth or disk space.