There are many differentiating factors between web hosting. Should you buy a web server and host your site in-house? Are all web servers created equal? What is the difference between a Windows server, a Linux server, or a Unix server?
Well, I am not a server specialist; I am a web developer that works extensively with servers from a web development point of view. Let me preface this entry with the fact that I am not a IT specialist but have been thrown into positions of being a server administrator at times because I understand how things work from a web site perspective.
Servers are not created equal. A Windows server relies heavily on proprietary Microsoft software to run and handle requests. This does not mean that you can not install open source (public domain software) technology on it, such as Php and MySQL (which runs PlaceVision Image Gallery, Neighborhood Maps, SiteVista™). However, doing so means that you must navigate Microsoft logic which are convoluted. I have also found that Microsoft servers run slower than Linux servers. Another issue is the responsibility of maintaining the server. Usually, small businesses who want an in-house server turn to a Microsoft server to manage their email, file storage, and host their web site. This is great from the bird’s eye perspective, but when it comes time to hit the ground running with the server, it can often add to costs rather than eliminate them. This is because these types of servers often require maintenance and a trained technician to update and monitor them. More often than not, the server administrator is someone in house who also has another position.
I strongly dislike Windows servers mostly because they make developing web sites based on open source technology (which is my preference) difficult to manage. My ultimate goal is to make the lives of my clients easier, but on a Windows server it often comes at my expense. Everything has to be installed from the ground up and managing permissions is baffling. To this day, I still can’t understand the process of setting permissions on folders so they can be written to by web programs.
Unix is an old school alternative to Windows. It is the foundation of Apple’s operating system and a much more stable environment than Windows. (Hence the Windows versus Mac commercials). If you are lucky enough to find a host running Unix, you might come across some major limitations. My most recent experience with a Unix server is from a company called CBeyond. The issue I have with their web server is that they have not provided advanced tools for database creation. They don’t even offer PhpMyAdmin. Rather, they would have me upload a sql command to create the tables for a program. Can you imagine how long this would take to install some programs? I couldn’t find shell access, or perhaps they just weren’t granting it to me in a more obvious way.
Linux is the open source version of Unix and is the most popular web server platform. Many inexpensive servers are running Linux partly because it is a stable, free alternative to Windows and partly because it is easy to configure. You can have a Linux web server fully configured and responding in a predictable manner in several hours.
I don’t suggest any of my clients manage their own web server. It is a black hole of time and energy. Why would you want to when you can pay professionals $8.95 a month to do it for you? I prefer to leave it to technicians who do nothing but worry about the web server.
I have used many different hosting companies such as Host Gator, iPower Web, etc. My issue with them is more of long term dilemma and one I choose not to go into at this moment. The bottom line of my problems with them is that you are on a shared server where you might/might not get the attention you deserve. They have so many customers, they have problems keeping up and really don’t hold themselves liable for data loss. They are nothing more than resellers of server space from a single server company.
They get the job done at a reasonable price and some of them offer 24 hour tech support. I had searched for a web hosting company who could not only provide me with the customer service and attention most of us desire, but I also wanted to find a web host that could support Windows and Linux simultaneously. Some of my clients, mainly in the public sector, have already invested heavily in web applications that will only run on Windows, while most of my programs and popular web based programs run on Linux.
There are solutions. Mine is Mosso’s cloud computing that enables my server space and bandwidth to be upgraded as I need it. They offer 24 hour tech support to my clients directly and manage all of the server maintenance headache on my behalf. One of the key features here is that they use Rackspace servers.
They offer easy access to each database and have a custom control panel that gives me all of what I want and nothing I don’t. The best part is they run Ruby on Rails, Windows, and Linux all under the same account. This is the best solution for the price on the market and I am grateful to have found them. It enables me to deliver the very best hosting solution to my clients and offload the server IT work.
To learn more about Mosso’s capabilities, go here.
