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Windows Shared Hosting vs Linux Shared Hosting

November 3rd, 2010 Web Hosting

Shared hosting is often the entrance point for inexperienced webmasters that need a cheap and simple solution to host their initially web site. Though, even though shared hosting is the cheapest form of web hosting, there are several types of shared hosting that need to be considered.

Most public don’t realize that they are using shared hosting because it operates under many names and is nearly never referred to as shared hosting. Ecommerce and reseller hosting both operate under the shared hosting environment, though they are much more capable than a standard $10 per month shared hosting plot. The way the shared hosting environment behaves has a lot to do with what operating system is being used. If you are unsure whether to use Windows or Linux hosting then you may want to consider the following in rank.

Cost and Compatibility

When it comes to cost, Linux is the cheaper solution, primarily because Linux is an open source software that is inexpensive and simple to manage. Though, with that being said, Linux is also much more compatible with third party applications than Windows because Microsoft’s software is not open source. Windows web hosting of all types usually costs more because of the service involved with repairing bugs in the operating system when they occur. With Linux bugs can be fixed quickly and easily by anyone with the development experience. Even though Linux is more easily compatible with new development, it is vital to note that anyone preparation on using a server side Microsoft application will need a Windows hosting plot.

Reliability and Resources

When it comes to server resources there is not a huge difference between Windows shared hosting and Linux shared hosting, as both of them seem to perform the same until a bug arises. Though, once problems do occur, it seems as if Linux wins in terms of reliability because there is often a quicker fix available due to the open source nature of the operating system. As far as server resources are concerned, Windows shared hosting may be more limiting than Linux simply because Windows consumes more RAM to operate than Linux, which ultimately takes away from the amount of Ram you have allocated to your partition of the shared web server.

Popularity and Alternatives

In terms of popularity, Linux web hosting seems to have Windows beaten, even though there is a part of webmasters that prefer a Windows web hosting account due to their need to operate Microsoft software. It should be noted though that Windows Cloud VPS hosting is currently becoming more well loved than Linux VPS cloud hosting because it is a new addition to the hosting industry.

Some public like to use Linux dedicated hosting and then install a virtualization software in order to use Windows on a Linux hosting account. Though, this option is not available for shared Linux hosting, which means you have to choose between the two. Overall, if you are looking for the most convenient form of shared web hosting then you should consider Linux shared hosting.