Linux Server Or Windows Server - Which One Should A Business Choose?

The selection between Windows Server and Linux Server can be quite difficult for people who are unknown to both of these technologies. Thus, to simplify things for entrepreneurs and start-up owners, this article discusses both these servers comparatively. 

The operating system a business use for servers directly depends on business needs, IT expertise available, and the software that a business uses. 

What is a Linux Server?

Linux is an open-source operating system and platform that allows distributions like Ubuntu and Fedora. The term “open-source” means the source code of Linux available for coders to update and change the way the user wants and the user can also edit features and fix bugs. Since it is open-source, it is also free and therefore, a great option for entrepreneurs and businesses that have limited budget.     

The user is only charged for technical support to install and maintain the program if needed. Thus, Linux servers don’t add additional costs for use. It also means a business owner or the employee handling the server must be tech-savvy to solve all problems that come with maintenance, upgrade, or anything. 

Fortunately, to make things easier, a business can choose to hire Managed Linux server services to carry out technical work. Should any issue arise, the professionals will be there to resolve it quickly.  

What is a Windows Server?

Windows server is designed by Microsoft and a more popular and commonly used server. Users receive better support from Windows servers than Linux and thus, also need to pay for using its services. 

The benefit that comes with the price is that Windows applications can be integrated right away without any additional tools. Plus, if a business uses the majority of Windows applications and services, it makes more sense to use and run them on a native platform, i.e. Windows Server. 

What are the advantages of choosing Linux Server over Windows Server?

There are several advantages of choosing a Linux Server and some of them are:

• It is highly cost-effective as a company needs to pay for only technical support and maintenance. However, with Windows Servers, a company must pay for the operating system and a periodic use license. 

• It is compatible with other open-source software products and provides an easy interface for a seamless experience. 

• Linux servers and the applications they use generally consume fewer resources because they run lean and the bonus is that a programmer can modify Linux easily without rebooting. This is not possible with the Windows server. 

• Linux is not hacking-proof but it tends to be a low-profile target for hackers; therefore, is more secure than Windows - which is low-hanging fruit for hackers. 

What are the advantages of Windows Server over Linux Server?

Some of the advantages for which Windows server have become popular are as follows:

• As said above, Windows servers come with better support and services through Microsoft itself and its resellers. However, Linux is more or less supported as it is open-source. 

• Windows applications like Outlook and Office integrate with Windows server more readily. But, if a business uses a Linux server, they must buy interface software called Windows Emulator and pay for Windows licensing to run Windows programs. 

• If a business runs a database backend based on Microsoft SQL, it will run only on Windows and not on Linux server without a Windows emulator. Besides, if the business also requires scripting frameworks like ASP and ASP.Net, then also Windows server is needed to run scripts and web pages. 

• If a business needs remote desktop access with a user-friendly GUI, a Windows server is the right option instead of a Linux server which runs command-line programming. 

With a managed Linux server, a business doesn’t have to struggle with maintenance, support, backup, and recovery. If entrepreneurs and startup owners don’t use applications that strictly require Windows servers, choosing a managed Linux server could be a very cost-effective choice. 

About This Author

SolaDrive https://www.soladrive.com/ SolaDrive providing managed VPS and dedicated servers. Joined: July 20th, 2020