tss0 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Ah, Windows. We all love to make fun of it. We proudly run our sites from our shiny Linux-based hosting, and we laugh at those who even suggest Windows Server, but does it have a place? Why would one use a Windows server over Linux? It's more expensive and the GUI probably slows things down, but there must be an advantage if so many people use it over Linux. What could that be? The obvious thing is Microsoft technologies like ASP.NET and MS-SQL, but are there other reasons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Nathan Posted March 21, 2012 Administrators Share Posted March 21, 2012 I don't make fun of it If the cost was close at all I would use a Windows box, but the up charge for Windows and MSSQL are insane. I would much rather be on MSSQL than MYSQL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHiLL Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 The problem with these arguments, is that people only take into account web-based servers or hosting. But what about in the enterprise, such as businesses/offices or educational establishments? Our school wouldn't run well at all if it wasn't on a Windows environment. With Active Directory, software deployment, group policy...there's nothing that even comes close to it. For business and educational networks, Windows servers are essential in my eyes. legalize 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tss0 Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 I don't make fun of it If the cost was close at all I would use a Windows box, but the up charge for Windows and MSSQL are insane. I would much rather be on MSSQL than MYSQL. Why do you prefer MSSQL over MySQL? I'm not questioning it -- I haven't used MSSQL, but what's better about it? The problem with these arguments, is that people only take into account web-based servers or hosting. But what about in the enterprise, such as businesses/offices or educational establishments? Our school wouldn't run well at all if it wasn't on a Windows environment. With Active Directory, software deployment, group policy...there's nothing that even comes close to it. For business and educational networks, Windows servers are essential in my eyes. This topic was mostly targeted at web services. Active Directory will obviously require Windows Server. How does Windows Server perform with web hosting that you sell to end users? Is it secure? Is there a worthy cPanel-like application? I guess my big question still remains... If I'm a lucky webmaster with a typical PHP/MySQL application that has grown to the size of requiring a dedicated server, why should I pay more for Windows when Linux is readily available and trusted by many large websites? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Nathan Posted March 21, 2012 Administrators Share Posted March 21, 2012 I prefer it because I learned SQL on Microsoft SQL Server 2000 then moved on to 2005 and 2008 versions. I know the T-SQL is close for query syntax, but there are still little differences that are annoying between the two. I used DTS and SSIS Packages a lot as well, I don't see any solution for this with MYSQL. I also have no knowledge of how to deal with large databases on MYSQL. I can do things on MS-SQL in a matter of seconds that will run on MYSQL for hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHiLL Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 This topic was mostly targeted at web services. Active Directory will obviously require Windows Server. How does Windows Server perform with web hosting that you sell to end users? Is it secure? Is there a worthy cPanel-like application? I guess my big question still remains... If I'm a lucky webmaster with a typical PHP/MySQL application that has grown to the size of requiring a dedicated server, why should I pay more for Windows when Linux is readily available and trusted by many large websites? Ah, I see. We do host a website (Moodle - a virtual learning platorm) on a Windows server. Though we use Xamp as the hosting application, rather than something like IIS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tss0 Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 *Why* use the Windows server, though? What does it do that a Linux server wouldn't? Moodle is all PHP/MySQL which Linux is perfectly capable of. If you're a Microsoft salesman trying to convince me to use Windows Server instead of Linux for my ever-growing PHP/MySQL-powered forum, what would you say? Given that, this theoretical forum has no need for MSSQL or anything like that, and a fully managed Linux server is still cheaper than a Windows box, so you can't really give me ease of use either. My point is, I'm legitimately curious why anyone would pay more for a Windows server where Linux would suffice. This isn't about desktops where you need to worry about drivers and compatibility and such, a headless web server will run on almost anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEddy Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Windows servers are for people who run Windows made scripts that Linux can't run. And sometimes, it's faster than Linux. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHiLL Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 *Why* use the Windows server, though? What does it do that a Linux server wouldn't? Moodle is all PHP/MySQL which Linux is perfectly capable of. If you're a Microsoft salesman trying to convince me to use Windows Server instead of Linux for my ever-growing PHP/MySQL-powered forum, what would you say? Given that, this theoretical forum has no need for MSSQL or anything like that, and a fully managed Linux server is still cheaper than a Windows box, so you can't really give me ease of use either. My point is, I'm legitimately curious why anyone would pay more for a Windows server where Linux would suffice. This isn't about desktops where you need to worry about drivers and compatibility and such, a headless web server will run on almost anything. I'm not bigging up Windows or anything, I know they're better generally in the web-content hosting department. However we used Windows server because, well, we just did. We have the licenses. None of the team I work with, including myself have much Linux experience. legalize 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tss0 Posted March 30, 2012 Author Share Posted March 30, 2012 None of you have given me a real reason to choose Windows over Linux for a PHP/MySQL application (having a license doesn't count), so I'm going to assume there isn't one. @TheMightyEddy, do you have some benchmarks to support that? The unnecessary GUI probably just slows things down, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legalize Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 For a Linux admin there would be no reason and make no sense to use a Windows Server for hosting php/mySQL, same as it would make no sense for a Windows server admin to use a Linux box. Both take proper configuration and upkeep and that's why you have Linux administrators and Windows administrators. As for the GUI comment, install Server Core and your argument is no longer valid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tss0 Posted April 3, 2012 Author Share Posted April 3, 2012 For a Linux admin there would be no reason and make no sense to use a Windows Server for hosting php/mySQL, same as it would make no sense for a Windows server admin to use a Linux box. Both take proper configuration and upkeep and that's why you have Linux administrators and Windows administrators. As for the GUI comment, install Server Core and your argument is no longer valid. It isn't that simple. A Windows admin could consider a Linux server to save on licensing costs, at no functionality or performance loss. It doesn't work the other way around unless you want to pointlessly piss away money. I'll give your point some merit, but it does nothing for someone server-neutral. I don't know what Server Core is, I'm going to assume it replaces the whole UI with a shell prompt. That's fair enough but it isn't going to offer me anything a Linux shell wouldn't for a web server. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legalize Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 You're missing the whole point. A Windows admin can not configure and properly run a Linux box nor troubleshoot it when the time comes, same the other way around. Sure he can save on the license and run a Linux box with simple configurations but when the site goes down for hours or even days and the company/client starts pissing away thousands in sales he's out of a job and all of a sudden the license cost doesn't look so bad. No one here is trying to tell you that one runs a simple PHP or mySQL server better than the other, but in some cases it will be up to the software that can only run on one or the other. For a company though it will make no difference financially. Either don't pay for a license but pay more for a Linux admin or pay for a Windows license and pay less for the admins. So really your question has no meaning to anyone other than a person looking to host a personal website on their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 legalize I believe that what tss0 is trying to ask the question 'If you had $1,000,000 a team of super smart brain nerds and a magic wand' why would you choose Windows over Linux?' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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