Windows Hosting

What Is Windows Hosting?

Windows hosting is website hosting using the Windows operating system. Since most common web hosting plan options run on Linux, you can often assume that when a web hosting company doesn’t specify a Windows hosting plan, it’s Linux hosting. .

But for some website owners, Windows server hosting is a better option, and it’s important to look for a plan that offers specific features.

3 Pros of Windows Hosting

Windows hosting isn’t for everyone, but it offers unique benefits for the right business.

1. It runs on the familiar Windows operating system (OS).

Windows is the most popular operating system in the world. The current version of the operating system alone has over 400 million users, and some estimates put the total number of users at over a billion. The Windows system is well known and easy to use for millions of people all over the world.

That said, when it comes to web hosting, most website owners don’t have direct access to the web server’s operating system. For Linux hosting you usually use cPanel, and for Windows server hosting you can choose the Plesk control panel.
But for anyone planning to use the server UI directly, Windows hosting offers a more intuitive user experience than the Linux UI.

2. It provides compatibility with other Windows tools.

For many companies, this is the main reason for choosing Windows hosting. If your business relies on many other Windows tools, choosing a web hosting platform that is compatible with the various other software products and solutions you rely on will make your life easier.

Windows Server is required if your website is built using ASP.NET Virtual Hosting.
Companies that use Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) Server for their websites and databases will also need to stick with Windows Server hosting. The same is true if your company uses Microsoft Exchange as your corporate email server and Microsoft Sharepoint for project management and team collaboration.

Basically, the more your business depends on Windows programs, the more you will need Windows server hosting. You can always be sure that your web hosting platform is compatible with all other legacy programs. Even better, you can be sure that when your operating system and related apps are updated, you don’t have to worry about losing functionality to other apps that depend on it, because everything comes from the same company.
Another point to consider is that most companies that use many Windows-based tools already employ a number of support staff knowledgeable in using, maintaining, and updating Windows programs. People who already know how to manage your Windows products will have no problem using your Windows server hosting.

3. It comes with the easy-to-use Plesk control panel.

There’s cPanel for Linux web hosting and the Plesk Control Panel for Windows hosting (although it’s worth noting that Plesk is also an available option for Linux hosting, but not as commonly used as cPanel). While many users already familiar with the operating system can use the Windows Server hosting interface directly, those who want something more user-friendly can rely on Plesk’s control panel to update and modify more. easily the production of your website.
Plesk provides an intuitive user interface that lets you create and manage multiple websites and domains, configure email accounts, and manage reseller accounts. Unlike cPanel, it is more geared towards the needs of business website and application owners. It is compatible with content management systems (CMS) like WordPress, Drupal and Joomla.
Plesk offers many different extensions that companies can use to add more functionality to the control panel, many of which improve website security, improve website performance, or add new applications to websites.

3 Cons of Windows Hosting

While the benefits of Windows server hosting are enormous, there’s a reason Linux is the default choice for web hosting solutions. Windows hosting is great for what it does, but it also has some notable downsides.

1. It’s not as secure as Linux hosting.

In recent years, websites running on Windows have been victims of ransomware attacks more often than Linux. For this reason, Linux hosting is often considered a safer option for websites.

For commercial websites, security is an important consideration, especially if you sell products through your website and thus collect sensitive financial information from your customers. But even if you don’t have an e-commerce website, letting hackers block your website for hours or days is not good for business and your overall reputation.

While Linux web hosting beats Windows hosting in the security category, which of the two you choose is just one of many factors that can affect your website’s security.
Even if you’re using Windows hosting, there’s a lot you can do to protect your website from hackers by making sure the web hosting company you choose invests in basic protections, adding additional security software or extensions to your website, and all website software keeps up to date. what you use and be careful about the level of access you provide to different workers on the website.

2. It’s more expensive.

Windows hosting costs a bit more than Linux hosting, but the difference is very small. For example, HostGator’s Linux-based plans start at $2.75 per month, while our Windows hosting plans start at $4.76. With both types of web hosting plans, the cost increases as the site needs grow, but even for the enterprise plan, Windows hosting is only $14.
36 per month.
For most businesses making a decision, especially those that already rely on many Windows products and systems, these numbers should be manageable, even if Windows hosting costs more.

3. It can be less stable.

Linux servers have a reputation for being extremely reliable. They rarely need to be charged and can handle many functions at the same time without any problem. Windows servers, on the other hand, tend to have a harder time handling a large number of applications and tasks simultaneously without interruption. As with any technology on the web, Windows servers have improved in this area over time and can be expected to continue to do so, but their performance is generally not as consistent as that of servers. Linux.

That said, this is another area where choosing the right network provider can make a big difference.
Windows hosting companies that offer a 99.9% uptime guarantee promise to have taken every precaution to keep their Windows servers running as continuously as possible. With proper attention to maintenance and preparation, a good web hosting provider can help overcome the difference in server reliability between Windows and Linux hosting.