Which Dedicated Server?

For complete control of the web server hosting your web site, you will need your own dedicated server hosting. Dedicated Servers allow you to choose what runs on the server, its security levels and any configuration settings. Different dedicated server operating systems are available and the main two operating systems used are Linux and Windows.

Linux Dedicated Server Hosting

These servers come with the free Operating System Linux installed on them. The main configuration setup of software on a cheap linux dedicated server is to use Apache as the web server, in addition to PHP and mySQL. On these servers, you will be given root access to control all aspects including php setup configuration, operating system patches and apache add on settings. Linux servers are typically cheaper than the windows servers, as the operating system does not cost the service provider anything.

Windows Dedicated Server Hosting

As the name of a Windows Server implies, this will be running a Windows Server operating system on the server. You will normally see the newest version of Microsoft Windows Server 2008 running on these servers. Unlike the Linux server, these are typically running IIS as the web server and SQL server for the database side. The option to run Apache on the dedicated web server is available on Windows by running a WAMP (Windows, Apache, mySql, PHP) configuration setup. Windows servers do typically cost more because windows is not a free operating system, like the Linux OS is.

The reason to pick Linux or Windows for your dedicated server really will depend on the server owners needs. With different needs comes different choices. Those looking for a cheap dedicated server solution will want to purchase the cheaper Linux servers. Linux servers will also be the first choice for those running PHP applications requiring a mySql database. If you plan to develop using Microsoft .Net, you will need to select a Windows Server, and you will typically get SQL server database with it. The choice ultimately depends on what you will be running on the server.

While you have chosen the operating system, you will then need to decide if you want to pick a managed or unmanaged dedicated server solutions. Managed indicates the provider will do OS patch upgrades and installations, while unmanaged means everything except the power on the server going down is your responsibility.