Windows Server Hosting

For users who find that Windows shared hosting services aren’t able to meet their requirements because of the relatively low resource assignments, Windows server hosting services are available at an extra cost but also with added benefits. Windows server hosting services normally take the form of either Windows VPS servers or Windows dedicated servers, both of which will be able to provide you with a dedicated Windows web hosting environment. Although Windows server hosting can be expensive as is the case with any server hosting service, you will be provided with a level of flexibility greater than that which is offered by Windows shared hosting services; a Windows server hosting service will generally come with Remote Desktop access to the Windows GUI so you can manage your server easily without having to use the command line, as is the case with Linux server hosting services.

Although with a Windows VPS server you are stuck as to your choice of operating system, web hosting providers are a lot more open with the choices that they have to offer for Windows dedicated server hosting customers; there are usually several different versions of each Windows server operating system available and businesses are usually given a choice as to which edition they would like to use based on what their requirements are. Windows server hosting should only be considered if you feel that Linux server hosting services are unable to meet your requirements properly; such a situation may arise if you are looking to make the most of Microsoft SQL Server or any other Microsoft server applications including Microsoft Sharepoint and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. Windows server hosting is also recommended for those who wish host powerful classic ASP and ASP.NET applications in a dedicated web hosting environment as Windows is the only web hosting platform capable of hosting classic ASP and ASP.NET scripts and web pages; a Windows VPS server or Windows dedicated server will be able to provide you with a highly scalable web hosting environment that will be able to cope with high demand for the long term. When ordering a Windows dedicated server it is a good idea to purchase your web hosting service from a web hosting provider that will allow you to fully customize the hardware specifications of your server; most web hosting providers will allow you to choose the amount of RAM you have in your server, the amount of hard drive space you have available to use as well as how powerful your dedicated server’s processor is.

Advantages of Using Windows Server Hosting

There can be many advantages of using a Windows server hosting service and if indeed you are currently using a Windows shared hosting package, you will find that your web hosting environment is a lot more flexible when using a Windows server hosting service. The main advantage of using a Windows server hosting service has to be the dedicated hosting environment that a Windows VPS server or Windows dedicated server will be able to offer you, and this is the feature of any dedicated web hosting service that will provide you with the added flexibility; a dedicated web hosting environment will allow you to install any applications that you wish to use on your Windows VPS server or Windows dedicated server meaning that you can use your Windows server for practically any purpose as you see fit. A Windows VPS server or Windows dedicated server will be able to provide you with dedicated MSSQL hosting services as is required by larger businesses that require a highly scalable web hosting environment to ensure that their web applications are able to run effectively; although MSSQL databases are available with most Windows shared hosting packages, in order to make the most of the database server you should ideally be using a Windows VPS server or Windows dedicated server as this will also provide you with increased reliability. A Windows server hosting service can also provide businesses with the hosting environment that they require in order for their ASP.NET based web applications to function correctly, and in order to make the most of ASP.NET it is recommended that you use a Windows VPS server or Windows dedicated server as you can then allow your web application to be a lot more scalable; Windows web hosting services should only be considered if you have a distinct need for it, and in the situation where you are using classic ASP or ASP.NET you will find that you have no choice but to use a Windows web hosting package. In summary, the main advantages of Windows server hosting include:

  • Dedicated web hosting environment – a Windows server hosting service will be able to provide you with your own dedicated Windows web hosting environment that will allow you to install any applications of your choice on your Windows VPS server or Windows dedicated server – all Windows server hosting services will be accessible via Remote Desktop meaning that you will be able to manage your Windows VPS server or Windows dedicated server directly using the Windows GUI which can make it easier for some people – this is very different to Linux server hosting services with which you have to have good knowledge of the Linux command line as the only way that you will be able to manage your server is via SSH
  • Microsoft SQL Server hosting – a Windows server hosting service will benefit you if you are looking into using Microsoft SQL Server for your database hosting services as you will be able to benefit fully from the advantages that Microsoft SQL Server has to offer – when choosing a Windows server hosting service it is recommended that you choose to use the Windows Server 2008 operating system so that you are able to benefit fully from the advantages that Microsoft SQL Server 2008 has to offer – Microsoft SQL Server is a popular choice for larger businesses as it is a very scalable database solution when used with internal desktop applications or as part of a website that has been developed using classic ASP or ASP.NET, but the only prohibitive factor for most of using Microsoft SQL Server is the cost attached to doing so
  • ASP.NET web hosting – ASP.NET is one of the most popular scripting frameworks and is used by many large businesses to develop highly scalable web applications for hosting in a Windows web hosting environment – a Windows VPS server or Windows dedicated server will allow you to make the most of what ASP.NET has to offer since Windows shared hosting services generally limit you as to what you are able to do with certain scripting languages and the web scripts that you create – one of the biggest issues for many users in a shared hosting environment is the permissions that you are able to apply to folders and scripts within your web space, but this is unlikely to be an issue if you have your own Windows server hosting service.

The advantages of Windows server hosting show that as a business you may find Windows server hosting to be more beneficial to you from the outset than a Windows shared hosting package. Although Windows server hosting can be expensive, for most the investment is worth it.

Disadvantages of Windows Server Hosting

There can also be disadvantages to using Windows server hosting services, but such disadvantages are common to all server hosting services and so you shouldn’t be put off from using Windows server hosting services just because of the noted disadvantages. The first disadvantage that you are likely to find when using Windows server hosting services is the cost that is associated with any Windows server, but Windows dedicated servers in particular as dedicated server hosting is the only physical form of web hosting available meaning that a dedicated server is always going to cost you more; if you find it hard to justify the cost of a Windows server hosting service then you may want to consider a Windows shared hosting service since the likelihood is that it will be more suitable for your requirements. Server management is another common disadvantage of using server hosting services as you need to be well versed in the operating system that you are using if you wish to be able to effectively manage your Windows server hosting service; if you feel that the management of your Windows VPS server or Windows dedicated server could pose a challenge to you or your staff then you may wish to considered managed Windows web hosting for your requirements, and at the end of the day when spending a large amount on your web hosting service you want to be able to make the most of it. The reliability of Windows web hosting services can be called into question in some situations and when using a Windows VPS server you shouldn’t come to expect high levels of reliability from your web hosting service, but if you are using a Windows dedicated server then there is no reason why you should be provided with an unreliable web hosting experience; if reliability is important to you then you should consider a high end Windows dedicated server for your requirements and shouldn’t settle for any less. You will find that the main disadvantages of using Windows server hosting include:

  • Price – although server hosting services are never going to be cheap, Windows server hosting is going to cost you more than Linux server hosting since web hosting providers have to factor the cost of the Windows operating system license into the prices that they charge for their Windows VPS servers and Windows dedicated servers – however, Windows server hosting services are usually aimed at businesses that have a specific need for Windows web hosting meaning that for them the price of their web hosting service doesn’t really matter, but what does matter is finding a web hosting package that is capable of meeting their requirements and will be able to do so for a long time to come
  • Server management – if you wish to make the most of your Windows server hosting service then it is important for you to ensure that you will be able to manage it properly, or if this is going to be a problem then you may wish to consult a managed web hosting provider as this may benefit you further – although the management of a Windows VPS server or Windows dedicated server is made slightly easier by the fact that you have direct access to the Windows GUI, in order to be able to configure your Windows server correctly you need to be sure of what you are doing as one wrong move could potentially damage your server thus meaning that you would need to reload it, a simple job with a Windows VPS server but a costly and time consuming job with a Windows dedicated server
  • Reliability – more and more web hosting providers are now working to ensure that their web hosting services are as reliable as they can be these days as customers are expecting more in terms of server reliability – although server hosting services should be rather reliable, the Windows operating system isn’t known for its reliability which could cause some issues but a properly managed Windows VPS server or Windows dedicated server should be able to provide you with levels of uptime that can’t be achieved with any lower forms of web hosting – one tip to help ensure the stability of your Windows server hosting service is to choose a server that is of a slightly higher specification that that of what you actually require.

The disadvantages of Windows server hosting shouldn’t affect you if your requirements show that Windows server hosting is the only form of web hosting that will be capable of meeting your requirements. It’s just important for you to ensure that you have the groundwork laid beforehand meaning that you will be able to afford your Windows server and have made the necessary provisions that will allow you to make sure that it’s managed properly.

In conclusion, a Windows VPS server or Windows dedicated server is the ideal solution for any business looking for a scalable Windows web hosting environment that can be used for the hosting of Microsoft SQL Server databases and ASP.NET web pages. Although the cost of Windows server hosting may be prohibitive for some, it is important to weigh up the benefits to you of using a Windows server hosting service against the cost.