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WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 8:12:43 AM   
Stephann


Posts: 4214
Joined: 12/27/2006
From: Portland, OR
Status: offline 		Welcome to WWIII.

This battle's been fought long and hard before, but it's something I'm trying to decide for myself, at home.  I'm planning to run a small site, medium secure, on a Pentium 3 machine.  Would you use a Microsoft or Linux based solution?

Thanks,

Stephan


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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 8:28:24 AM   
Aubre


Posts: 478
Joined: 12/9/2004
Status: offline 		Ubuntu Server.

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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 8:29:54 AM   
Xeath


Posts: 12
Joined: 12/10/2006
Status: offline 		What NOS are you familiar with? Personally I would utilize Linux as it is more robust and can be more secure than Windows. If you like the Windows feel try looking at Fedora or some other versiosn of Linux that have the Windows GUI.

Xeath

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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 8:34:54 AM   
BlackPhx


Posts: 3432
Joined: 11/8/2006
Status: offline 		However if you do use Ubuntu, be prepared to spend several hours downloading and configuring all the parts you will need. Grab a good book on Ubuntu as well, it will help. Master installs networks and data capture equipment for a living and Ubuntu had him growling.

http://www.hotscripts.com/ is a good site to help you get started with PHP and the scripts you will need.

poenkitten

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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 8:37:41 AM   
badprofessor


Posts: 515
Joined: 12/11/2007
From: Toronto, Canada
Status: offline 		Amiga.

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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 11:09:48 AM   
DomKen


Posts: 19457
Joined: 7/4/2004
From: Chicago, IL
Status: offline 		If you're expecting low traffic and only modest security needs it is really a matter of personal preference.

I'd avoid ubuntu despite a lot of linux fans really loving it I've found it hard to configure for real use as anything but a desktop machine. If I was going Linux and wanted a free one I'd go with Fedora.

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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 12:50:25 PM   
brainiacsub


Posts: 1209
Joined: 11/11/2007
From: San Antonio, TX
Status: offline 		Stephan, don't listen to all the Windows naysayers. I am technology agnostic, and for what you are trying to do, it will be fine. You could use Windows successfully for 10x the site you are trying to build. If you like Linux, know it, and can support it, then knock youself out. Let that be the criteria you choose to decide. Performance and security only become an issue when you are talking about maybe the top 1% of all hosted sites. I doubt yours qualifies.

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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 1:24:40 PM   
stef


Posts: 10215
Joined: 1/26/2004
Status: offline 		How dare you derail the frothing zealots before they ever had a chance, you big meanie!

Stephen, either Windows or *nix will do what you want.  Use whichever you're more comfortable administering.

~stef


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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 1:49:16 PM   
brainiacsub


Posts: 1209
Joined: 11/11/2007
From: San Antonio, TX
Status: offline 		Derail? The hell you say. I was trying to incite.

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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 1:53:30 PM   
ottRopesandKnots


Posts: 105
Joined: 9/12/2007
Status: offline 		You'll be fine either way, use what you're most comfortable with and can keep maintained with security patches.  Address the functionality you'd like to deliver and make sure you can find tools for your OS of choice to provide that functionality on your website.  If you're just delivering simple HTML pages it will be a piece of cake, if you want to add forums, voting, file uploads and other fancy capabilities it becomes more complex.  Assess what you want to do, evaluate the tools based on that.

A benefit towards the Linux solution is the cost, and the low processing power of the system you plan on using which Windows may not like much. 

More important if you're going to run this on a home network is to keep a good firewall in front of the machine to only allow access to the specific ports you need open (probably http on port 80 if it is a simple website, maybe also 443 for SSL encrypted http sessions if you transmit passwords and such).  Also, ensure the server is isolated from the rest of your home network so if it is compromised you don't need to worry about the rest of your home network.  This may be as simple as placing the server in a DMZ via your router/firewall.

I've built two professional Web App products on the microsoft platform, and one site back in the day using Linux and Cold Fusion.  I generally choose the right tool for the right job based off my needs.

< Message edited by ottRopesandKnots -- 2/21/2008 2:04:27 PM >

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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 1:57:47 PM   
ottRopesandKnots


Posts: 105
Joined: 9/12/2007
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: brainiacsub
security only become an issue when you are talking about maybe the top 1% of all hosted sites. I doubt yours qualifies.


That is completely untrue.  There are automated systems trolling the internet constantly seeking access to new servers.  My router gets countless hits daily.  A compromised system may not mean much to the owner of that system, but that system can then be used in turn to attack other people's systems.  Be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem, don't let people hijack your computing power.

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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 2:54:20 PM   
brainiacsub


Posts: 1209
Joined: 11/11/2007
From: San Antonio, TX
Status: offline 		Actually, you misunderstood, or either I was not clear. I am not saying don't worry about security. I was saying that Windows is just as secure, if not more so, in most circumstances as Linux and that the choice between Linux and Windows should not be based on a belief that one is more secure than others except in about 1% of sites.

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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 3:08:14 PM   
Admin


Posts: 111
Joined: 1/1/2004
Status: offline 		IIS6 is a great web server but it's not going to run well on a P3 boxen. 

Check out ClarkConnect Community Edition.  It's free, runs on RHEL4, and does a lot of hand-holding.




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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 3:08:57 PM   
DomKen


Posts: 19457
Joined: 7/4/2004
From: Chicago, IL
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: ottRopesandKnots

quote:

ORIGINAL: brainiacsub
security only become an issue when you are talking about maybe the top 1% of all hosted sites. I doubt yours qualifies.


That is completely untrue.  There are automated systems trolling the internet constantly seeking access to new servers.  My router gets countless hits daily.  A compromised system may not mean much to the owner of that system, but that system can then be used in turn to attack other people's systems.  Be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem, don't let people hijack your computing power.

Bots are scanning for known exploits. Keep your system patched properly and use a good firewall and you have nothing to fear from a bot.

Hosting a website that is not going to take credit card numbers or other identifying info is almost as straightforward. You'll want to configure the network, if there is one, so that the web server is in a DMZ while the rest of the network remains fully secure. Even then configuring the outside router/firewall to eat pings etc. is a good idea even though it may make troubleshooting some issues harder.

Of course your security needs are entirely related to what the website does and how it does it.

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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 4:17:12 PM   
farglebargle


Posts: 10715
Joined: 6/15/2005
From: Albany, NY
Status: offline 		If it's a revenue producer, go with Red Hat Enterprise with a subscription for updates.

You can use a Fedora box for development, and it's nice to know that Red Hat will handle updates.

If it's a J2EE project, you can have the Distro install and configure Tomcat. Drop in your .jar file, and it should just run.



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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 7:22:21 PM   
Aubre


Posts: 478
Joined: 12/9/2004
Status: offline 		When he said Pentium III, I instantly thought of Ubuntu Server. It doesn't come with a resource-wasting GUI and is easily administered through Webmin. What version of Windows Server runs well on a Pentium III?

Security is less operating system specific and more user specific. A negligent user can cause any system to be insecure.

Patch administration in Ubuntu is fairly easy, you just do a

sudo aptitude update

put in your password and away you go.

Ubuntu isn't hard, and you can get lots of help from the forums and IRC, 24/7.



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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 8:32:01 PM   
MusicalBoredom


Posts: 620
Joined: 5/8/2007
From: Louisiana/New York
Status: offline 		I use both regularly.  Depends on what the application actually is.  If you are using some content management system then you are probably going to be using both php and mysql.  (I do like drupal as a cms btw.)  I have used both on IIS on windows but it is a pain.  Apache on windows makes all of that a little easier, but if I am using php, mysql, apache then it is usually easier to install and configure on linux than windows.  As mentioned above, webmin is a really nice web based interface for configuring your server without having to know anything about config files and text based editors.  If your app is asp based then Windows it is.  If it's pure html them I don't think it really matters.  Good luck.

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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 8:38:42 PM   
celticlord2112


Posts: 5732
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Stephann

Welcome to WWIII.

This battle's been fought long and hard before, but it's something I'm trying to decide for myself, at home.  I'm planning to run a small site, medium secure, on a Pentium 3 machine.  Would you use a Microsoft or Linux based solution?

Thanks,

Stephan



Centos
FreeBSD



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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 8:47:07 PM   
celticlord2112


Posts: 5732
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: brainiacsub

Stephan, don't listen to all the Windows naysayers. I am technology agnostic, and for what you are trying to do, it will be fine. You could use Windows successfully for 10x the site you are trying to build. If you like Linux, know it, and can support it, then knock youself out. Let that be the criteria you choose to decide. Performance and security only become an issue when you are talking about maybe the top 1% of all hosted sites. I doubt yours qualifies.


Stephann, do listen to the Windows naysayers.  I've deployed hundreds of webservers on both Linux/Unix and Windows platforms.  The comparisons aren't even close.  Linux is more stable, will require less maintenance day-to-day, is intrinsically more secure, and is overall vastly superior to anything Microsoft puts out.


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RE: WebServer: Linux or Windows 2003? - 2/21/2008 10:48:41 PM   
DomKen


Posts: 19457
Joined: 7/4/2004
From: Chicago, IL
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: celticlord2112

quote:

ORIGINAL: brainiacsub

Stephan, don't listen to all the Windows naysayers. I am technology agnostic, and for what you are trying to do, it will be fine. You could use Windows successfully for 10x the site you are trying to build. If you like Linux, know it, and can support it, then knock youself out. Let that be the criteria you choose to decide. Performance and security only become an issue when you are talking about maybe the top 1% of all hosted sites. I doubt yours qualifies.


Stephann, do listen to the Windows naysayers.  I've deployed hundreds of webservers on both Linux/Unix and Windows platforms.  The comparisons aren't even close.  Linux is more stable, will require less maintenance day-to-day, is intrinsically more secure, and is overall vastly superior to anything Microsoft puts out.

I deploy dozens of web apps a year with most being on Windows since that is where our company's expertise lies. A good competent hosting service will give you virtually identical up times and security. I've never had a security breach of a windows app website. Early last year we had to stop supporting Linux based sites using phpBB which was the source of seemingly continuous script kiddie attacks.

Then there is the database issue. mySQL is a nice database for personal use and has made great strides in filling in the "I won't buy any actual software for my webhost machine" database niche but it still doesn't compare in quality to SQL Server and every time we go looking for a webhost with shared Oracle DB servers they always comes in at a higher price point than Windows based hosting with shared SQL Server boxes.

When a company comes to us and wants a commercial web app we virtually always find ourselves going in a kind of odd pattern. If its a simple project that can be done in php and requires minimal database support we pitch it for Linux. If the customer wants a larger more complex site and collects sensitive data we almost always go with a Win host with ASPX or an .exe with a seperate SQL server box. For the rare project involving serious load issues and high end data management issues we wind up going to high end hosting with *nix server farms, we actually prefer Solaris, with seperate dedicated Oracle DB boxes.

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