What is Windows?
It is an operating system for computers produced by Microsoft. Together with it comes applications like Excel and Word . Not only is it the preferred choice in a majority of companies, it is also the most widespread system available in homes.
Is it possible to use a Windows-based system for hosting?
Of course. Every day, the number of people preferring Windows based hosting platform is increasing. Due to the increase in the features, content and quality of Windows-based web-design software, Windows has fast become more appealing over the years.
Why to select Windows hosting?
It is recommended that you use Windows machines when Microsoft technologies are needed or desired. Internet Information Server (IIS is a group of servers which also has additional capabilities compatible with Microsoft's Windows 2000 and Windows NT operating systems) is the standard for ASP and ASP.NET, and is necessary if you are going to use databases of Windows, such as Access and SQL Server. Since components such as COM or ISAPI were developed using a programming language based on Windows, Windows hosting becomes a requirement if you decide to use any of these components.
What kinds of scripting languages can be used with Windows hosting?
Currently, the most important scripting languages are ASP.NET, ASP,and PHP. Using these scripting languages is quite easy as tutorials, introductions and sample scripts can be found on the Internet.
Is it possible to find pre-made codes for a web site hosted on Windows?
Of course. There are quite a few pre-made codes and programs developed for Windows servers. The range of programs is fairly wide in terms of their functions from basic components to enterprise applications. Similarly, the price also ranges from free to expensive. It is easy to find web sites on the net that will provide you with your needs for Windows web site development, and supply links to both purchased and free software.
Which database options can be used with Windows hosting?
This mainly depends on the hosting provider selected to host the web site. There are many varieties of databases available for Windows, but the most common among web hosting providers are Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Access and MySQL. Except for Access, these databases are all relational in nature, and enable highly optimized communication with your web site so that information is retrieved in the quickest way. In essence though, Microsoft Access databases are just database files created with Microsoft Access which the web server can read and write to. Access databases do not offer as much processing power as the other databases do.
When searching for a Windows hosting, what are the main concerns?
Make sure that your provider is a well-known, established one. There are people or firms out there looking for the opportunity to make quick money without providing good service, so make sure that you do business with a well-established company. The next point you need to check out is its technical abilities. Are their technicians qualified enough? How is their Internet connection quality? Do they give any guarantees with regard to uptime and customer support? All of these are vital questions when trying to find a Windows hosting provider.
What kind of qualifications should I look for a Windows host?
The management and support staff must be well trained to deal with all the problems related with hosting and networking on the Windows-based platform. The two certifications that are widely accepted are the MCSE and the MCSA. The MCSE certification includes everything from the planning to implementation of Microsoft Windows server solutions. The MCSA is an administration certification for the maintenance and management off computing environments.
Glossary of terms:
ASP
ASP is basically an HTML page but it includes one or more scripts that are processed on a Microsoft Web server and is a feature of the Microsoft IIS (Internet Information Server).
ASP.NET
It is the next generation of Active Server Page (ASP), a feature of Microsoft's Internet Information Server (IIS). The main differences are:
- ASP.NET supports code written in compiled languages such as C++, C#, Perl and Visual Basic,
- ASP.NET can separate the code from the content, allowing WYSIWYG editing of pages.
PHP
PHP is a script language. It is used primarily on Linux and unix web servers and is free of charge.
MCSA
Administration of systems and networks based on the Microsoft Windows® platforms.
MCSE
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers (MCSEs) analyze business requirements to design and implement an infrastructure solution based on the Windows platform and Microsoft Servers software.
SQL SERVER
This is Microsoft's SQL based database server. It's speed and processing power are among the best available in the industry today.
Uptime
Uptime is a computer industry term for the time during which a computer is operational. Downtime is the time when it isn't operational. Uptime is sometimes measured in terms of a percentile. For example, one standard for uptime that is sometimes discussed is a goal called five 9s - that is, a computer that is operational 99.999 percent of the time.
