Just like your desktop require an operating system for one to be able to use it, a web site too requires to be hosted on a web server so you it can be accesses by web visitor. There are numerous web servers and server platforms prividing these services on the web today. But each has got its advantages and disadvantages and so it is valuable of you to opt brightly so that you make the best our the web site server or the operation system you chose.
Research done by Netcraft has found out that Unix and Linux running Apache internet web site hosting server and Window NT/2000 running Internet Information Server are the most popular platforms and web servers today. The former is up by 60.17% and the later by 30.78%. Apart from these, there are many other web servers like SunONE, Weblogics, Zues etc. But we can say from the amount of popularity of Apache web server and Microsoft's Windows NT/2000 is that they are compatible with most computers and machines.
When we talk of a platform, it's more like an operation system in computers. Web hosting servers need these operating systems to enable them to run well and perform various tasks. But when talking of web site hosting servers, the operating system is known as platform. The most common platform is the UNIX, which is preferred by most web hosts who use FreeBSD, Linus, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003 is another platform that is doing well in terms of market share and popularity as a web server platform.
One part you should look upon before determining which platform for turn to, is the prerequisite of your web site. If you are making a simple web that will only need HTML to make and run, then you don't have to be too fastidious about the platform to pick. But if you demand to run dynamic content which might want to use functionalities such as CGI scripts, PHP, JSP, SSI or ASP, then you are advised to opt UNIX platform web hosting.
About the Author:
http://bluehost-hostgator.com/
