If you are a regular computer user, you may have found only the consumer-oriented editions of
Windows. But did you know that Microsoft also publishes a complete Windows Server line of its operating system?

Let’s take a look at the differences between Windows Server and normal Windows. We will see what Windows Server includes, what it excludes and why it is so different.

What is the Windows server?

Windows Server is a server operating system from Microsoft Corporation. Unlike
the UNIX-based operating system, Windows Server provides easy management
through its interface. The Windows Sever web hosting environment
supports key programming languages ​​and databases such as .NET Core,
ASP.NET, PHP, MySQL and MS SQL.

Microsoft has published Windows Server with that name since Windows Server 2003 was launched in April 2003. However, even before this, Windows versions of the server were available. For example, Windows NT 4.0 was available on both workstations (for general use) and servers.

In almost all cases, normal users do not need to worry about Windows Server. You will not find it on the store shelf or accidentally download it from Microsoft when you want to get the standard version. But it is still interesting to meet him.

What are the advantages of Windows Server?

Windows Server was developed and sold by Microsoft. The company constantly offers support and updates. Users familiar with Windows will find themselves using Windows Server. Most people who use Windows Server Hosting use ASP.NET, a free Web framework to create websites and web applications using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This is the main reason why people switch to Windows Server hosting. Users can develop a Web site using a familiar interface for Microsoft tools such as Web Deploy and Visual Studio. By using ASP.NET, users can develop a database-based Web site by using a Microsoft SQL database. Windows Server can also run PHP and MySQL, the most popular programming and database software. Therefore, Windows Server is versatile for web hosting users.

What are the disadvantages of Windows Server?

A: Unlike UNIX, Windows Server requires more system resources. You need a powerful device to run Windows Server. Windows Server does not have a good reputation for server stability. Windows Server needs to be restarted more frequently than UNIX. If you use Windows Server hosting services, you may find yourself investing a lot of money in development tools. Mostly Microsoft products. The costs of applications that can run on your website are usually higher than the cost of Unix. For example, you can find a lot of free scripts to run the web panel, chat room, web stats, email (and more) for a UNIX-based website, but you won’t find many free apps in the Windows Server world.

What is the difference between Windows Server and UNIX?

A: Microsoft Windows Server and UNIX (with many varieties or flavors, including Linux, AIX, Solaris, and more) are computer operating systems. Both Windows Server and high-quality UNIX applications serve as enterprise application servers that can be used for a variety of critical purposes, including, but not limited to, hosting websites, email and databases. Windows Server was developed by Microsoft and is a pioneering in many ways for its software solutions.

UNIX’s development roots begin about 30 years ago – in partnership with the University of Berkeley and AT&T Bell Laboratories. UNIX is often referred to as an “open system”, which means that its source code is publicly available. This has advantages and disadvantages. Although it has allowed thousands of developers from around the world working for different companies to contribute to its development, it is also more complex and less coordinated.

The famous cPanel control panel only works on UNIX. It is the most used control panel due to its low price and ease of use. You’ll usually find a low-cost hosting package on cPanel / Linux. Web Host Control Panel is a web-based tool that allows users to manage domain, hosting account, FTP, email, database and all other features. The choice of Control Panel is very limited for Windows Server. Parallels Plesk is the most frequently used control panel for Windows Server.

Both these operating systems make excellent platforms for hosting important sites, and they work well. The bottom line is that for many websites, the operating system on which the web server is located is of little importance. The real question is, “Are you using a specific Web site or database technology that is more conveniently hosted on Windows Server instead of UNIX (or vice versa)?” If your website does not require special features offered by UNIX or Windows Server, you can choose Windows Server or UNIX to serve your website. Did not matter!

Windows Server vs. Regular Windows:

The basics With just a glance, you may have trouble distinguishing between Windows Server and normal versions of Windows. The desktop looks the same, including the taskbar, desktop icons and the Start button.

As a result, each version of Windows Server corresponds to a version of Windows for the consumer. Windows Server 2003, for example, is the version of the Windows XP server. Current versions include Windows Server 2016, which is based on the Windows 10 Anniversary Update and Windows Server 2019.

Because Windows Server and Windows share a code base, you can perform many of the same functions in both. You can download and install programs such as browsers and photo editors in Windows Server, and many basic Windows elements such as Notepad are included in Windows Server.

However, the two versions have more differences than similarities. Let’s review some of them.

Windows Server has business management software
Windows Server Role Selection

Because Windows Server is intended for businesses, it includes a lot of business software. Below are some roles that a server can perform thanks to these tools:

DHCP Server: DHCP, or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, is a protocol that allows a server to automatically assign the IP address to all devices in the network. At home, your router probably handles this. But in a business environment, IT staff can take advantage of the greater DHCP functionality in Windows Server.

Archive and storage:Having a file server for your company is another common use. This allows you to keep important data in a central location and set permissions to control who can access what.

Printing services:If a company has dozens of printers throughout the building, it is a waste of time for IT staff to configure them individually for each new workstation. The configuration of a print server allows you to easily assign printers to computers and reduce redundant work.

Windows Update Services:Companies often do not want all Windows updates to be performed immediately. By configuring a server as a Windows Update driver, you can route all workstation updates through that server and configure specific rules on how they should work.
These are just some of the server functions that Windows Server can handle. Often, a company will have more than one server and will divide the previous roles into several devices.

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