Windows Hosting

Managed Windows hosting alleviates the requirement to have any Windows server management experience. It can also free up IT staff, allowing them to focus on mission-critical tasks. Here’s why managed Windows hosting is recommended:

Managed 24/7

Storm’s support teams deliver end-to-end management of your Windows server, which includes updates and software patching, security, and backups.

Improved uptime

Storm monitors the status of your servers and sites. Rapid response to any performance or uptime-threatening anomalies keeps your sites and applications running day and night. This can be enhanced with our Custom Escalation Procedures (CEPs) that allow you to assign procedures and tasks to support when specific alerts are received.

Security

With managed Windows hosting, software updates and patches are applied as soon as they are released. It’s all taken care of in the background while you focus on more important tasks.

Given that you can run a content management system (CMS) for Linux on Windows and vice versa, there really is no limitation to which CMS you can install. It’s also best practice to choose a CMS that aligns with your current and future needs. For example, if there is a requirement for integration with Microsoft applications, choosing a CMS natively developed for Windows might be a better fit. Examples include:

Microsoft SharePoint

Microsoft SharePoint is primarily an intranet type system that provides document management capabilities. It is a collaborative platform that enables teams to work together wherever they may be individually.

Umbraco

Umbraco is a content management system (CMS) that can be used to create professional business websites such as corporate sites, intranets, eCommerce websites, and digital marketing websites. Umbraco is touted to be “developer friendly”, which means you’ll require some tech know-how to get started.

Kentico

Unlike Umbraco, Kentico is a little more user-friendly and comes packaged with templates and extensions out of the box. Any customisations not included with Kentico will require custom development. Kentico is best suited to large websites managed by different teams, and includes native eCommerce, digital marketing, and analytics features.

Just like Linux hosting, Windows hosting is available in different flavours. The choice between them depends on a few factors like compute requirements (CPU, RAM, and storage), compliance requirements, and technical features (e.g. dedicated IP, cloud redundancy, etc.)

Here’s a brief overview of the different types of Windows hosting:

Shared Windows hosting

With Storm’s premium shared Windows hosting you’ll have ample power to reliably serve content to site visitors. But your site still shares a server with other websites, and therefore doesn’t have a dedicated IP address, or the flexibility to enhance the web or database server with software components.

Virtual server Windows hosting

The public cloud refers to computing resources pooled together. Portions of these pooled resources are then assigned to virtual servers which can be used to run an operating system, like Windows, in the same way a physical server does. With Virtual server Windows hosting you can install your choice of web and database servers, as well as other components you need to make your app or project run.

Private cloud Windows hosting

Think of a public cloud that isn’t shared with anyone else, and you have a private cloud. And because it isn’t shared with anyone else, it’s highly customisable, provides more privacy and therefore adds a little more security. Just like a public cloud virtual server, you can install and configure your private cloud Windows virtual servers as needed.

Dedicated server Windows hosting

A dedicated server is a physical server where you are the only tenant. Web and database server software can be installed to host your sites and apps. If system resources are underutilised virtual private servers can be set up to run other server types (e.g. mail server) or software.

The main and most obvious difference between Windows and Linux hosting is the operating system of the server. This can affect several aspects of of the hosting environment:

Cost

Traditionally most Linux distributions are open-source and therefore free to use and all versions of Windows require a licence which must be purchased. Depending on your hosting product a commercial licence for your operating system might already be included in your hosting package. If it isn’t, you’ll be able to purchase a licence at a discounted price through Storm.

Compatibility

Windows is typically suited to websites and applications that require compatibility with other Microsoft products or technologies such as ASP.NET, Microsoft SQL Server, or Microsoft Access databases. The same is true for Linux, making it ideal for sites that require open-source technologies like PHP, MySQL, or PostgreSQL databases. With that said, it’s possible to install Microsoft-native technologies on Linux and vice versa.

User interface

On shared hosting you’re often presented with a control panel that obscures the underlying operating system. Where you have access to the operating system (e.g. cloud and dedicated servers), you’ll find that Windows comes with the predictable visual desktop. Linux servers typically only have a command line interface, and require experience to operate.