This paper provides a comparative overview of three major server operating systems: Windows, UNIX, and Linux. It examines each system's core strengths and weaknesses, covering Windows' ease of use and built-in support, UNIX's efficiency and scalability, and Linux's open-source flexibility and low cost. The paper also traces how growing Apple adoption has boosted interest in UNIX and how expanding commercial support for Linux has made it an increasingly viable option for both personal and business use. The discussion aims to help readers make an informed decision when selecting a server platform suited to their technical capabilities and organizational needs.
In computing, a server provides the necessary support for the functioning of all of a user's various applications, including but not limited to "email, web and even database hosting" (Edmund, 2014). Some of the most common servers are UNIX, Linux, and Microsoft Windows. Because of Microsoft's ubiquity, it is often the default server that most organizations and private individuals choose. However, this is not necessarily the optimal system for all computing needs. Given the challenges of switching servers once one is selected, it is essential to choose the best platform for the organization or individual from the outset.
Microsoft's Windows server provides support and updates in a hassle-free way. Particularly for organizations that are not specifically IT-related, using outside support is considered less troublesome and therefore less costly than maintaining in-house expert staff. Additionally, the majority of individuals, including employees, are already familiar with Windows through home use. "The majority of users utilizing Microsoft server hosting utilize the Active Server Pages (ASP) technology," and users "can even develop a website utilizing the interface of Microsoft tools such as Visual Interdev, Microsoft FrontPage, and Microsoft Access" with "Microsoft Access or Microsoft SQL as the database" (Edmund, 2014).
Still, many IT professionals are not enamored with Microsoft. Windows is considered to be a cumbersome resource drain, and as it is a proprietary technology, it can force users to rely exclusively on Microsoft products. As more and more organizations adopt Macintosh products and attempt to move away from the Windows monopoly, this lock-in can be frustrating.
UNIX, in contrast, is considered a non-proprietary technology by many IT professionals, who regard it as superior to Windows. First and foremost, it utilizes fewer system resources. "UNIX uses its virtual memory efficiently. In UNIX, users can run many programs at a time without using most of its physical memory," and "a number of users can have accounts on one machine and even use it simultaneously. Thus UNIX is a multiprocessing, multi-user system" that is more efficient than Microsoft ("Advantages and Disadvantages of UNIX," 2014). Apple, HP, and a number of other major technology companies favor it for its "reliability" and "scalability" over Windows, as well as the fact that it can be used on both PCs and Macs ("Advantages and Disadvantages of UNIX," 2014).
While UNIX does not offer Microsoft-style technical support, the system is considered easier to use than Windows by most independent analysts. Input and output operations are simpler in UNIX, and it "uses a hierarchical file system that allows trouble-free maintenance and efficient implementation. Everything in UNIX is a file or a process" ("Advantages and Disadvantages of UNIX," 2014). In other words, once users become fluent in the technology, the greater independence, broader choice, and lower costs make UNIX a preferred option for many.
"Linux open-source benefits and support limitations"
"Linux growth in business and diverse platforms"
Advantages and disadvantages of UNIX. (2014). Datawarehouse Concepts. Retrieved from http://dwhlaureate.blogspot.com/2014/01/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-unix.html
Edmund. (2014). Windows server versus UNIX/Linux. Retrieved from
UNIX versus Linux: What is the difference? (2016). Datawarehouse Concepts. Retrieved from http://dwhlaureate.blogspot.com/2016/12/unix-vs.-linux-what-is-difference.html
What is Linux? (2017). Open Source. Retrieved from https://opensource.com/resources/what-is-linux
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