Which is a better web server: the Internet Information Server (Windows) or Apache (Linux)?

There are many areas in which you can compare them. After you read them, you make your own judgment.

Security. IIS security model is considered to be one of the best, and is based on Windows NT and 2000 security model. You can also use Apache on Windows as well. Yet, IIS is also subject to some susceptibilities, which have caused some major concerns. It’s normal to patch the IIS once a month or to set up recent service release at least 2 times a year. Any bugs were already fixed by Apache, though.

Convenience of Use. IIS is excellent for any new systems administrator as they can easily maintain it with easy-to-use forms and screens. However, the operating system such as Windows 2000 may be quite more expensive than Linux or Unix. Apache, meanwhile, needs more comprehension and learning before you can fully operate it and administer. Most of the text files are quite obscure, and configurations should be set up manually. Should you wish to use Apache, there are some add-ons that you can purchase, which allow you to enter information from forms and screens.

Efficiency. Majority of systems administrator say that IIS is performing more efficiently than Apache. However, they may likely give the same kind of efficiency with regards to static pages. When it comes to scripting, PHP, used by Apache, is known to be better than ASP, the scripting system of IIS.

Disaster Recovery. It’s normal for web servers to malfunction. However, between the two, Apache is taking the lead. This is because the backup solutions of IIS are, sad to say, weak. There’s no method of creating a backup for the metabase, which contains all configuration parameters for IIS. Apache is more bent into saving all configuration files.

Stability. You cannot doubt the stability of both these servers. Apache can stay running for more than a year without any rebooting, while IIS can run with minor rebooting during security patch updates. Both are strong enough to prevent any crashdowns due to bugs.

Scripting Language and Other Support

Both Apache and IIS can fully support PERL, SSI, and CGI scripts, though ActivePerl works perfectly with IIS. However, PERL, SSI, and CGI scripts are susceptible to security breach for these two web platforms.

Now who won? The most important thing is it’s you who gets the most benefit.