Tips For Moving From Windows Server To Linux Server

[Dynaweb]

Here at HostNed, we ended our offerings of Windows-based web servers years ago. When we did so, our Windows Server-based customers were migrated to Linux servers, and the results were overwhelmingly positive.

Linux servers are becoming increasingly popular due to their reliability, security, and cost-effectiveness. With the rise of cloud computing, many businesses are turning to Linux servers and Linux-based web hosting services for their IT infrastructure needs. Here are some reasons why many people prefer Linux servers over Windows servers:

1. Reliability: Linux servers are known for their stability and uptime. They have a reputation for being more reliable than Windows servers, which can be prone to crashes and downtime.
2. Security: Linux servers are often considered more secure than Windows servers due to their open-source nature. This means that there is less risk of security vulnerabilities and malware attacks.
3. Cost-effectiveness: Linux servers are generally cheaper than Windows servers, as they do not require licensing fees or expensive software updates.
4. Customizability: Linux servers can be customized to meet specific business needs, whereas Windows servers may have limited customization options.
5. Community support: The Linux community is large and active, providing extensive documentation and resources for troubleshooting and problem-solving. This makes it easier for businesses to find help when they need it.

Industry-wide, many people are choosing Linux servers over Windows servers due to their reliability, security, cost-effectiveness, customizability, and community support.

We still have new customers coming on board with us who are migrating their websites to our Linux-based services, either cPanel or Plesk). Unless you are a rare user who requires ASP.net technology, migrations are very successful, but there are some factors that may arise that you need to be aware of.

When migrating web pages from an IIS server (Windows) to an Apache server (Linux), there are some differences in the way that Linux servers handle case-sensitivity. Here are a few key points to consider:

1. File names: In Windows, file names are case-sensitive, meaning that a file named "index.html" will be treated as different from a file named "index.htm". However, in Linux, file names are not case-sensitive, so both files will be treated as the same.
2. URL rewriting: In Windows, URL rewriting is typically done using .htaccess files or server-side scripting languages like PHP or ASP.NET. In Linux, URL rewriting can be done using mod_rewrite, a built-in module for Apache servers. However, this requires some knowledge of the Linux command line and may not be as easy to set up as it is in Windows.
3. Paths: In Windows, file paths are case-sensitive, meaning that a directory named "C:\Program Files" will be treated differently from a directory named "c:\program files". However, in Linux, file paths are not case-sensitive, so both directories will be treated as the same.
4. Permissions: In Windows, permissions are set using NTFS or ACLs, which can be more difficult to manage than in Linux. In Linux, permissions are set using chmod and chown commands, which are easier to use but may require some knowledge of Linux command line.

Sometimes, migrating web pages from an IIS server (Windows) to an Apache server (Linux) can pose a challenge due to the differences in how file names, URLs, paths, permissions, and other aspects are handled. However, we are here to help you make the transition successfully.

Here at HostNed, we offer a technology called mod_speling to help with these differences when migrating websites. Upon request we can activate mod_speling on your domain. This will make your Linux domain respond to your links and URL requests in a way that is very similar to how Windows handled them, making things more case-insensitive. That way you can keep your current code intact without having to rename files and make all the changes to you code.

Want to enable it yourself? Just find the file named .htaccess in your html root (/public_html or /httpdocs) and add this code to the top of the file and save the change:

Code Select Expand

<IfModule mod_speling.c>
    CheckCaseOnly on
    CheckSpelling on
</IfModule>

How cool is that!