Windows web hosting is one of the two most popular offerings for shared, VPS (Virtual Private Server) or VDS (Virtual Dedicated Server), and dedicated hosting offerings. With both Windows 2003 and Windows 2008 currently available, there are many Windows web hosting choices available for webmasters to choose from. This Windows Web Hosting article tells more about what Windows Web Hosting is and which company offers the best Windows Web Hosting.
The Basics of Windows Servers
Windows Server System is offered by Microsoft Corporation and is proprietary software that must be licensed by a web host. For this reason, it is usually slightly more expensive than Linux web hosting, which is most often based on server software that is both open source and free. But if a webmaster wants or needs to use Windows-related software, such as FrontPage, ASP, or ASP.NET, the Internet Explorer browser, the Microsoft Office Access relational database management system (RDMS), or Microsoft SQL Server (MSSQL), the relational model database server, it’s the platform you need. Note that there seem to be fewer programming languages available with Windows web hosting, so check carefully for what you need before you decide which web hosting plan is the best web hosting plan to meet your needs.
Also known as Microsoft Servers, Windows web hosting is the successor of Windows NT, which was the first 32-bit Windows version, available from July 1993. While the 2003 version is still widely available, the current version is Windows Server 2008 R2, dating from July 22, 2009. Windows Server 2008 is built from the same basis as both Windows VISTA and Windows 7, that is, Windows NT 6. According to Microsoft, the R2 version has the advantages of reducing power consumption, making management easier, and providing an improvement in user experiences. Another key feature of Windows Server 2008 is the configuration of the Server Core using Dynamic Hardware Partitioning to reduce security vulnerability.
GoDaddy Windows Web Hosting
GoDaddy has a large number of Windows web hosting options, and so provides a good example of the wide range of plans available. Let’s start our GoDaddy review with the shared hosting options available for Windows web hosting.
Shared Windows Web Hosting at GoDaddy
GoDaddy offers three Windows web hosting options for shared hosting, none of which have associated set-up fees. The GoDaddy shared Windows web hosting plans are called Economy, Deluxe, and Ultimate. All three plans include email forwarding and 256-bit encryption, MS Access and MS SQL and MySQL databases (though the number increases with the more expensive plans), firewall protection, site statistics, 24/7 phone and email support, MySpace and Google AdWords credits, PHP4 or PHP5 and Cold Fusion, in addition to proprietary Windows programming languages, and free blogs, shopping carts, content management, and forums. The key differences: price, disk space, monthly data transfer, number of email accounts, email storage space, and number of MS SQL and MySQL databases. The number of resources a webmaster will be using, as well as the price he/she is willing and able to pay can help one determine which is the best web hosting plan for his/her needs. Prices start as low as $4.99 per month and the upper limit plan includes unlimited disk space. Web hosts starting with the smaller plans will have the option to upgrade at anytime.
Virtual Dedicated Server Windows Web Hosting at GoDaddy
Moving to VPS/VDS hosting, we find five Windows plans, all hosted on Windows Server 2008 Standard 64-bit: Economy, Value, Deluxe, Premium, and Ultimate. All plans feature free set-up, MySpace and Google AdWords credits, a free SSL certificate, bandwidth overage protection, 3 dedicated IP addresses, and 24/7 email and telephone support, in addition to full-time physical security and network monitoring. A summary of prices, when paid month by month, range from $29.99 to $149.99, memory allotment ranges from 1 GB to 8 GB per account, storage space from 15 GB to 120 GB, and bandwidth ranges from 500 to 4,000 GB per month, depending on which virtual dedicated server package the webmaster chooses.
Dedicated Server Windows Web Hosting at GoDaddy
In the area of dedicated servers, we find that GoDaddy offers six plans: Economy, Value Deal, Deluxe, Power Player, Storage Monster, and Premium. Note that they are not arrayed on the page in the same order as the shared servers and VDS servers. They all feature free set-up, MySpace and Google AdWords credits, a free SSL certificate, bandwidth overage protection, 3 dedicated IP addresses, and 24/7 email and telephone support, in addition to full-time physical security and network monitoring. When paid month by month prices range from $82.99-$219.99, memory allotments range between 2 and 4 GB depending on the plan, storage space is listed as 2 x120 GB up to 2 x 1,000 GB, and monthly bandwidth ranges from 500 GB to 3,000 GB. The type of processor and speed also varies depending on the plan the webmaster chooses. The cheapest plan includes the Pentium 4, 3.0 GHz processor and the Storage Monster, the most expensive GoDaddy dedicated server plan, uses the Core 2 Duo, 2.13 GHz processor.
Whatever type of plan a webmaster needs to meet his/her Windows web hosting needs, GoDaddy has a plan with the right price and features for virtually anyone. Webmasters using link to visit the GoDaddy official site will receive an automatic 10% discount off his/her entire GoDaddy purchase. Each webmaster should complete his/her own GoDaddy review to determine which Windows web hosting plan will be the best web hosting plan for his/her individual needs. Visit GoDaddy today and see why they are truly one of the best web hosting providers in the industry.