Cost-wise, this hosting type is known to be expensive to set up due to its proprietary software and the use of Microsoft servers. However, when using a remote server, it becomes very affordable and is very competitive compared to the price of UNIX hosting. Added to the fact that the good performance and the robustness of Microsoft application that this hosting type offers, the minimal extra cost is definitely worth spent.

Windows hosting is referred to web sites that are served through Microsoft Windows NT or 2000 Internet Information Server (IIS). It is an NT-based server that is installed with Microsoft Windows Server Edition such as XP or 2003. It is widely regarded as having powerful end-to-end management, scalability and reliability features, hence its popularity for integrating businesses with the internet.

Windows hosting is the solution that you should go for if you intend to use specific Microsoft applications such as Active Server Pages (ASP), and if you plan to develop your website with Microsoft FrontPage. Furthermore, if your website will be developed with .NET, MS Index Server or Visual Basic scripts, this hosting environment is the better choice compared to UNIX. In terms of database, MS SQL is compatible for any hosting environment, but MS Access database is served only by Windows hosting.

The advantage of Windows hosting is for users to easily integrate any Microsoft products to websites due to the fact that millions of users are using Microsoft products. With Microsoft's technology, you will also be able to integrate cross-browser script libraries from Java Script with ASP. Certain features such as ODBC database connectivity and ColdFusion may only be used for Windows hosting and may not by UNIX.

What Is Windows Hosting