Definition of Types of Web Servers
When you browse the Internet, the pages you visit are stored on web servers. Browsing the web is like connecting to another computer; your computer sends a request to a server, which in turn allows your browser to view a web page. Several web server operating systems exist, offering different performance functions.
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Windows
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The Windows operating system dominates the desktop market and is popular in the server market as well. Windows servers are user friendly and support Microsoft's .NET architecture and SQL framework.
Linux
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The Linux operating system was built as an open source project, making it free for people all over the world. Linux supports many different kinds of web technologies and is known as a safe platform with very good security.
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Solaris
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A product of Sun Microsystems, Solaris is a web server operating system the company packages with its proprietary software, SPARC. This combination makes using Solaris much easier and more efficient but comes with a bigger price tag.
FreeBSD
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Based on the Unix operating system, FreeBSD performs mostly on Intel processors and boasts long periods of time without having to reboot. Like Linux, this open source operating system is free.
Mac OSX
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Mac OSX, also based on Unix, is a proprietary operating system made by Apple. The company usually sells OSX with its own hardware, but is sometimes sold separately. OSX is compatible with other open source software tools like Linux.
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