VPS or Virtual Private server is used to get multiple servers out of a single physical server. This is done by logically dividing the physical server into many virtual servers. All the virtual servers so formed are independent and thus have dedicated resources with them. This will help them to work independent of one another. The performance of one server will never influence or degrade the performance of another. Thus the virtual servers help to get multiple servers at a cheaper rate. Hence they are widely used in the development of web site.

When VPS is used in web site development and hosting, each client will get a server to work on. This never requires the presence of too many physical servers. So the business of web site hosting becomes an easier job and the profit earned is at the expense of a small amount. The hosting can be performed on any architecture like main frame, windows or Linux. The choice of the platform for VPS web site hosting is totally dependent on the purpose of the hosting.

When approaching the web site hosting service providers, we can see that they offer both Linux and windows. This is because of the difference in the features they provide. The Windows platform is widely used in the home PCs. But often Windows is expensive in that Microsoft demands the users to pay the license fee. Hence it is seen that in the internet most of the web sites are hosted using Linux.

There are several instances where you can never go for a Linux system and is bound to use a Windows system. If you are using .Net technology using ASP.net then you can find that it is not supported in Linux. If your web site is designed using Microsoft .Net technology then there is no compromise in the architecture and you will be forced to go for Windows. Even if you relax your need and prefer to go for ASP without .Net, there is no option in Linux and you will have to choose Windows.

If the web site has Access as the database, Linux won’t suit for the design of that web site. Access is intended and designed to work with Microsoft. Hence in Linux web sites you have no option to work with Access databases.

Another restriction is in the use of MSSQL. It is designed specifically for Microsoft Windows. Linux provides various enterprise databases. But those users who want to go for MSSQL will have to choose Windows for VPS hosting.

SharePoint services of Microsoft can be used only in Windows. Front page 2003 can be used only in Windows platform. Hence Linux users can’t use these features and so they will have to opt Windows VPS hosting.

But when the expense is really that matters, it is always good to use Linux. The Enterprise web sites will be more effectively executed in Linux. PHP works well with Linux. Most busy web sites are created out of Linux. This is because of the infra structure that comes with Linux. The ease of use and the facilities of Microsoft are unavailable. But small business men usually prefer to go for Linux in their web site hosting.

Because of the user friendliness that Windows provide, most users who are unskilled in the hosting service will go for Windows as their platform for VPS hosting. The Microsoft features are so advanced that even a novice user can host a web site. But the cost usually pulls back the people from doing so. The choice is entirely based on the purpose and the functionalities that we expect from the web site.