Windows or Linux? You often get confused on which operating system your business should adopt. The problem isn’t choosing an operating system; the problem is that the operating system you select for your business may not be compatible with some of the softwares you use.
Most businesses use either windows or Linux for their operations. So let’s take a look at each one of them and by the end of this post, you will have known what operating system to go for.
1. Windows
Microsoft has 75 percent of the total operating system and the software market, which makes it the choice for most businesses. Most IT experts love using either windows server 2008 or windows server 2012 because they are the current options.
Additionally, you can use Hyper-V on either windows server 2008 or 2012 such that it minimizes your hardware requirements.
Microsoft’s ability to run applications on the internet using RDS enables you to use softwares without necessarily having to install them on your personal computer. When choosing the best server operating system, you should consider the amount of time your server operating system will run.
“2008’s mainstream support will end in 2015, with extended support ending in 2020”, Microsoft’s website revealed.
You will be obliged to keep a physical hardware for about five years so that it can refresh if you are intending to run physical servers. That means, your product’s support will come to an end before your hardware is upgraded.
Using one operating system for too long will expose your business to a lot of potential security risks because you will be no longer covered by updates from Windows.
Another factor worth considering is the fee; license costs are expensive. That’s to mean, you will spend more if you have more employees. Also, trying to reduce costs by selecting older versions will result to shorter support lifetimes.
2. Linux
If you want the fun way to learn new IT skills, then Linux is your perfect match. Linux is a free operating system that you can fully customize to your liking without spending an extra coin.
However, the only disadvantage that Linux has is that it’s not a complete operating system; it has to operate with the support of other softwares.
Linux has a variety of flavors that users can select; you can either pick on Ubuntu, SUSE, and Red Hat. SUSE being the most popular is largely used by the enterprise – London Stock Exchange and Open University.
95 percent of supercomputers have Linux installed on them. That’s an indication that Linux is the fastest operating system, though with the smallest resource footprint.
The best of all about using Linux is that you can still continue to enjoy free known products because it offer you some of the popular Microsoft products like Microsoft exchange.
If you had been using Microsoft for a while, but feel it’s time to migrate to Linux, don’t get worried. SUSE is compatible with SharePoint, Active Directory, etcetera.
That means, you can gradually introduce your new operating system (Linux) to allow for bedding before kicking out Windows.
3. Final Word
Choosing the right operating system is healthy for your business. You just need to weigh between the two and decide which one suits your business. With all the information above, you don’t have to be confused.
Image: Top brand operating system from Stanislaw Mikulski/Shutterstock