Linux or Windows server?

[The_Unbeliever]

I have found that databases don't virtualize too well. You need to give it hardware thats 30-40% faster than you normally would have to. In Some cases that works out more expensive that a separate server.

Had any experience with Informix?

I think a test database server should be fine in a virtual environment, but a production one is best put on a physical server...

 

[Rocket-Boy]

I got stuck with Server 2003 because *grits.teeth* QuickBooks (which, to be fair, is way, WAY better to admin than *spit* Pastel will ever be) won't allow concurrent opening of the company file with the way any 'NIX system manages shares.

I have concurrent users on quickbooks managed from a samba share on one of my MANY linux servers.
I also have a few 2k3 servers and three 2008 servers.
I way prefer linux and have never needed to pay for support for anything, if you want to run linus servers then you should be able to fix them is my take on it.

 

[risingtide]

We tried to run a windows application on a Linux server under Wine with a kind of terminal server setup. This was necessary because there is one database but two locations, one of them connected to the server via a radio link.
The program ran fine on the server itself, but the Linux 'Remote Desktop' did not draw the screens properly when they were resized. It created new window borders but then failed to fill in the new area.
In the end we settled on using Windows Server 200x which works perfectly.

 

[LFX]

I prefer using FreeBSD for all servers.

+1

 

[greggpb]

My 5mil Zim dollars worth:

If the needs are simple, go with Linux
If the needs are complicated, go with Windows.

If the server is doing only 1 or 2 things, go Linux
If the server needs to do lots of things (files, mail, web), go windows (like a small business server.

If you want easy support and troubleshooting, more help is available for Windows
Linux is much more stable when setup properly (very important the last bit)

Bottom line, most enterprises use both. personally, in Small Business, I like taking a standard Windows Server installation, load VMware server on it, and then run a each seperate function on a seperate VMware Guest. It gives you the best of both worlds. The easy hardware compatability of Windows, with the flexibility of linux.
- Kerio Mailsever (on windows XP guest)
- LAMP web server ( Ubuntu Guest)
- Openfilre IM server ( Ubuntu Guest)
- Fileserver (Clarkconnect linux) - I love flexshares.

VMware makes upgrading server a breeze (as easy as copy paste)

How much Ram on these servers ? for a home server running VMware and 3 guests doing Nas and the like ?

would you need to get Wins2003 server 64 bit ?

 

[Sapphiron]

Give the Host OS at least 1GB to play with, then add what ram your guests would use if they were cheap inexpensive boxes.

VMware runs just fine on a Vista Business x64 for Soho's