Migrating from Linux (CentOS) to Windows (Server 2003 Enterprise)

Hello all,

Unfortunately I have limited (i.e. none) experience of managing a Linux based OS and I can't afford to navigate the learning curve of a production site and do not have the time to learn "offline". So I am considering migrating my existing forum to a Windows based server.

However before making the jump I need to ensure that everything is compatible. So the obvious question is whether vbSEO will work in a Win32 environment.

I realise that the biggest issue is problem the rewrites with IIS. I am under the impression that there are rewrite ISAPI modules out there but I am thinking that it might be better to use Win32 Apache instead of IIS.

So does anybody have any experience of running a medium sized forum in a Win32 environment?

Use Isapi rewrite for vbSEO.

Do not use Apache on Windows Server in a live environment. Use IIS you'll save yourself a lot of pain in the end.

Everything that a *Nix based server can do a Windows server can do and can do most of it better.

If you are going to switch go with Windows 2008. There is a huge performance increase due to php fast_cgi and caching being built in and easy to turn on.

You won't regret the switch. I worked in a Unix environment all my life as a systems integrator and when I switched to Windows Servers I never looked back. It is so much easier to admin on Windows than it is on Unix and I knew Unix like the back of my hand.

Thanks for the reply, both of them

Originally Posted by AWS

You won't regret the switch. I worked in a Unix environment all my life as a systems integrator and when I switched to Windows Servers I never looked back. It is so much easier to admin on Windows than it is on Unix and I knew Unix like the back of my hand.

This is part of the motivation behind the switch, in the real world I develop for Windows environments and manage servers with loads thousands of percent higher than the load my forum is ever likely to create. So I am more than comfortable managing windows.

And....

Who ever wrote vi should have their eyes gouged out with a rusty spoon

Why not just enlist the services of someone who knows linux?

the licensing fees on windows will cost you more than it will to just hire someone like totalserversolutions.com to manage your box.

and yes, vi sucks. use pico

Originally Posted by briansol

Why not just enlist the services of someone who knows linux?

I have that with the current host as the server is fully managed, however no matter how good a support desk is (and mine has been fantastic) there will always be a lag even for trivial things - something that would take me 30 seconds* might take 30 minutes or more.

* Assuming I knew what I was doing

:shrug: ultimately, it's up to you.

Like you, i also work in my real job with windows servers.... (i'm a microsoft/asp/mssql developer) and pretty much every day i mother #@$# windows, and even more so, ICRAPI.

IMO, I think it's a mistake to let your lack of knowledge get in the way of a native solution (LAMP).