What Effect Will Windows 2003 Have on the Hosting Industry

As announced byindustry will start seeing morecompetitors in the
Microsoft on April 24, 2003, Windows 2003 Server isbudget-hosting segment with servers running on
now generally available.Windows 2003
This means hosting companies will be starting to offerServer; a segment now only containing a handful of
the Windows 2003operating system as an option toWindows hosts.
their clients.Servers runningopen source operating systems like
Digex said, in apress release on April 24, 2003, thatFreeBSD and Linux currently fill the budgethosts
they would have "immediate availability ofsegment of the market. Microsoft has seen this as an
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 within the Digexissue for a while nowand is expecting the addition of
Managed Platforms service line."the Web Edition to allow more budget
Other hosting companies that were contacted havehostingpackages on the Microsoft operating system.
not been so quick to give atime when they wouldThe trend fornon-Windows based hosting companies
have a Windows 2003 package available.to start deploying services based on the Web
It is yet to bedetermined if security concerns over theEdition of the Windows 2003 Server has already
operating system are the reasons behindno officialstarted thanks to Microsoft's newlicensing and pricing
release date being given for new servers using thestructure. One such company to announce plans to
new operatingsystem or not. There is no doubt thatstartselling servers with Windows Web Edition is
everyone has questions about the securityof the newRackShack.net.
software release.RackShack.nethas been a Red Hat Linux and Cobalt
Last year alone,there were many different viruses andRaq shop since they were started but theyhave
worms that propagated though Microsoft'soperatingposted on their site that they would be releasing, on
system, causing millions of dollars worth of damage,May 1, 2003, prices for systems with "Windows Web
including Nomadand Code Red. Everyone in theEdition powered by Ensim." While requests for
computer industry is now wondering if Microsofthascomments sent to RackShack.netwere unanswered in
gotten the security right.time for publication, posts on their user's forum have
Microsoft hassaid that Windows 2003 Server issaidthe cost of the Windows operating system was
shipped secure. The reason the product is saidto bethe reason behind them not having
secure by Microsoft officials is because in defaultWindows dedicated servers in the past.
configuration IISThe real testfor Windows 2003 Server will be if
(Internet Information Server) is disabled. Web hostingdevelopers will want to rush to it or not.
companies will have toturn on the web server toMicrosoft said they have made some major stability
serve web pages for their clients. The big question isifchanges to IIS 6.0, whichships with Windows 2003
the software will still be secure once the web server isServer.
turned on.The developersthat were contacted to see if they
Security mightbe on every ones mind but hostingwere rushing to get their hands on Windows
companies are also looking for the costsavings2003 Server did not have definitive answers. One
promised by Microsoft.developer said "I have not hadmuch time to even look
Microsoft hasannounced a new Web Edition with theat the differences so I cannot give an answer to
release of the Windows 2003 Server. Thereare nothatquestion."
Client Access Licenses (Calls) and the cost isOne thing is forsure; Microsoft has released its Web
significantly less at aprice of $399. The price tag forEdition of the server to compete againstthe open
the Standard Edition is $999, which is the sameas it issource alternatives. Now Microsoft just has to hope
for Windows 2000, says Microsoft's Windows 2000developers willbite at the chance to get hosting for
site. With a $600dollar per server savings, the hostingabout the same cost as the open sourcealternatives.