Changing from Windows based to LAMP - benefits/costs request

About to switch hosts & looking for advice on whether to leave windows

[Calum]

Am shortly to move hosts (so far pair.com come up trumps with their range of services + knowledgeable support staff - any recommendations?).

Presently though, my site runs in a windows environment, using 2 Access databases which drive courses content using IISRewrite. There is also very much .asp coding.

So I'd need to both switch the Access databases to MySQL, and the asp to php. Aside from saving money on hosting on a LAMP server - are there any other benefits? Am loathe to make a switch without knowing the facts, and most I've spoken with so far know 1 option, and not the other (so strong biases). :(

If you have expertise on both, I'd love to hear from you. :)

[mep00]

First of all, Access isn't designed for the demands of a server based enviroment. Access is mainly for stand alone or a small network. I happen to like MySQL, but MS SQL or Oricle are also good choises, as well as some others. One of the advantages of MySQL is cost; a license, if you need one, is only $200 (iirc).

One of the biggest advantages of LAMP (besides cost) is that it's open source. That often means less bugs/holes and faster patches. There have been a lot of changes in open source in the last few years; it's no longer geekware--even Big Blue itself is supporting it (one of the few companies which can go toe-to-toe with MS).

[Drewbert]

I seem to recall there being an ASP module for Apache or PERL, so your migration costs might be even less than you think.

[Calum]

Thanks for the feedback Mep00 and Drewbert. Am wondering if you could advice on a more pressing need:
After taking some bad advice I've noticed that my identical .co.uk and .com sites are diluting the overall impact of site PR. They are both pointing to the same IP address. Need to redirect the .com to the .co.uk.
Have read that creating a .htccess file in my root and having it contain the following will sort this out:
Redirect 301 / http*//www.yourdomaintoforwardtohere.co.uk/

My concern is that they are hosted from the same IP address and share the same files. Will this still work? Advice greatly appreciated.

3 more details:
1. Does 301 work on a windows server?
2. Will a 301 merge/add the full PR and backlinks over?
3. Is 301 the best option here? Have heard of a 302. Plus, how about asking the DNS holder to sort it out from their side somehow?

A huge thanks again
Calum

[mep00]

ASP module for Apache

You can run Apache under Windows (WAMP?).

As far as the PR goes, you may want to check in the Google fourm. I guess you could also ask all those who have a link to the "wrong" site to switch. I'm guessing that could solve most of the problem.

[dingman]

Have read that creating a .htccess file in my root and having it contain the following will sort this out:
Redirect 301 / http*//www.yourdomaintoforwardtohere.co.uk/

My concern is that they are hosted from the same IP address and share the same files. Will this still work? Advice greatly appreciated.

If they share the same files, I wouldn't do that. I haven't actually tested, so the software may be smarter than this, but I expect that what you described above would create an infinite loop of redirects. After all, if they share the same directory and files, then they share the same .htaccess, so you'll end up redirecting all your visitors to http*//www.yourdomaintoforwardtohere.co.uk/ over and over and over.

Instead, set up a separate virtual host for the domain that you want to re-direct, and only add the Redirect directive to the one that doesn't have any other content.