FrontPage Hosting Advice

If you are using Microsoft FrontPage, please, do yourself a favor; host with a company that has a specialty in running Microsoft Server and the Microsoft IIS Web Server. You will have far fewer problems publishing your web site and you will have all of the extended functionality available with FrontPage. There is good synergy generated by using a mix of Microsoft Windows Server, Microsoft IIS Web Server, .asp or .aspx (asp.net) scripting and the Access, SQL Express or MS SQL Database. If you’re adventurous and ready to break into more intense projects, Visual Studio provides a very capable coding environment for High End Jobs and there is even a New Web Development suite coming soon: Microsoft Expression.

FrontPage users will sometimes choose to host on Unix servers because they tend to be slightly less expensive, but the hassles you may experience may outweigh the dollar savings. There are FrontPage Extensions available for servers running Unix and its variations like Linux that will allow you to use the FrontPage Navigation and Publishing Features. However, you will have limited or no access to extended FrontPage functions and tools. For example: Access, MSSQL and SQL Express Database connectivity features in FrontPage will not be available on any Unix platform. Another reason to go with a Microsoft server is because most Unix system administrators do not like the FrontPage Extensions that Microsoft provides for Unix and its variants. While there are some valid security concerns with the Unix extensions, my experience has shown that there is also a general dislike on the part of many Unix system administrators for most things Microsoft. It can be difficult for you to solve FrontPage problems or deploy new functions given this attitude. If you desire to stick with a Unix/Linux server, you can adapt your FrontPage Web to not require the extensions by avoiding the FrontPage Navigation components and other server extension features, and using an FTP client to move your files to the Web server… this is best done with FrontPage 2003. Open your web site. Go to Tools > Page Options, and click the Authoring tab. Check or uncheck the boxes under "FrontPage and SharePoint technologies." This will grey out the options in FrontPage that you cannot use.

Web Editor: Microsoft FrontPage or, coming soon, the Microsoft Expression™ family:

Platform: PC

Operating System: Windows

Server Environment: Microsoft Windows Server with Microsoft IIS Web server

Dynamic Page Technology: .asp or .aspx (.NET).

Database: Microsoft Access or Microsoft SQL Server /SQL Express

Advantages: Modest learning curve and a Web Editor capable of very good design and very rapid Web site deployment. FrontPage helps you build and manage the Navigation Structure in a Web, decreasing the knowledge, skill and time required to finish a job. On the Server Side, Windows Server and IIS Web Server combine with FrontPage to offer many easy to deploy advanced features that would be hard for most people to build themselves with Dreamweaver/*nix. A great deal of inexpensive or free .asp and .aspx code is available on line. Access Database Engine runs as a part of Windows Web Server and allows for easy Database Integration with FrontPage:

Disadvantages: FrontPage does not provide the design and coding flexibility that Dreamweaver currently does, particularly when a professional is at the helm. Server Side: Commercial Software and Tools for the Windows Platform are almost always more expensive than the world of open source. Not as many hosting companies have a Windows Web Server specialty. MSSQL Database or SharePoint Hosting is an added cost. Performance, Stability and Security are not up to the standards of well run Unix hosting in most cases.

Conclusion: When you are operating under cost constraints, limited technological resources and short deadlines the FrontPage/Windows Web Server combination makes a lot of sense. If you are small to mid size business without an IT staff and would like to quickly and economically deploy a highly functional and attractive Web presence, your Web development goals will best be served with a combination of FrontPage/ Windows Web Server / ASP / Java and Access Database, SQL Express or MSSQL.

Software Links

Web Editor and Design

- Microsoft FrontPage 2003 running on Windows XP on the PC Platform
- Microsoft Visual Studio
- Microsoft Expression "Quartz Web Designer"

Server Side Software

Operating Systems: Microsoft Windows Server

Web Server: Microsoft Windows IIS Web Server

Dynamic Page Technology:
- ASP
- ASPX or ASP.NET

Databases:
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition
- Microsoft SQL Server 2005

Note: FrontPage Server Configuration Options and Features

Links to More Information:

- FrontPage Server Issues Article

- FrontPage Server Extensions Article

- Hosting info from W3 Schools

- Complete Guide To Hosting from SitePoint: Part 1 Part2

- Creating FrontPage Sites without Extensions

- Overview of FrontPage Server Extensions 2002 from Microsoft