Apache is a software foundation that develops and provides open source software that is meant to run web servers. Their primary product is their HTTP server which is the most popular HTTP server in use today. IIS or Internet Information Services is the software pack developed by Microsoft to provide their Windows operating system the ability to host internet services. IIS is second only to HTTP as the most used HTTP server in the world.
The Apache web server is very popular due to the fact that is free. This is very advantageous to those who are just trying out web publishing and is still unsure about it. Apache is most commonly included in a totally free web server solution called LAMP (Linux/Apache/MySQL/PHP) which is a collection of open source software that would totally handle all of your web publishing needs from the OS down to the scripting language. Aside from being free, the open source community is also a good source of support for users who have the time and patience to ask for answers.
IIS is from Microsoft and thus it would only run on the Microsoft Windows OS. Although it might seem to be free, the fact that you need to buy Windows to use it shatters that dream. The clear advantage with running IIS is the fact most people are already familiar with the Windows operating system and IIS would be a lot easier to learn for Windows users. IIS also comes with the support of the .NET Framework released by Microsoft; in fact, ASPX scripts are exclusive to IIS. Support for IIS is provided by Microsoft which is an assurance that you would have answers to your problems direct from the makers themselves.
The IIS ‘“ Windows combo is both a boon and bane for users. The fact that they are made by the same company assures you that they would operate at the best capacity with each other. The only problem with the Windows OS is its too popular and a lot of malware, virus, and trojans exist on the Windows OS. Even more are being created everyday and that might pose a threat in the future.
Summary:
1. Apache is free while IIS is packaged with Windows.
2. IIS only runs on Windows while Apache can run on almost any OS including UNIX, Apple’s OS X, and on most Linux Distributions.
3. ASPX runs only in IIS.
4. IIS has a dedicated staff to answer most problems while support for Apache comes from the community itself.
5. IIS is optimized for Windows because they are from the same company.
6. The Windows OS is prone to security risks.