How Many Web Servers Do I Really Need?

I now have three separate Web servers running on my desktop: IIS 5.1, which I use for ASP.NET development; Radio Userland, which I use to maintain this site; and ZoneAlarm Pro, a personal firewall. I can't help but wonder if all these servers adversely affect my system's performance. Can anyone refer me to information on this subject?

I do know that the latest release of ZoneAlarm has a problem with a few of the sites I visit regularly. Here's one: http://www.1sttech.com, my credit union's Web site. The home page starts to load -- I can see the title and a customized vertical scrollbar -- but then it just sits there, unless I deactivate ZoneAlarm. What's up with that?

Comments

Posted by Phil Weber on December 6, 2002:

Hi, Dan, thanks. I do have a D-Link NAT router, but I like to run a software firewall as well, to protect against spyware and other unauthorized outbound traffic. I also like ZoneAlarm’s ad-blocking feature. I may try another software firewall (Norton Personal Firewall has received good reviews), but I’ve already paid for ZoneAlarm, so I’d like to make it work, if possible.

Posted by Dan Isaacs on December 6, 2002:

Hi Phil. Came here via Scoble.

I don’t like ZoneAlarm. At all. I find a Linksys Cable/DSL router to be adequate protection from kiddies and such. Any NAT-based router will do that, but the Linksys tend to be feature rich.

Posted by Mark Hudson on December 8, 2002:

Hi dan, I have a similar setup to you and have experienced problems with certain websites not working. Until recently I would deactivate zonealarm! Today a new version of zonealarm became available, this version allows you to configure cookie control, script blocking etc on a per site basis. Seems to fix my problem sites, at least the ones I have revisited. Of course, this feature may have been in Zonealarm for a while, I just haven’t noticed it before!