What Is Web Hosting?
Web hosting is a service provided by big companies to host the web site, the hosted site is accessible one the internet. In fact they provide online systems for storing information, images, video, or any content to the users. The content is then become accessible on the internet. The companies providing the space on the internet is called Web Hosts or Web Hosting companies. Web Hosts usually installs many computer in the data centers powered by UPS backups. These computers are connected to the high speed internet by fiber optics connectivity.
Different Level of Web Hosting
There are three level of hosting
Shared Hosting (Virtual Hosting)Servers are expensive so hosting service provider shares the sever space to host many sites on the same machine. So the one server servers many web sites. Usually on one server 1,000 web sites can be hosted. This makes web hosting affordable because you pay a portion of the server fee instead of the entire server. Over 95% of websites of the internet are hosted on shared hosting environment.Shared hosting is an economical, flexible Web solution for both individuals and small- to medium-sized businesses looking to establish an online presence through static, personal and "test" Web sites.
Dedicated Server
If you planning to host big application on the internet in that case you need a full server for running the application. In this case you are using the Dedicated Sever (server dedicated to your web site only).
Server Co-LocationIn some cases you can buy your own sever and setup the applications according to your requirement and place the your server on some ISP with high speed internet connection. This is called Co-Location hosting.
Which is better - Linux or Windows?
We are often asked which hosting platform one should choose: Linux or Windows. Below, we've listed the major differences between the two that you should consider in making your decision. In the process, we have also tried to dispel any common misconceptions regarding these platforms. Generally, we recommend to use Linux, unless they need specific features/applications only available on the Windows platform.
ReliabilityThe general consensus is that Linux is more reliable and our experience also shows this. We have had servers up for over one year without any downtime. Microsoft's Windows 2000 is much more stable and reliable than previous versions, but there are still cases where a server will require a reboot to resolve an issue.FunctionalityThis is where these two platforms differ the most. There isn't much that can be achieved using one platform that can't be done on the other one. The main difference are the underlying technologies. For example, if you need a database driven web site, you can choose either PHP/MySQL combination under Linux or ASP/MS SQL combination under Windows®2000.SecurityOut of the box, neither Linux or Windows is very secure for Internet use. So some modification is required to make it secure.
PriceLinux holds an edge due to the fact that the most of the software we use is open source (free) and that it's easier to maintain Linux servers than Windows servers for the same level of reliability and performance. On Linux apache web server is nearly bullet proof and it is very stable and gives high performance.
Hosting ChoiceWhen it comes to Web hosting, Linux has, for some time, been widely considered the best OS for Web servers. It's typically found to be the most reliable, stable and efficient system and, as such, it's commonly used for the demanding environment of Web and mail servers. If you use PHP, Perl or MySQL, Linux is the way forward. If apps are Microsoft-specific, then Windows is what you need. But the fact that over 75 per cent of all sites are hosted on a Unix platform tells you something.
SpeedThere is no difference in terms of speed between the two platforms.
File TypesAlmost all the file types are supported on Linux web server. Commonly, the following extensions are supported:.cgi, .html, .htm, .pl, .php, .shtml, .asp (requires additional plug-in), .xml, and others. Basically it means that you can host web sites that use different types of server side scripts including .cgi, .pl, .php, and .asp (with plug-in).
Easy to move to other HostsA web site designed to be hosted on a Linux based web server can be hosted on a Windows web server easily, where as the reverse is not always true. This provides flexibility in changing hosts as required.
ScalabilityUsually, a web site starts with a few pages of html and grows over a period of time to suit the customers requirements. It is preferable to design a web site keeping this requirements in mind. A web site designed for compatibility with a Linux/Unix based web server meets the scalability requirement easily without making any site wide design changes.
Features you should consider while choosing the Web Hosting Companies:
Select the Hosting plan having SSL support.
Your plan should have the support for shell (telnet or SSH) access to your account and the FTP access.
You should have access to raw logs and stats for figuring, this will help in understanding the statistics of your visitors
Your plan should have the support for streaming media support
Select the hosting plan having static IP
You plan should allow you to create sub-domains
Control panel should be there for managing the account
You should select the plan with anonymous FTP support
Your company should provide the 99.99 percent guaranteed uptime
Monday, September 24, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Web hosting
DNS (Domain Name System)
Initially the Internet was built on the notion that any computer on a global network can be identified by its numeric Internet Protocol (IP) address. But since people, are the primary users of the Internet, a more people-friendly naming system called the Domain Name System (DNS) was invented
This System translates a domain name such as 1stDomain.net into Internet Protocol (IP) numbers to find the correct web site - in this case the site for 1stDomain.net. The data is then made available to all computers and users on the Internet.
Domain Name
A domain name is essentially a signpost on the Internet. Almost every website you've ever been to, and every email you've ever composed, has used a domain name in its address.
People register domain names in order to 'stake a claim' to a particular name -- whether for business or personal reasons. Once you register a domain name, it is entirely yours, no other party may use that identity online as long as you continue to pay the yearly renewal fee and abide by the terms of use.
Domain Name Registrar
A registrar or "Domain Name Registrar" is any entity, organization like 1stDomain.net that acts on behalf of a registrant regarding domain name requests or modifications. For .COM, .NET, and .ORG names domain name requests and modifications must be submitted through a registrar.
Domain Parking Registrars
require the use of name servers or hosts for every domain registered. In other words, every domain name has to be linked to a name server for it to be valid. Some people do not have they own name servers, therefore our Registrar offers 'domain parking' (name parking) on its servers. It is a convenient way to hold or 'park' domain name(s) for an extended amount of time.
Domain Registrant
A registrant is the person or company who registers a domain name. For example, Joe Smith (registrant) registers the name joesmith.com through 1stDomain.net (registrar) who in turn submits the name to the central database (Registry).
Domain Registry
The organization responsible for the administration and maintenance to a top-level domain database is known as the registry. The registry is where registrars go for new domain names or to modify existing domain name. This is a US government contracted database.
Domain Name Transfer
The term 'transfer' refers to when Domain names are sold to another individual or organization or the name of a company might change. The Registrar has a process by which permission from the old owner is required to hand over control to the new owner. The procedure for change of ownership is known as a Registrant Transfer.
ICANN
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the non-profit corporation that was formed to assume responsibility for the IP address space allocation, protocol parameter assignment, domain name system management, and root server system management functions. For more information about ICANN, you can visit their web site at: http://www.icann.org
IP number
IP stands for Internet protocol. A unique number consisting of 4 parts separated by dots. Every machine that is on the Internet has a unique number, which correlates to its domain name.
ISP
ISP stands for Internet Service Provider. An ISP provides access to the Internet for others via some connectivity service(s). Examples of ISPs include Earthlink, Mindspring, and WorldNet to name a few.
Modify
Modify is a function where contact information or DNS information can be updated to reflect new changes pertaining to a domain name. Administrative and Technical Contacts have the ability to modify domain name information. You can Log In using your User ID and Password after you have registered a domain name and make on-line modifications to your contact record and DNS information.
Name Servers Nameservers (or Domain Name Servers)
are the machines that perform the DNS function by providing the mapping of domain names to IP addresses.
Name Service (Primary or Secondary)
The domain name-to-Internet Protocol (IP) number resolution is known as Name Service. Many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) operate name servers and provide their customers with name service when they register a domain name. 1stDomain.net offers both primary and secondary name service for all domain names registered through us.
Primary Server
On our Registrars Agreement, the section where the registrant indicates the host name and Internet Protocol (IP) number of the name server that will contain authoritative information for the domain name and will be used to resolve that domain name to its corresponding IP number(s). The designation of "primary" means that this name server will be used first and will be relied upon before any of the other name servers that may be listed on the Domain Name Registration Agreement. The primary server section of the Agreement is a required section and the domain name registration will not be processed unless this section of the Domain Name Registration Agreement is completed properly.
Second Level Domain (SLD)
Second Level Domains is the next highest level of the hierarchy underneath the Top Level Domains. In the example, 1stDomain.net - the "1stDomain.net" part is the second level domain. Second level domain names are what you register in a Top Level Domain registry.
Top Level Domain (TLD)
Top Level Domains is the portion of a traditional domain name that comes after the dot. So, in 1stDomain.net, the top level domain is .net. The generic top level domains (gTLDs) are .com, .net and .org; The other type of TLDs are the country code Top Level Domains (ccTLD) which are assigned to all countries and their dependencies such as .ca for Canada.
Web Hosting
The World Wide Web is a massive collection of web sites, all hosted on computers (called web servers) all over the world. The web server (computer) where your web site's html files, graphics, etc. reside is known as the web host. Web hosting clients simply upload their web sites to a shared (or dedicated) webserver, which the ISP maintains to ensure a constant, fast connection to the Internet.
A Web Hosting company provides you space on their web server which allows you anyone on the Internet to view your web site. Web Hosts charge on a monthly basis and provide differing levels of service.
Initially the Internet was built on the notion that any computer on a global network can be identified by its numeric Internet Protocol (IP) address. But since people, are the primary users of the Internet, a more people-friendly naming system called the Domain Name System (DNS) was invented
This System translates a domain name such as 1stDomain.net into Internet Protocol (IP) numbers to find the correct web site - in this case the site for 1stDomain.net. The data is then made available to all computers and users on the Internet.
Domain Name
A domain name is essentially a signpost on the Internet. Almost every website you've ever been to, and every email you've ever composed, has used a domain name in its address.
People register domain names in order to 'stake a claim' to a particular name -- whether for business or personal reasons. Once you register a domain name, it is entirely yours, no other party may use that identity online as long as you continue to pay the yearly renewal fee and abide by the terms of use.
Domain Name Registrar
A registrar or "Domain Name Registrar" is any entity, organization like 1stDomain.net that acts on behalf of a registrant regarding domain name requests or modifications. For .COM, .NET, and .ORG names domain name requests and modifications must be submitted through a registrar.
Domain Parking Registrars
require the use of name servers or hosts for every domain registered. In other words, every domain name has to be linked to a name server for it to be valid. Some people do not have they own name servers, therefore our Registrar offers 'domain parking' (name parking) on its servers. It is a convenient way to hold or 'park' domain name(s) for an extended amount of time.
Domain Registrant
A registrant is the person or company who registers a domain name. For example, Joe Smith (registrant) registers the name joesmith.com through 1stDomain.net (registrar) who in turn submits the name to the central database (Registry).
Domain Registry
The organization responsible for the administration and maintenance to a top-level domain database is known as the registry. The registry is where registrars go for new domain names or to modify existing domain name. This is a US government contracted database.
Domain Name Transfer
The term 'transfer' refers to when Domain names are sold to another individual or organization or the name of a company might change. The Registrar has a process by which permission from the old owner is required to hand over control to the new owner. The procedure for change of ownership is known as a Registrant Transfer.
ICANN
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the non-profit corporation that was formed to assume responsibility for the IP address space allocation, protocol parameter assignment, domain name system management, and root server system management functions. For more information about ICANN, you can visit their web site at: http://www.icann.org
IP number
IP stands for Internet protocol. A unique number consisting of 4 parts separated by dots. Every machine that is on the Internet has a unique number, which correlates to its domain name.
ISP
ISP stands for Internet Service Provider. An ISP provides access to the Internet for others via some connectivity service(s). Examples of ISPs include Earthlink, Mindspring, and WorldNet to name a few.
Modify
Modify is a function where contact information or DNS information can be updated to reflect new changes pertaining to a domain name. Administrative and Technical Contacts have the ability to modify domain name information. You can Log In using your User ID and Password after you have registered a domain name and make on-line modifications to your contact record and DNS information.
Name Servers Nameservers (or Domain Name Servers)
are the machines that perform the DNS function by providing the mapping of domain names to IP addresses.
Name Service (Primary or Secondary)
The domain name-to-Internet Protocol (IP) number resolution is known as Name Service. Many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) operate name servers and provide their customers with name service when they register a domain name. 1stDomain.net offers both primary and secondary name service for all domain names registered through us.
Primary Server
On our Registrars Agreement, the section where the registrant indicates the host name and Internet Protocol (IP) number of the name server that will contain authoritative information for the domain name and will be used to resolve that domain name to its corresponding IP number(s). The designation of "primary" means that this name server will be used first and will be relied upon before any of the other name servers that may be listed on the Domain Name Registration Agreement. The primary server section of the Agreement is a required section and the domain name registration will not be processed unless this section of the Domain Name Registration Agreement is completed properly.
Second Level Domain (SLD)
Second Level Domains is the next highest level of the hierarchy underneath the Top Level Domains. In the example, 1stDomain.net - the "1stDomain.net" part is the second level domain. Second level domain names are what you register in a Top Level Domain registry.
Top Level Domain (TLD)
Top Level Domains is the portion of a traditional domain name that comes after the dot. So, in 1stDomain.net, the top level domain is .net. The generic top level domains (gTLDs) are .com, .net and .org; The other type of TLDs are the country code Top Level Domains (ccTLD) which are assigned to all countries and their dependencies such as .ca for Canada.
Web Hosting
The World Wide Web is a massive collection of web sites, all hosted on computers (called web servers) all over the world. The web server (computer) where your web site's html files, graphics, etc. reside is known as the web host. Web hosting clients simply upload their web sites to a shared (or dedicated) webserver, which the ISP maintains to ensure a constant, fast connection to the Internet.
A Web Hosting company provides you space on their web server which allows you anyone on the Internet to view your web site. Web Hosts charge on a monthly basis and provide differing levels of service.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Top 10 Web hosting sites
Featured Categories
Shared Web HostingDedicated WebhostingCo-location HostingVirtual Dedicated hostingDomains / EmailsLinux / Windows Hosting
Award Control Panels
Helm Control Panel
Awards Companies
Host GatorVista PagesDot5 Hosting
Pending awards
UK2.netReseller ZoomHosting ZoomUh HostingHostwayFatcowFast ServersAn HostingHost RocketWest HostPow WebStart LogicDream HostApollo HostingVoda HostWing SixNetfirmsEasy CGIAplus.netSuperb.netNetwork Solutions
Web Hosting Coupons
Vista PagesAn HostingLyphaImhostedEasy CGIDream HostThink Host123 RegPC DigitalHost Gator
Overall ranking! Click image with "Our Review" to read the Web Master's Review!
IX Web Hosting
Reviewed 2007-02-05, Rating: 95%
Ranks #1, because of their outstanding offer and support!
Cheapest plan(2007-02-07)Price:$3.95 Disk Space:2000 GB Bandwidth:2000 GB
Blue Host
Reviewed 2007-02-09, Rating: 93%
Ranks #2, very good cost-effective prices, great support!
Cheapest plan(2007-02-09)Price:$6.95 Disk Space:2000 GB Bandwidth:2000 GB
Host Monster
Reviewed 2007-02-10, Rating: 86%
Ranks #3, Host UNLIMITED Domains!
Cheapest plan(2007-02-10)Price:$5.95 Disk Space:2000 GB Bandwidth:2000 GB
1&1 Internet Web Hosting
Reviewed 2007-02-17, Rating: 84%
Ranks #4, most serious and bigger hosting company!
Cheapest plan(2005-08-15)Price:$2.99 Disk Space:N/A Bandwidth:N/A
Lunar Pages
Reviewed 2006-12-17, Rating: 83%
Ranks #5, due to reliable servers and user support forum!
Special coupon!!! $25.00 off, perfect for the purchase of 12 or 24 months hosting, Coupon Code: WebHostTop25
Cheapest plan(2006-12-17)Price:$6.95 Disk Space:350 GB Bandwidth:800 GB
Yahoo Web Hosting
Reviewed 2007-02-17, Rating: 82%
Ranks #6, because of good service and a good value!
Cheapest plan(2005-08-17)Price:$11.95 Disk Space:N/A Bandwidth:N/A
midPhase
Reviewed 2007-02-17, Rating: 79%
Ranks #7, because of Unmetered Bandwidth!
Promo Code: WEBHOSTINGTOPSPECIAL , You get 3 months FREE!
Host Excellence
Reviewed 2007-02-10, Rating: 78%
Ranks #8, because of awesome plans and great prices!
Cheapest plan(2007-02-10)Price:$2.95 Disk Space:50 GB Bandwidth:50 GB
Go Daddy
Reviewed 2007-02-17, Rating: 73%
Ranks #9, A great runner up domain registration and webhosting company!
GoDaddy discount Save 10% on your order, Coupon Code gd49bbd90
Cheapest plan(2006-02-04)Price:$3.95 Disk Space:50 GB Bandwidth:250 GB
iPower Web
Reviewed 2007-02-17, Rating: 65%
Ranks #10, due established positive track record!
Cheapest plan(2007-02-17)Price:$6.95 Disk Space:2000 GB Bandwidth:2000 GB
Shared Web HostingDedicated WebhostingCo-location HostingVirtual Dedicated hostingDomains / EmailsLinux / Windows Hosting
Award Control Panels
Helm Control Panel
Awards Companies
Host GatorVista PagesDot5 Hosting
Pending awards
UK2.netReseller ZoomHosting ZoomUh HostingHostwayFatcowFast ServersAn HostingHost RocketWest HostPow WebStart LogicDream HostApollo HostingVoda HostWing SixNetfirmsEasy CGIAplus.netSuperb.netNetwork Solutions
Web Hosting Coupons
Vista PagesAn HostingLyphaImhostedEasy CGIDream HostThink Host123 RegPC DigitalHost Gator
Overall ranking! Click image with "Our Review" to read the Web Master's Review!
IX Web Hosting
Reviewed 2007-02-05, Rating: 95%
Ranks #1, because of their outstanding offer and support!
Cheapest plan(2007-02-07)Price:$3.95 Disk Space:2000 GB Bandwidth:2000 GB
Blue Host
Reviewed 2007-02-09, Rating: 93%
Ranks #2, very good cost-effective prices, great support!
Cheapest plan(2007-02-09)Price:$6.95 Disk Space:2000 GB Bandwidth:2000 GB
Host Monster
Reviewed 2007-02-10, Rating: 86%
Ranks #3, Host UNLIMITED Domains!
Cheapest plan(2007-02-10)Price:$5.95 Disk Space:2000 GB Bandwidth:2000 GB
1&1 Internet Web Hosting
Reviewed 2007-02-17, Rating: 84%
Ranks #4, most serious and bigger hosting company!
Cheapest plan(2005-08-15)Price:$2.99 Disk Space:N/A Bandwidth:N/A
Lunar Pages
Reviewed 2006-12-17, Rating: 83%
Ranks #5, due to reliable servers and user support forum!
Special coupon!!! $25.00 off, perfect for the purchase of 12 or 24 months hosting, Coupon Code: WebHostTop25
Cheapest plan(2006-12-17)Price:$6.95 Disk Space:350 GB Bandwidth:800 GB
Yahoo Web Hosting
Reviewed 2007-02-17, Rating: 82%
Ranks #6, because of good service and a good value!
Cheapest plan(2005-08-17)Price:$11.95 Disk Space:N/A Bandwidth:N/A
midPhase
Reviewed 2007-02-17, Rating: 79%
Ranks #7, because of Unmetered Bandwidth!
Promo Code: WEBHOSTINGTOPSPECIAL , You get 3 months FREE!
Host Excellence
Reviewed 2007-02-10, Rating: 78%
Ranks #8, because of awesome plans and great prices!
Cheapest plan(2007-02-10)Price:$2.95 Disk Space:50 GB Bandwidth:50 GB
Go Daddy
Reviewed 2007-02-17, Rating: 73%
Ranks #9, A great runner up domain registration and webhosting company!
GoDaddy discount Save 10% on your order, Coupon Code gd49bbd90
Cheapest plan(2006-02-04)Price:$3.95 Disk Space:50 GB Bandwidth:250 GB
iPower Web
Reviewed 2007-02-17, Rating: 65%
Ranks #10, due established positive track record!
Cheapest plan(2007-02-17)Price:$6.95 Disk Space:2000 GB Bandwidth:2000 GB
Web hosting
If you want your web site to be visible to the world, you have to store it on a web server.
Most small businesses and companies store their web site on a server provided by an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
Hosting Your Own Web
Hosting your web site on your own server is always an option. Here are some problems to consider:
Hardware Expenses
To run a "real" web site, you will have to buy some powerful server hardware. Don't expect that a low cost PC will do the job. You will also need a permanent (24 hours a day ) high speed connection to your office, and such connections are expensive.
Software Expenses
Don't forget to count the extra cost for software licenses. Remember that server licenses often are much higher than client licenses. Also note that some server software licenses might have limits on number of concurrent users.
Labor Expenses
Don't expect low labor expenses. Remember that you have to install your own hardware and software. You also have to deal with bugs and viruses, and keep your server constantly running in an environment where "everything could happen".
Using an Internet Service Provider
Renting a server from an Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a common option. Here are some advantages:
Connection Speed
Most providers have very fast connections to the Internet, like full T3 fiber-optic 45Mps connections equivalent to about 2000 traditional (28K) modems or 1000 high speed (56K) modems.
Powerful Hardware
Service providers often have many powerful web servers that can be shared by several companies. You can also expect them to have an effective load balancing, and necessary backup servers.
Security and Stability
Internet Service Providers are specialists on web hosting. Expect their servers to have more than 99% up time, the latest software patches, and the best virus protection.
Things to Consider
24-hour support
Make sure your Internet service provider offers 24-hours support. Don't put yourself in a situation where you cannot fix critical problems without having to wait until the next working day. Toll-free phone could be vital if you don't want to pay for long distance calls.
Daily Backup
Make sure your service provider runs a secure daily backup routine, otherwise you may lose some valuable data.
Traffic Volume
Study the provider's traffic volume restrictions. Make sure that you don't have to pay a fortune for unexpected high traffic if your web site becomes popular.
Bandwidth or Content Restrictions
Study the provider's bandwidth and content restrictions. If you plan to publish pictures or broadcast video or sound, make sure that you can.
Email Capabilities
Make sure your provider fully supports the email capabilities you need. (You can read more about email capabilities in a later chapter)
Front Page Extensions
Make sure your provider fully supports FrontPage server extensions if you plan to use FrontPage to develop your site.
Database Access
Make sure your provider fully supports the database access you need if you plan to use databases from your site. (You can read more about database access in a later chapter)
Most small businesses and companies store their web site on a server provided by an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
Hosting Your Own Web
Hosting your web site on your own server is always an option. Here are some problems to consider:
Hardware Expenses
To run a "real" web site, you will have to buy some powerful server hardware. Don't expect that a low cost PC will do the job. You will also need a permanent (24 hours a day ) high speed connection to your office, and such connections are expensive.
Software Expenses
Don't forget to count the extra cost for software licenses. Remember that server licenses often are much higher than client licenses. Also note that some server software licenses might have limits on number of concurrent users.
Labor Expenses
Don't expect low labor expenses. Remember that you have to install your own hardware and software. You also have to deal with bugs and viruses, and keep your server constantly running in an environment where "everything could happen".
Using an Internet Service Provider
Renting a server from an Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a common option. Here are some advantages:
Connection Speed
Most providers have very fast connections to the Internet, like full T3 fiber-optic 45Mps connections equivalent to about 2000 traditional (28K) modems or 1000 high speed (56K) modems.
Powerful Hardware
Service providers often have many powerful web servers that can be shared by several companies. You can also expect them to have an effective load balancing, and necessary backup servers.
Security and Stability
Internet Service Providers are specialists on web hosting. Expect their servers to have more than 99% up time, the latest software patches, and the best virus protection.
Things to Consider
24-hour support
Make sure your Internet service provider offers 24-hours support. Don't put yourself in a situation where you cannot fix critical problems without having to wait until the next working day. Toll-free phone could be vital if you don't want to pay for long distance calls.
Daily Backup
Make sure your service provider runs a secure daily backup routine, otherwise you may lose some valuable data.
Traffic Volume
Study the provider's traffic volume restrictions. Make sure that you don't have to pay a fortune for unexpected high traffic if your web site becomes popular.
Bandwidth or Content Restrictions
Study the provider's bandwidth and content restrictions. If you plan to publish pictures or broadcast video or sound, make sure that you can.
Email Capabilities
Make sure your provider fully supports the email capabilities you need. (You can read more about email capabilities in a later chapter)
Front Page Extensions
Make sure your provider fully supports FrontPage server extensions if you plan to use FrontPage to develop your site.
Database Access
Make sure your provider fully supports the database access you need if you plan to use databases from your site. (You can read more about database access in a later chapter)
About Web hosting
How does the Web work? How can I make my own Web Site?
What is a Web Host? What is an Internet Service Provider?
What is the World Wide Web?
The Web is a network of computers all over the world.
All the computers in the Web can communicate with each other.
All the computers use a communication standard called HTTP.
How does the WWW work?
Web information is stored in documents called web pages.
Web pages are files stored on computers called web servers.
Computers reading the web pages are called web clients.
Web clients view the pages with a program called a web browser.
Popular browsers are Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
How does a Browser Fetch a Web Page?
A browser fetches a page from a web server by a request.
A request is a standard HTTP request containing a page address.
An address may look like this: http://www.someone.com/page.htm.
How does a Browser Display a Web Page?
All web pages contain instructions for display
The browser displays the page by reading these instructions.
The most common display instructions are called HTML tags.
HTML tags look like this
What is a Web Server?
The collection of all your web pages is called your web site.
To let others view your work, you must publish your web site.
To publish your work, you must copy your site to a web server.
Your own PC can act as a web server if it is connected to a network.
Most common is to use an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
What is an Internet Service Provider?
ISP stands for Internet Service Provider.
An ISP provides Internet services.
A common Internet service is web hosting.
Web hosting means storing your web site on a public server.
Web hosting normally includes email services.
Web hosting often includes domain name registration.
Summary
If you want other people to view your web site, you must copy your site to a public server. Even if you can use your own PC as a web server, it is more common to let an Internet Service Provider (ISP) host your site.
Included in a Web hosting solution you can expect to find domain name registration and standard email services.
You can read more about domain name registration, email and other services in the next chapters of this tutorial.
What is a Web Host? What is an Internet Service Provider?
What is the World Wide Web?
The Web is a network of computers all over the world.
All the computers in the Web can communicate with each other.
All the computers use a communication standard called HTTP.
How does the WWW work?
Web information is stored in documents called web pages.
Web pages are files stored on computers called web servers.
Computers reading the web pages are called web clients.
Web clients view the pages with a program called a web browser.
Popular browsers are Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
How does a Browser Fetch a Web Page?
A browser fetches a page from a web server by a request.
A request is a standard HTTP request containing a page address.
An address may look like this: http://www.someone.com/page.htm.
How does a Browser Display a Web Page?
All web pages contain instructions for display
The browser displays the page by reading these instructions.
The most common display instructions are called HTML tags.
HTML tags look like this
This is a Paragraph
.What is a Web Server?
The collection of all your web pages is called your web site.
To let others view your work, you must publish your web site.
To publish your work, you must copy your site to a web server.
Your own PC can act as a web server if it is connected to a network.
Most common is to use an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
What is an Internet Service Provider?
ISP stands for Internet Service Provider.
An ISP provides Internet services.
A common Internet service is web hosting.
Web hosting means storing your web site on a public server.
Web hosting normally includes email services.
Web hosting often includes domain name registration.
Summary
If you want other people to view your web site, you must copy your site to a public server. Even if you can use your own PC as a web server, it is more common to let an Internet Service Provider (ISP) host your site.
Included in a Web hosting solution you can expect to find domain name registration and standard email services.
You can read more about domain name registration, email and other services in the next chapters of this tutorial.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Web Hosting
Windows hosting
Almost everyone who has ever used a PC knows that Microsoft Windows is the mostly widely used desktop operating system (OS) in use today. Although the tech savvy community is now more inclined to use alternate operating systems, Windows still has the majority share of the basic user (newbie) market because it’s easy to use. Microsoft launched Windows NT in 1994 to be used with network servers. Windows NT had an all new OS kernel different from it previous versions. Since then, Microsoft has released various versions of windows, based on the NT core, to be used as server systems. The latest of them is Microsoft Windows 2003. Like every other platform, Windows has its own benefits and disadvantages. We will examine these in brief.
Benefits
The benefits may vary depending upon the scripting language you use. IIS (Internet Information Services) is a major benefit on Windows. IIS 6 is the latest version of IIS with major performance upgrades and advanced features like XML Metabase, ASP Hang Detection, and support for 64 bit servers, etc. ASP is the widely used language on the enterprise level for custom-made applications that require stability and performance. Windows supports Microsoft’s SQL server—one of the most robust DBMS around. With features is like stored procedures, triggers, etc., it is the favorite choice for performance-based application development. Another major benefit of the Windows platform is the support for the .NET framework. ASP.NET is popularly used nowadays due to its features like memory leak, crash protection, multi-language support, etc. Windows also supports certain enterprise level applications for high end-users. One of them is Exchange Servers, which is known for its rock solid performance in business-critical information handling.
Disadvantages
The most basic thing you should know about Windows hosting is that it involves a lot of licensing cost. The Windows OS itself is not free. IIS, ASP support and .NET support do come bundled with Windows, but MSSQL and Exchange servers need additional licenses, which are not cheap. Any additional component that might be needed on the server is also paid. The concept of open source software does not apply much in the case of a Windows environment except for MYSQL, PHP and some other components, which are open source and compatible with windows. Windows hosting cannot be cheap because of these additional set up costs. The other disadvantage is that very few open source scripts compatible with Windows are available on the Internet. You have to purchase licenses for mostly any ASP or .NET scripts you want to use. The security, stability and performance of the server depend upon how it was set up largely.
Blog hosting
Before blog hosting became a niche product in the web hosting industry, the act of 'blogging' has been fully has been fully entrenched within the online community. Blogging basically involves a means of chronological publication of personal ideas, beliefs and thoughts that is frequently updated for general public consumption.
History of blogs
Blogs were established since the beginning of the Internet before the term 'blog' was even fashioned. It was done in the form of mailing lists, Usenet posts and bulletin board systems (BBS). However, people wanted to go more personal by publishing content that represent their personality or business. This is where blogs were introduced. By following a similar format to a website, blogs were meant to simplify posting of items by non-tech savvy users.
History of blog hosting
When the blog bandwagon began to jump, companies started creating remotely hosted services that allows users to sign up and start their own weblog. While the publication of content to the blog was easy, it lacked some advantaged functionalities for professional bloggers who needed more control of their blogs. Then came the developer hosted blogs whereby users can download and install blog application on their hosting account. Today there are hundred's of such applications for different development platforms. The blog bandwagon turned into an explosion with millions of blogs being launched by web enthusiasts.
It didn't take long for web hosting companies to realize the revenue-generating potential of blogs. They started creating plans geared for blogs and developed their own blogging applications or offered pre-installed blogs.
Starting a blog hosting service
Decide if you want to build your own blogging application or offer pre-installed developer hosted blogs. Fantastico is a cPanel add-on that offers easily installation of web applications including weblog.
Create different plans with different bandwidth and disc space allocation that will allow and motivate your customers to upgrade.
Offer blogging tips and tutorials to those unfamiliar with the concept of blogging or the blogging software that your company offers.
Consider offering other products like image/video galleries, RSS and podcast technologies that customers can easily integrate in their blog.
Choosing a blog hosting service
First decide if you want to install your own blog application or you will use the one provided by the hosting company. If you are installing your own blog application, make sure that the hosting package meets the requirement of the application.
Almost everyone who has ever used a PC knows that Microsoft Windows is the mostly widely used desktop operating system (OS) in use today. Although the tech savvy community is now more inclined to use alternate operating systems, Windows still has the majority share of the basic user (newbie) market because it’s easy to use. Microsoft launched Windows NT in 1994 to be used with network servers. Windows NT had an all new OS kernel different from it previous versions. Since then, Microsoft has released various versions of windows, based on the NT core, to be used as server systems. The latest of them is Microsoft Windows 2003. Like every other platform, Windows has its own benefits and disadvantages. We will examine these in brief.
Benefits
The benefits may vary depending upon the scripting language you use. IIS (Internet Information Services) is a major benefit on Windows. IIS 6 is the latest version of IIS with major performance upgrades and advanced features like XML Metabase, ASP Hang Detection, and support for 64 bit servers, etc. ASP is the widely used language on the enterprise level for custom-made applications that require stability and performance. Windows supports Microsoft’s SQL server—one of the most robust DBMS around. With features is like stored procedures, triggers, etc., it is the favorite choice for performance-based application development. Another major benefit of the Windows platform is the support for the .NET framework. ASP.NET is popularly used nowadays due to its features like memory leak, crash protection, multi-language support, etc. Windows also supports certain enterprise level applications for high end-users. One of them is Exchange Servers, which is known for its rock solid performance in business-critical information handling.
Disadvantages
The most basic thing you should know about Windows hosting is that it involves a lot of licensing cost. The Windows OS itself is not free. IIS, ASP support and .NET support do come bundled with Windows, but MSSQL and Exchange servers need additional licenses, which are not cheap. Any additional component that might be needed on the server is also paid. The concept of open source software does not apply much in the case of a Windows environment except for MYSQL, PHP and some other components, which are open source and compatible with windows. Windows hosting cannot be cheap because of these additional set up costs. The other disadvantage is that very few open source scripts compatible with Windows are available on the Internet. You have to purchase licenses for mostly any ASP or .NET scripts you want to use. The security, stability and performance of the server depend upon how it was set up largely.
Blog hosting
Before blog hosting became a niche product in the web hosting industry, the act of 'blogging' has been fully has been fully entrenched within the online community. Blogging basically involves a means of chronological publication of personal ideas, beliefs and thoughts that is frequently updated for general public consumption.
History of blogs
Blogs were established since the beginning of the Internet before the term 'blog' was even fashioned. It was done in the form of mailing lists, Usenet posts and bulletin board systems (BBS). However, people wanted to go more personal by publishing content that represent their personality or business. This is where blogs were introduced. By following a similar format to a website, blogs were meant to simplify posting of items by non-tech savvy users.
History of blog hosting
When the blog bandwagon began to jump, companies started creating remotely hosted services that allows users to sign up and start their own weblog. While the publication of content to the blog was easy, it lacked some advantaged functionalities for professional bloggers who needed more control of their blogs. Then came the developer hosted blogs whereby users can download and install blog application on their hosting account. Today there are hundred's of such applications for different development platforms. The blog bandwagon turned into an explosion with millions of blogs being launched by web enthusiasts.
It didn't take long for web hosting companies to realize the revenue-generating potential of blogs. They started creating plans geared for blogs and developed their own blogging applications or offered pre-installed blogs.
Starting a blog hosting service
Decide if you want to build your own blogging application or offer pre-installed developer hosted blogs. Fantastico is a cPanel add-on that offers easily installation of web applications including weblog.
Create different plans with different bandwidth and disc space allocation that will allow and motivate your customers to upgrade.
Offer blogging tips and tutorials to those unfamiliar with the concept of blogging or the blogging software that your company offers.
Consider offering other products like image/video galleries, RSS and podcast technologies that customers can easily integrate in their blog.
Choosing a blog hosting service
First decide if you want to install your own blog application or you will use the one provided by the hosting company. If you are installing your own blog application, make sure that the hosting package meets the requirement of the application.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Web Hosting
An example of "rack mounted" servers.
A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to provide their own websites accessible via the World Wide Web. Web hosts are companies that provide space on a server they own for use by their clients as well as providing Internet connectivity, typically in a data center. Webhosts can also provide data center space and connectivity to the Internet for servers they do not own to be located in their data center, called colocation.
Service scope
The scopes of hosting services vary widely. The most basic is webpage and small-scale file hosting, where files can be uploaded via File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or a Web interface. The files are usually delivered to the Web "as is" or with little processing. Many Internet service providers (ISPs) offer this service for free to their subscribers. People can also obtain Web page hosting from other, alternative service providers. Personal web site hosting is typically free, advertisement-sponsored, or cheap. Business web site hosting often has a higher expense.
Single page hosting is generally sufficient only for personal web pages. A complex site calls for a more comprehensive package that provides database support and application development platforms (e.g. PHP, Java, and ASP.NET). These facilities allow the customers to write or install scripts for applications like forums and content management. For e-commerce, SSL is also required.
The host may also provide an interface control panel (e.g. cPanel, Plesk or others) for managing the Web server and installing scripts as well as other services like e-mail. Recently, Web.com holds many patents it claims cover broad methods for website building and web control panels. Hostopia, a large wholesale host, recently purchased a license to use that technology from web.com for 10% of retail revenues[1]. Web.com recently sued Go Daddy as well for similar patent infringement [2].
Some hosts specialize in certain software or services (e.g. e-commerce). They are commonly used by larger companies to outsource network infrastructure to a hosting company. To find a web hosting company, there are searchable directories that can be used. One must be extremely careful when searching for a new company due to the fact that many of the people promoting service providers are actually affiliates and the reviews are biased.
Hosting reliability and uptime
Multiple racks of servers, and how a datacenter commonly looks.
Hosting uptime refers to the percentage of time the host is accessible via the internet. Many providers state that they aim for a 99.9% uptime, but there may be server restarts and planned (or unplanned) maintenance in any hosting environment.
A common claim from the popular hosting providers is '99% or 99.9% server uptime' but this often refers only to a server being powered on and doesn't account for network downtime. Real downtime can potentially be larger than the percentage guaranteed by the provider. Many providers tie uptime, and accessibility, into their own Service Level Agreement, or SLA. SLAs may or may not include refunds, or reduced costs if performance goals are not met. One must be extremely careful when selecting a new company and they should read all terms and conditions carefully. A potential customer should also check out the web hosting company's acceptable use policy (AUP) in order to avoid potential cancellation of services due to activities that are considered a violation.
A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to provide their own websites accessible via the World Wide Web. Web hosts are companies that provide space on a server they own for use by their clients as well as providing Internet connectivity, typically in a data center. Webhosts can also provide data center space and connectivity to the Internet for servers they do not own to be located in their data center, called colocation.
Service scope
The scopes of hosting services vary widely. The most basic is webpage and small-scale file hosting, where files can be uploaded via File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or a Web interface. The files are usually delivered to the Web "as is" or with little processing. Many Internet service providers (ISPs) offer this service for free to their subscribers. People can also obtain Web page hosting from other, alternative service providers. Personal web site hosting is typically free, advertisement-sponsored, or cheap. Business web site hosting often has a higher expense.
Single page hosting is generally sufficient only for personal web pages. A complex site calls for a more comprehensive package that provides database support and application development platforms (e.g. PHP, Java, and ASP.NET). These facilities allow the customers to write or install scripts for applications like forums and content management. For e-commerce, SSL is also required.
The host may also provide an interface control panel (e.g. cPanel, Plesk or others) for managing the Web server and installing scripts as well as other services like e-mail. Recently, Web.com holds many patents it claims cover broad methods for website building and web control panels. Hostopia, a large wholesale host, recently purchased a license to use that technology from web.com for 10% of retail revenues[1]. Web.com recently sued Go Daddy as well for similar patent infringement [2].
Some hosts specialize in certain software or services (e.g. e-commerce). They are commonly used by larger companies to outsource network infrastructure to a hosting company. To find a web hosting company, there are searchable directories that can be used. One must be extremely careful when searching for a new company due to the fact that many of the people promoting service providers are actually affiliates and the reviews are biased.
Hosting reliability and uptime
Multiple racks of servers, and how a datacenter commonly looks.
Hosting uptime refers to the percentage of time the host is accessible via the internet. Many providers state that they aim for a 99.9% uptime, but there may be server restarts and planned (or unplanned) maintenance in any hosting environment.
A common claim from the popular hosting providers is '99% or 99.9% server uptime' but this often refers only to a server being powered on and doesn't account for network downtime. Real downtime can potentially be larger than the percentage guaranteed by the provider. Many providers tie uptime, and accessibility, into their own Service Level Agreement, or SLA. SLAs may or may not include refunds, or reduced costs if performance goals are not met. One must be extremely careful when selecting a new company and they should read all terms and conditions carefully. A potential customer should also check out the web hosting company's acceptable use policy (AUP) in order to avoid potential cancellation of services due to activities that are considered a violation.
Types of Web Hosting
Types of hosting
A typical server "cage," commonly seen in colocation centres.
Internet hosting services can run Web servers; see Internet hosting services.
Hosting services limited to the Web:
Free web hosting service: is free, (sometimes) advertisement-supported web hosting, and is often limited when compared to paid hosting.
Shared web hosting service: one's Web site is placed on the same server as many other sites, ranging from a few to hundreds or thousands. Typically, all domains may share a common pool of server resources, such as RAM and the CPU. A shared website may be hosted with a reseller.
Reseller web hosting: allows clients to become web hosts themselves. Resellers could function, for individual domains, under any combination of these listed types of hosting, depending on who they are affiliated with as a provider. Resellers' accounts may vary tremendously in size: they may have their own virtual dedicated server to a colocated server.
Virtual Dedicated Server: slicing up a server into virtual servers. each user feels like they're on their own dedicated server, but they're actually sharing a server with many other users. The users may have root access to their own virtual space.
Dedicated hosting service: the user gets his or her own Web server and gains full control over it (root access for Linux/administrator access for Windows); however, the user typically does not own the server. Another type of Dedicated hosting is Self-Managed or Unmanaged. This is usually the least expensive for Dedicated plans. The user has full administrative access to the box, which means the client is responsible for the security and maintenance of his own dedicated box.
Managed hosting service: the user gets his or her own Web server but is not allowed full control over it (root access for Linux/administrator access for Windows); however, they are allowed to manage their data via FTP or other remote management tools. The user is disallowed full control so that the provider can guarantee quality of service by not allowing the user to modify the server or potentially create configuration problems. The user typically does not own the server. The server is leased to the client.
Colocation web hosting service: similar to the dedicated web hosting service, but the user owns the colo server; the hosting company provides physical space that the server takes up and takes care of the server. This is the most powerful and expensive type of the web hosting service. In most cases, the colocation provider may provide little to no support directly for their client's machine, providing only the electrical, Internet access, and storage facilities for the server. In most cases for colo, the client would have his own administrator visit the data center on site to do any hardware upgrades or changes.
Clustered hosting: having multiple servers hosting the same content for better resource utilization.
Some specific types of hosting provided by web host service providers:
File hosting service: hosts not web pages but files
Image hosting service
Video hosting service
Blog hosting service
One-click hosting
Shopping cart software
Obtaining hosting
Web hosting is often provided as part of a general Internet access plan; there are many free and paid providers offering these services.
A customer needs to evaluate the requirements of the application to choose what kind of hosting to use. Such considerations include database server software, scripting software, and operating system. Most hosting providers provide Linux-based web hosting which offers a wide range of different software. A typical configuration for a Linux server is the LAMP platform: Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP/Perl/Python. The webhosting client may want to have other services, such as email for their business domain, databases or multi-media services for streaming media. A customer may also choose Windows for its hosting platform. The customer still can choose from PHP, Perl, and Python but may also use ASP .Net or Classic ASP.
Web hosting packages often include a Web Content Management System, so the end-user doesn't have to worry about the more technical aspects.
One may also search
A typical server "cage," commonly seen in colocation centres.
Internet hosting services can run Web servers; see Internet hosting services.
Hosting services limited to the Web:
Free web hosting service: is free, (sometimes) advertisement-supported web hosting, and is often limited when compared to paid hosting.
Shared web hosting service: one's Web site is placed on the same server as many other sites, ranging from a few to hundreds or thousands. Typically, all domains may share a common pool of server resources, such as RAM and the CPU. A shared website may be hosted with a reseller.
Reseller web hosting: allows clients to become web hosts themselves. Resellers could function, for individual domains, under any combination of these listed types of hosting, depending on who they are affiliated with as a provider. Resellers' accounts may vary tremendously in size: they may have their own virtual dedicated server to a colocated server.
Virtual Dedicated Server: slicing up a server into virtual servers. each user feels like they're on their own dedicated server, but they're actually sharing a server with many other users. The users may have root access to their own virtual space.
Dedicated hosting service: the user gets his or her own Web server and gains full control over it (root access for Linux/administrator access for Windows); however, the user typically does not own the server. Another type of Dedicated hosting is Self-Managed or Unmanaged. This is usually the least expensive for Dedicated plans. The user has full administrative access to the box, which means the client is responsible for the security and maintenance of his own dedicated box.
Managed hosting service: the user gets his or her own Web server but is not allowed full control over it (root access for Linux/administrator access for Windows); however, they are allowed to manage their data via FTP or other remote management tools. The user is disallowed full control so that the provider can guarantee quality of service by not allowing the user to modify the server or potentially create configuration problems. The user typically does not own the server. The server is leased to the client.
Colocation web hosting service: similar to the dedicated web hosting service, but the user owns the colo server; the hosting company provides physical space that the server takes up and takes care of the server. This is the most powerful and expensive type of the web hosting service. In most cases, the colocation provider may provide little to no support directly for their client's machine, providing only the electrical, Internet access, and storage facilities for the server. In most cases for colo, the client would have his own administrator visit the data center on site to do any hardware upgrades or changes.
Clustered hosting: having multiple servers hosting the same content for better resource utilization.
Some specific types of hosting provided by web host service providers:
File hosting service: hosts not web pages but files
Image hosting service
Video hosting service
Blog hosting service
One-click hosting
Shopping cart software
Obtaining hosting
Web hosting is often provided as part of a general Internet access plan; there are many free and paid providers offering these services.
A customer needs to evaluate the requirements of the application to choose what kind of hosting to use. Such considerations include database server software, scripting software, and operating system. Most hosting providers provide Linux-based web hosting which offers a wide range of different software. A typical configuration for a Linux server is the LAMP platform: Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP/Perl/Python. The webhosting client may want to have other services, such as email for their business domain, databases or multi-media services for streaming media. A customer may also choose Windows for its hosting platform. The customer still can choose from PHP, Perl, and Python but may also use ASP .Net or Classic ASP.
Web hosting packages often include a Web Content Management System, so the end-user doesn't have to worry about the more technical aspects.
One may also search
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