2009-01-14T02:11:00.000-08:00

Web hosting service

A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to provide their own website 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. Web hosts 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.

Ecommerce Web Hosting
Ecommerce Web hosting can be any of the above types of Web hosting, but it adds in another dimension: SSL or secure socket layer. If you're going to sell something on the Web you'll need to have a secure server to protect your customers. Many hosting providers will authorize your domains to use their SSL certificates for an additional fee. Ecommerce hosting often includes shopping carts and other additional features useful to online stores. Ecommerce hosting is important for any business selling goods on the Web.

Service scope

The scope of hosting services varies widely. The most basic is web page 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 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, Ruby on Rails, ColdFusion, 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 highly recommended. The host may also provide an interface or control panel for managing the Web server installing scripts as well as other services like e-mail. 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.

Dedicated, Virtual, and Shared Hosting
Dedicated Web hosting is where you get your own server machine for your site's exclusive use. In most dedicated hosting situations, the site owner will get root access to the server to make changes and control the site, but that depends upon the host. Some hosts provide an admin console or access through their helpdesk technicians. Technically, unless you're paying for a "dedicated" connection or colocation, your Web site is almost certainly stored on a shared server. But, in the hosting business, most companies refer to "Shared" and "Virtual" hosting as a form of dedicated hosting where the site is on a server machine with only 1 or 2 other Web sites. Dedicated Web hosting is good for businesses that need more space or more control over the Web site. When you're on a machine that isn't being used by any other Web site, you know what is happening on the machine - standard hosts run the risk of having one site get hacked which provides access to all the other sites on that server.

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 as the 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. These Web Content Management systems are great for the average user, but for those who want more control over their website design, this feature may not be adequate.Most modern desktop operating systems (Windows, Linux, Mac OS X) are also capable of running web server software, and thus can be used to host basic websites.One may also search the Internet to find active webhosting message boards and forums that may provide feedback on what type of webhosting company may suit his/her needs. However some of these message boards and forums will require not only registration, but a paid subscription to be able to access the sections and sub forums with such information.

WEB HOSTING