Managed web hosting solutions take the dedicated model to a higher level. We know that dedicated hosting allows the client to have full control of the server but dedicated servers can be difficult to operate technically and require that you have certain knowledge about server maintenance and system administration. The notch above is managed hosting, as it takes the dedicated features and adds extra services like reporting and monitoring, load balancing, security, setup, system administration and software updates. This is the most hands-off solution for the client.
Pros of managed web hosting:-
Managed hosting solutions continue to provide the benefits of a dedicated server, that is you have access to the complete server. Your package would be tailored to the amount of bandwidth and hard drive space that you might need and CPU intensive applications could operate without hindering other sites or being conflicted. Added as well is the management service that would ensure that the server operates at an optimum level by installing the needed software, updating patches, and providing support for any hardware or software issues. But you must make sure that the provider has the specialized people on staff and provides 24/7/365 support.
Cons of managed web hosting:-
Managed web hosting solutions are usually the premium offerings of a company and represent the top tier in terms of service. Therefore they usually command the highest prices - managed hosting solutions are more expensive than their dedicated cousins. Managed hosting packages will also likely involve some sort of a setup fee as it is more time consuming to setup a complete server than it is to create a hosting account in a shared environment. Managed solutions could also be an overkill. If you know your way around the operationg system being used and have system administration experience, you might be paying extra for something that you could do yourself.
Managed Hosting Review:-
1. Allows complete control of the server and its resouces
2. Allows custom web applications and higher level of uptime
3. Provides complete server support and system admin
4. More expensive than dedicated hosting
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Dedicated Web Hosting
Unlike shared hosting where tens to hundreds of websites of various customers are hosted on one computer, dedicated web hosting solutions allow a client to lease the complete computer and have access to all its resources to host one or multiple websites. This makes a dedicated hosting solution especially attractive for large high-traffic websites, custom development projects creating complex web based applications, and web sites that require a high degree of uptime and total control of the hosting environment.
Web Appliances:-
Dedicated servers can be based on one of many different types of web appliances, like Sun Microsystems' Cobalt line. These servers are usually low profile machines that are mounted on racks, and are optimized for web hosting. If choosing a web appliance based dedicated server, make sure that it will run all the software and scripts your site might require.
White box servers:-
These dedicated servers are regular PCs or server machines, running a Windows or Unix based operating system along with web hosting software.
Pros of dedicated web hosting:-
When you purchase a dedicated hosting package, you have access to the complete server. Dedicated packages are usually tailored to the amount of bandwidth, memory, and hard drive space that you might need and they allow for CPU intensive applications to operate without hindering other sites or being conflicted.
Cons of dedicated web hosting:-
The extra functionality and control does come at a higher monetary costs - dedicated hosting solutions are more expensive than the virtual options. But they are providing you with a lot more in terms of resources. Most dedicated hosting packages will involve some sort of a setup fee as it is more time consuming to setup a complete server than it is to create a hosting account in a shared environment. Most dedicated packages will also require that you as a user (or someone on your staff) have the needed computer knowledge to manage the server on a day to day basis. This would include the ability to do remote problem solving, having knowledge of the operating system, protocols and the software installed on the computer. The hosting companies will replace any hardware componets if they develop problems but might not be willing to meddle with the server setup or the software if you have problems. Or they might have an hourly charge to fix these problems. This aspect is important as it could add unforseen costs to your budget.
Dedicated Hosting Review:-
1. Expensive than shared/virtual hosting
2. Allows complete control of the server and its resouces
3. Allows custom web applications and higher level of uptime
4. Could require software maintenance and system administration duties.
Web Appliances:-
Dedicated servers can be based on one of many different types of web appliances, like Sun Microsystems' Cobalt line. These servers are usually low profile machines that are mounted on racks, and are optimized for web hosting. If choosing a web appliance based dedicated server, make sure that it will run all the software and scripts your site might require.
White box servers:-
These dedicated servers are regular PCs or server machines, running a Windows or Unix based operating system along with web hosting software.
Pros of dedicated web hosting:-
When you purchase a dedicated hosting package, you have access to the complete server. Dedicated packages are usually tailored to the amount of bandwidth, memory, and hard drive space that you might need and they allow for CPU intensive applications to operate without hindering other sites or being conflicted.
Cons of dedicated web hosting:-
The extra functionality and control does come at a higher monetary costs - dedicated hosting solutions are more expensive than the virtual options. But they are providing you with a lot more in terms of resources. Most dedicated hosting packages will involve some sort of a setup fee as it is more time consuming to setup a complete server than it is to create a hosting account in a shared environment. Most dedicated packages will also require that you as a user (or someone on your staff) have the needed computer knowledge to manage the server on a day to day basis. This would include the ability to do remote problem solving, having knowledge of the operating system, protocols and the software installed on the computer. The hosting companies will replace any hardware componets if they develop problems but might not be willing to meddle with the server setup or the software if you have problems. Or they might have an hourly charge to fix these problems. This aspect is important as it could add unforseen costs to your budget.
Dedicated Hosting Review:-
1. Expensive than shared/virtual hosting
2. Allows complete control of the server and its resouces
3. Allows custom web applications and higher level of uptime
4. Could require software maintenance and system administration duties.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Virtual Private Servers (VPS) Hosting Primer
A Virtual Private Server, also referred to as Virtual Dedicated Server, provides the features of a dedicated server for multiple web hosting customers in the form of "virtual computers". At first blush it sounds somewhat contradictory - how can you have a dedicated server if it is being shared by multiple users? Isn't that a regular shared or virtual hosting environment? It is true that with a Virtual Private Server you still share system resources like the CPU and RAM with other users but the resources are allocated in such a way that you cannot tell that the system has anyone else on it, much like a dedicated server. So resources are usually setup in such a way that each hosting client is only allowed to use an allocated percent, meaning that resources assigned to you will always available to you. Each virtual server looks and acts like a dedicated server.
Pros of Virtual Private Server web hosting:-
Most hosting customers would rather have complete control of their server environments. They don't want to be hosted on a server with tens or hundreds of other users, who could easily use up all the resources or cause the server environment to be unstable. But at the same time most websites don't need a dedicated server. The Virtual Private Server (VPS) alternative is a very attractive niche hosting solution for a fairly large chunk of web hosting clients who would like the stability of a dedicated server but on a smaller scale. With the resources setup in such a way that each person can only use what is allocated to them, your site will be more consistent because it will always have the same amount of access to the CPU, memory, and bandwidth. Virtual Private Servers are also more secure since even as you share the memory and CPU time, you are allocated your own file system. If a website on the server is hacked, the hackers will only have access to that particular file system and would not harm the other websites. A VPS is also much cheaper than a dedicated server.
Cons of Virtual Private Server web hosting:-
Now that you have read the pros of a VPS you are probably thinking that this is the best thing since sliced bread. Well, almost - as is the case with every other type of hosting service, not all providers setup or define Virtual Private Servers, also known as Virtual Dedicated Servers, the exact same way. You must make sure that your provider guarantees that their setup is robust enough to handle operations at a peak level. A trick used by many providers in the reselling and shared space is 'overselling'. What this means is selling more in terms of services than what physically available, with the hope that the end users wouldn't use up all the service that were advertised to them. In the realm of VPS this can be a bit more serious, since atleast the expectation is that you are operating in a more robust environment and many clients could be running more intensive applications like message boards or custom web applications. A shortfall of resources could end up causing problems for everyone hosted on such a server, therefore negating the benefits of a VPS. In a shared or dedicated environment you might be able to access more resources during peak or spike periods but since the VPS environemnt limits you to to your slice of the server resources, it can be a drawback. As if the technology rich lingo of regular web hosting wasn't enough, the VPS services add a few new wrinkles. Apart from storage space and bandwidth you must also deal with CPU cycles and RAM. So you will see ads for hosting that might include XYZ Mhz and AB mb RAM to go with the usual hosting related features. It would be a good idea to find out how many other virtual servers are running on a physical server ( as this will determine the ratio of CPU time and memory each virutal server can realistically expect. It is somewhat harder to figure out how much CPU time or RAM you might need, so seek out a hosting provider that will provide you with some benchmarks and the ability to upgrade or downgrade the VPS service if needed.
Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting Review
• Allows complete control of your virtual server and its resouces
• Allows you to run web applications without adversely affecting other clients
• Flexible - cheaper than dedicated hosting, more expensive than shared
Thatz it!!
Pros of Virtual Private Server web hosting:-
Most hosting customers would rather have complete control of their server environments. They don't want to be hosted on a server with tens or hundreds of other users, who could easily use up all the resources or cause the server environment to be unstable. But at the same time most websites don't need a dedicated server. The Virtual Private Server (VPS) alternative is a very attractive niche hosting solution for a fairly large chunk of web hosting clients who would like the stability of a dedicated server but on a smaller scale. With the resources setup in such a way that each person can only use what is allocated to them, your site will be more consistent because it will always have the same amount of access to the CPU, memory, and bandwidth. Virtual Private Servers are also more secure since even as you share the memory and CPU time, you are allocated your own file system. If a website on the server is hacked, the hackers will only have access to that particular file system and would not harm the other websites. A VPS is also much cheaper than a dedicated server.
Cons of Virtual Private Server web hosting:-
Now that you have read the pros of a VPS you are probably thinking that this is the best thing since sliced bread. Well, almost - as is the case with every other type of hosting service, not all providers setup or define Virtual Private Servers, also known as Virtual Dedicated Servers, the exact same way. You must make sure that your provider guarantees that their setup is robust enough to handle operations at a peak level. A trick used by many providers in the reselling and shared space is 'overselling'. What this means is selling more in terms of services than what physically available, with the hope that the end users wouldn't use up all the service that were advertised to them. In the realm of VPS this can be a bit more serious, since atleast the expectation is that you are operating in a more robust environment and many clients could be running more intensive applications like message boards or custom web applications. A shortfall of resources could end up causing problems for everyone hosted on such a server, therefore negating the benefits of a VPS. In a shared or dedicated environment you might be able to access more resources during peak or spike periods but since the VPS environemnt limits you to to your slice of the server resources, it can be a drawback. As if the technology rich lingo of regular web hosting wasn't enough, the VPS services add a few new wrinkles. Apart from storage space and bandwidth you must also deal with CPU cycles and RAM. So you will see ads for hosting that might include XYZ Mhz and AB mb RAM to go with the usual hosting related features. It would be a good idea to find out how many other virtual servers are running on a physical server ( as this will determine the ratio of CPU time and memory each virutal server can realistically expect. It is somewhat harder to figure out how much CPU time or RAM you might need, so seek out a hosting provider that will provide you with some benchmarks and the ability to upgrade or downgrade the VPS service if needed.
Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting Review
• Allows complete control of your virtual server and its resouces
• Allows you to run web applications without adversely affecting other clients
• Flexible - cheaper than dedicated hosting, more expensive than shared
Thatz it!!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Shared Web Hosting
Shared web hosting (also called virtual hosting) is the most common type of hosting service used. As the word implies, shared web hosting means that you are sharing one server with a number of clients of your hosting company. The webhost manages the server to ensure uptime, upgrading hardware and software. The cost of shared hosting often depends on the number of clients being hosted on a server as the hosting company tries to maximize profits per server. You will have no control over the server but full control over your website through a control panel.
When shopping for shared web hosting, you must check the terms of service to see if there are any scripts or types of software that aren't allowed by the host. Since all the resources are shared, it is important to ensure that no one user is hogging the pooled resources. Server software like Apache or IIS allows the administrators to localize any errors or unusual CPU utilization so as to not affect the other users, but there remains a possibility of a problem occuring and all the websites on a given server going down.
Pros of shared web hosting:-
Shared or virtual web hosting has several things going for it. The main being price - they are usually the cheapest and most affordable solutions for an online presence. Since the company hosts tens of websites on one server, they are able to pass the savings to the consumer. Performace could be a downside, but with hardware getting cheaper and software getting better, this aspect might not be relevant for everyone. Take for example web storage space. Hard drive sizes continue to increase and prices fall, allowing providers to give the end-users a better deal. The same holds true for CPUs and other components; dual CPU, RAID, ATA-133, and SCSI based computers are common in the web hosting world. With respect to softare, better management tools have allowed virtual hosting clients to have much of the functionality of their more expensive counterparts.
Cons of shared web hosting:-
Even though a lot of websites run on shared or virtual hosts, this type of web hosting is not necessarily the best solution in all cases. If your web application requires an excessive amount of CPU, RAM or other resources, or you need special software plugins and drivers, a shared hosting environment may not be for you. The hosting company has to consider all the clients hosted on a computer and would not appreciate someone hogging the resources nor will they install foreign software as it could have a detrimental impact on their other clients. If your web site needs to have guaranteed or very high rate of uptime, you wouldn't want to take chances in a shared environment as it might be possible that other clients hosted on the computer could cause problems for everyone.
Shared Hosting Review:-
• Usually the cheapest web hosting solution.
• Good for small to medium size sites and email domains
• Can be used for emergencies or as a backup hosting solution!!
When shopping for shared web hosting, you must check the terms of service to see if there are any scripts or types of software that aren't allowed by the host. Since all the resources are shared, it is important to ensure that no one user is hogging the pooled resources. Server software like Apache or IIS allows the administrators to localize any errors or unusual CPU utilization so as to not affect the other users, but there remains a possibility of a problem occuring and all the websites on a given server going down.
Pros of shared web hosting:-
Shared or virtual web hosting has several things going for it. The main being price - they are usually the cheapest and most affordable solutions for an online presence. Since the company hosts tens of websites on one server, they are able to pass the savings to the consumer. Performace could be a downside, but with hardware getting cheaper and software getting better, this aspect might not be relevant for everyone. Take for example web storage space. Hard drive sizes continue to increase and prices fall, allowing providers to give the end-users a better deal. The same holds true for CPUs and other components; dual CPU, RAID, ATA-133, and SCSI based computers are common in the web hosting world. With respect to softare, better management tools have allowed virtual hosting clients to have much of the functionality of their more expensive counterparts.
Cons of shared web hosting:-
Even though a lot of websites run on shared or virtual hosts, this type of web hosting is not necessarily the best solution in all cases. If your web application requires an excessive amount of CPU, RAM or other resources, or you need special software plugins and drivers, a shared hosting environment may not be for you. The hosting company has to consider all the clients hosted on a computer and would not appreciate someone hogging the resources nor will they install foreign software as it could have a detrimental impact on their other clients. If your web site needs to have guaranteed or very high rate of uptime, you wouldn't want to take chances in a shared environment as it might be possible that other clients hosted on the computer could cause problems for everyone.
Shared Hosting Review:-
• Usually the cheapest web hosting solution.
• Good for small to medium size sites and email domains
• Can be used for emergencies or as a backup hosting solution!!
Cheap or Budget Web Hosting
This is not free hosting but low priced web hosting compared to free web hosting. They are also offering shared hosting. However they are cheaper than the standard shared hosting offers.
They may also offer fewer services compared to standard shared hosting. They may be offering such cheap hosting by cutting down on some essential services. Hence a thorough evaluation of such a web hosting facility is advised.
We must understand that they are a classification mainly based on cost and that otherwise they also fall under the classification of shared web hosting.
Cheap or Budget hosting example hosts:-
IPowerweb, Godaddy, Geocities etc.
Advantages of Cheap or Budget hosting:-
Price is the major advantage with cheap / budget hosting. We can use your own domain name. e-mail accounts will be available. However may be limited. Site building tools may be provided free.
Disadvantages of Cheap or Budget hosting:-
Limited monthly data transfer / limited bandwidth. Limited tech support or we could experience from poor quality tech support. Options like 24 hour tech support may be unavailable. Limited or no database support
Summary:-
Here our option is cheap / budget hosting where the hosting does not cost as much as standard shared web hosting and is far better than free web hosting which has major disqualifications. Another way to look at it is, may be we can start with a cheap / budget hosting and then go up the ladder into standard shared web hosting or dedicated web hosting.
They may also offer fewer services compared to standard shared hosting. They may be offering such cheap hosting by cutting down on some essential services. Hence a thorough evaluation of such a web hosting facility is advised.
We must understand that they are a classification mainly based on cost and that otherwise they also fall under the classification of shared web hosting.
Cheap or Budget hosting example hosts:-
IPowerweb, Godaddy, Geocities etc.
Advantages of Cheap or Budget hosting:-
Price is the major advantage with cheap / budget hosting. We can use your own domain name. e-mail accounts will be available. However may be limited. Site building tools may be provided free.
Disadvantages of Cheap or Budget hosting:-
Limited monthly data transfer / limited bandwidth. Limited tech support or we could experience from poor quality tech support. Options like 24 hour tech support may be unavailable. Limited or no database support
Summary:-
Here our option is cheap / budget hosting where the hosting does not cost as much as standard shared web hosting and is far better than free web hosting which has major disqualifications. Another way to look at it is, may be we can start with a cheap / budget hosting and then go up the ladder into standard shared web hosting or dedicated web hosting.
Free Web Hosting
Some web hosting providers offer free web hosting. However most of this type of web hosting comes with some nuisance like ads. Most of them also don’t allow the hosting of your own domain name like abc.com Free hosting always carries addresses like geocities.com/your-Yahoo!-ID etc… Hence, for one who is interested in doing a clean, decent site, this is not an option.
Free web Hosting examples hosts:-
Geocoties, Tripode, Netfirms are all examples of this type of web hosting.
Advantages of free web hosting:-
The main, but only advantage is, no dent in your pocket! Site building tools may be provided free.
Disadvantages of free web hosting:-
No domain name of your own. No matching e-mail accounts Limited monthly data transfer / limited bandwidth. Ads will be shown on the site - sometimes very annoyingly. Disk space will be limited – but may be sufficient for most small sites. Very limited tech support. Limited or no database support.
Summary:-
Free web hosting is best suited for small sites with low traffic, like family sites or sites about hobbies. It is not recommended for high traffic or for serious business. Technical support is often limited, and feature options are few.
Very often you cannot use your own domain name at a free web hosting site. That’s a fully qualified name like www.abc.com cant be used. You have to use a name provided by your host like http://www.abc.com/users/yoursite.htm. This is hard to type, hard to remember, and not very professional.
Free web Hosting examples hosts:-
Geocoties, Tripode, Netfirms are all examples of this type of web hosting.
Advantages of free web hosting:-
The main, but only advantage is, no dent in your pocket! Site building tools may be provided free.
Disadvantages of free web hosting:-
No domain name of your own. No matching e-mail accounts Limited monthly data transfer / limited bandwidth. Ads will be shown on the site - sometimes very annoyingly. Disk space will be limited – but may be sufficient for most small sites. Very limited tech support. Limited or no database support.
Summary:-
Free web hosting is best suited for small sites with low traffic, like family sites or sites about hobbies. It is not recommended for high traffic or for serious business. Technical support is often limited, and feature options are few.
Very often you cannot use your own domain name at a free web hosting site. That’s a fully qualified name like www.abc.com cant be used. You have to use a name provided by your host like http://www.abc.com/users/yoursite.htm. This is hard to type, hard to remember, and not very professional.
Types of web hosting
There are various types of web hosting solutions. Depending on your needs, you could choose from one of several web hosting solutions and therefore it is important to research and evaluate the services to pick the correct one. Here are some of the most common type of web hosting services available:-
1. Free Web Hosting
2. Cheap / Budget Web Hosting
3. Shared Web Hosting
4. Virtual Private Servers (VPS) Hosting Primer
5. Dedicated Web Hosting
6. Managed Web Hosting
7. Co-Located Web Hosting
8. Reseller Web Hosting
1. Free Web Hosting
2. Cheap / Budget Web Hosting
3. Shared Web Hosting
4. Virtual Private Servers (VPS) Hosting Primer
5. Dedicated Web Hosting
6. Managed Web Hosting
7. Co-Located Web Hosting
8. Reseller Web Hosting
Monday, October 26, 2009
Detail of Hosting Components
1. Web Server:-
The web server is a relatively simple piece of software that accepts requests over HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and delivers HTML pages and Image files.
2. FTP Server:-
FTP is the means of which a web master can transfer files to and from the server. To put our HTML and image files on a server we will generally use FTP to upload (transfer to) our files to the server running the web server.
3. Mail Server:-
The mail server consists of two parts POP (Post Office Protocol) and SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). POP is where email is received into our mailbox and SMTP is what is used to send and receive email between mail servers.
4. Database Server:-
If we are using server side scripting on web server (we use something like Microsoft Internet Information Server) then instead of providing ?static? data only on web pages we can provide data from a database allowing our users to search and view the data in different and dynamic way. Also, a Database server is used to gather data from visitors to our site; orders, feedback, discussions and the like. Each one of the above components are software programs running on servers in the web-hosting environment. We can interact with each of these with special software programs we use on our computer.
5. Web Browser:-
When viewing the web we use a web browser like Internet Explorer. Many web hosting companies provide a ?Control Panel? to administer ywe web host account, whichweu use with our web browser. Most allow us to configure most aspects of our account using a simple web browser.
6. Web site/Page editor:-
Today many web servers allow editing of WebPages over HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) based on Microsoft FrontPage technology. These special editors allow we to essentially look at our web site as if we were using a web browser and edit the pages directly as we see them using WYSWIG (What we see if what we get) technology. Most web hosting environments support this, and if we are starting out, make sure it is available. One tip: make sure the web host providing this really does understand this technology ? it is the main area of which many hacks and security intrusions occur.
7. FTP Client:-
This is a very simple piece of software that allows us to view the server folders and files in wer web host account as if they were files and folders on wer own computer. We can then drag and drop files between we computer and wer web host account.
8. Email Client:-
If we are on the internet we would already be using an email client to send and receive wer email. The most common are Outlook Express, Eudora and Web based mail clients like Hotmail.
9. Database Administration Client:-
The most common databases used with web servers are Microsoft SQL Server (available only on Windows) and MySQL (commonly found on Linux and UNIX but also available on Windows). SQL Server comes with it's own administration client where we can view wer databases, edit them, backup data and do all the administration functions we need. MySQL has an active online community where there is a range of administration clients available. Choosing a web host is, again, similar to choosing a house to live in or commercial premises to do business. We need to define what it is we require: how much space we need and what features and facilities we need.
If we have been reading this article because this is new to we, then it is likely at this stage we only need minimal space and basic facilities. Once we have worked with the basic facilities we will learn more and become aware of greater facilities and features and then we can simple move from one web ?hosting environment to another ? paying more or paying less. Moving in cyberspace is much easier, faster, and more seamless than physically moving house or commercial premises. Initially we may use the web-hosting environment offered by wer ISP (internet Service provider), the company we use to connect to the internet. But remember these companies main business is connecting many thousands of people to the internet ? not managing web hosting environments. We will generally find they offer less than basic facilities and minimal space. If we are just starting out with wer first web site the first major choice we will be faced with is ?Unix? or ?Windows?. For a person just starting out on the internet, both are equally capable and will offer the facilities we need to have wer place in cyberspace. If we have a web designer or technical person to help we, we only need to consider how much space we really need. With this simple idea in mind, when we are just starting out, owning wer piece of cyberspace will not cost anymore than $8 per month. Many web-hosting companies will offer what we need for as little as $3 per month. If we are going alone and doing it all werself we may want to consider an account with a web hosting company that offers and prides itself on it's support and customer service, 24/7 support access and the experience, knowledge and skill of it's server administrators. Remember, these are the gardeners and the guards who take care of wer environment. Web hosting is very simple and straightforward an once we obtain wer space in cyberspace we will never want to let it go and we can easily move it where we want as a turtle carries it's shell on it's back. Always remember we are not stuck in the first web-hoisting environment we choose. Web hosting iswer space in cyberspace and it is imperative to have a place in cyberspace in our modern society, just as it is to have an office to do business.
The web server is a relatively simple piece of software that accepts requests over HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and delivers HTML pages and Image files.
2. FTP Server:-
FTP is the means of which a web master can transfer files to and from the server. To put our HTML and image files on a server we will generally use FTP to upload (transfer to) our files to the server running the web server.
3. Mail Server:-
The mail server consists of two parts POP (Post Office Protocol) and SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). POP is where email is received into our mailbox and SMTP is what is used to send and receive email between mail servers.
4. Database Server:-
If we are using server side scripting on web server (we use something like Microsoft Internet Information Server) then instead of providing ?static? data only on web pages we can provide data from a database allowing our users to search and view the data in different and dynamic way. Also, a Database server is used to gather data from visitors to our site; orders, feedback, discussions and the like. Each one of the above components are software programs running on servers in the web-hosting environment. We can interact with each of these with special software programs we use on our computer.
5. Web Browser:-
When viewing the web we use a web browser like Internet Explorer. Many web hosting companies provide a ?Control Panel? to administer ywe web host account, whichweu use with our web browser. Most allow us to configure most aspects of our account using a simple web browser.
6. Web site/Page editor:-
Today many web servers allow editing of WebPages over HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) based on Microsoft FrontPage technology. These special editors allow we to essentially look at our web site as if we were using a web browser and edit the pages directly as we see them using WYSWIG (What we see if what we get) technology. Most web hosting environments support this, and if we are starting out, make sure it is available. One tip: make sure the web host providing this really does understand this technology ? it is the main area of which many hacks and security intrusions occur.
7. FTP Client:-
This is a very simple piece of software that allows us to view the server folders and files in wer web host account as if they were files and folders on wer own computer. We can then drag and drop files between we computer and wer web host account.
8. Email Client:-
If we are on the internet we would already be using an email client to send and receive wer email. The most common are Outlook Express, Eudora and Web based mail clients like Hotmail.
9. Database Administration Client:-
The most common databases used with web servers are Microsoft SQL Server (available only on Windows) and MySQL (commonly found on Linux and UNIX but also available on Windows). SQL Server comes with it's own administration client where we can view wer databases, edit them, backup data and do all the administration functions we need. MySQL has an active online community where there is a range of administration clients available. Choosing a web host is, again, similar to choosing a house to live in or commercial premises to do business. We need to define what it is we require: how much space we need and what features and facilities we need.
If we have been reading this article because this is new to we, then it is likely at this stage we only need minimal space and basic facilities. Once we have worked with the basic facilities we will learn more and become aware of greater facilities and features and then we can simple move from one web ?hosting environment to another ? paying more or paying less. Moving in cyberspace is much easier, faster, and more seamless than physically moving house or commercial premises. Initially we may use the web-hosting environment offered by wer ISP (internet Service provider), the company we use to connect to the internet. But remember these companies main business is connecting many thousands of people to the internet ? not managing web hosting environments. We will generally find they offer less than basic facilities and minimal space. If we are just starting out with wer first web site the first major choice we will be faced with is ?Unix? or ?Windows?. For a person just starting out on the internet, both are equally capable and will offer the facilities we need to have wer place in cyberspace. If we have a web designer or technical person to help we, we only need to consider how much space we really need. With this simple idea in mind, when we are just starting out, owning wer piece of cyberspace will not cost anymore than $8 per month. Many web-hosting companies will offer what we need for as little as $3 per month. If we are going alone and doing it all werself we may want to consider an account with a web hosting company that offers and prides itself on it's support and customer service, 24/7 support access and the experience, knowledge and skill of it's server administrators. Remember, these are the gardeners and the guards who take care of wer environment. Web hosting is very simple and straightforward an once we obtain wer space in cyberspace we will never want to let it go and we can easily move it where we want as a turtle carries it's shell on it's back. Always remember we are not stuck in the first web-hoisting environment we choose. Web hosting iswer space in cyberspace and it is imperative to have a place in cyberspace in our modern society, just as it is to have an office to do business.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Web Hosting Core Components
When we rent a building there are key parts needed to work or live in the space, like rooms, offices, kitchens, toilets, and bathrooms. In our web-hosting environment, we will find equally important components that are required to make the space workable. The core components in a web-hosting environment are:-
1. Web Server
2. FTP Server
3. Mail Server
4. Database Server
5. Web Browser
6. Web site/page editor
7. FTP Client
8. Email Client
9. Database Administration Client
1. Web Server
2. FTP Server
3. Mail Server
4. Database Server
5. Web Browser
6. Web site/page editor
7. FTP Client
8. Email Client
9. Database Administration Client
Saturday, October 24, 2009
What is Web Hosting
Web hosting is a service which allocates space for customers to showcase their websites on computer servers that are connected to the Internet 24/7. 
If you want to take part in the internet as a business, information resource, directory, or as a hobbyist wanting to share data, information and knowledge with the many people and communities on the internet, you have to contain this in a central spot on the internet. You have to own a piece of space in cyberspace.Web hosting empowers you and anyone with a computer and internet connection to own a piece of cyberspace. In your space, you can have news, bulletins, documents, data, files (your web site) and your own post office (mail server) to accept mail, all in the context of you or your business. This is your space and to get this space you either have to own a piece of the physical internet with a network connection to the internet backbone and computer(s) operating as server(s) offering access to your files and post office, for people on the internet to view your web site or send and receive email with you. The cost of owning a direct connection to the backbone and a server dedicated to a web site and email is out of reach for the average business and especially general members of the internet. Even running a web site and mail server on your own computer when it is connected to the internet requires a lot of technical ability and knowledge. The internet itself has to be your business for either of these options to be viable. In our modern society, for every person in business or with a career in most industries today, it is imperative to have a place in cyberspace, not just to be competitive but to survive. web hosting companies were born out of this great need to provide an environment for the masses to own a piece of cyberspace, to offer an environment where people could have their piece of cyberspace on the internet 24/7 without the great cost. web hosting companies developed a model where they could split up areas on the servers connected to the backbone and ?rent? this space, cutting the costs across many people sharing the server and backbone connection to the internet. In a web-hosting environment, you are offered a web site to place your files, data, documents, and bulletins for people to access with their web browser and an email server for you to send and receive email messages. The web host will also provide you a means to get an address for people to get to your web site with a web browser and post email to you. To obtain space in a web hosting environment you become a member and agree to terms and conditions of renting the space ? just as if you were to rent a house or commercial premises for your business. Once you agree and become a member, you are given an access code, a key, to your piece of cyberspace. This key, in the form of 
a login and password, allows you to connect to the web hosting server and up-load (transfer to) your web site so it can be accessed on the internet. Your login and password is also used to connect to a mail server to create and administer mailboxes to send and receive email for you, your staff, or family members. Just like when you rent a house or commercial premises for your business, you have so many rooms, bathrooms, and floor space to use. In a web-hosting environment, your area is defined as disk space and network transfer. Disk space is measured in Megabytes (MB) or Gigabytes (GB). Megabyte roughly means 1,024,000 characters and Gigabyte roughly means 1,024 Million characters. Imagine a character as one key on your key board. These amounts determine how many files, documents, or data you can have on your web site. Network Transfer is also measured in Megabytes or gigabytes which determines how much data (how many of your files, documents or data) can be downloaded (transferred to) people accessing your web site. The more people, or the more data each person accesses on your web site the more data is transferred on the network. The more disk space and network transfer you use the greater percentage of the web-hosting environment you are using ? therefore the higher the rent. Just as no office building and home is the same, neither is every web-hosting environment. Some offices have stairs, others have lifts, some houses have ensuites, swimming pools, and gardens, ? and others do not. Web-hosting environments are much the same, some offer bare structures to do just the basics and others offer an array of features and facilities to help you do just about everything you could ever need or want. Some of the features and facilities likely to be offered are ranges of software to use, components, databases, and server side script processing.The similarity of renting an office or home to renting space in a web-hosting environment is even more similar. With some buildings a gardener and/or a guard is available to look after the gardening or provide security. In a web-hosting environment, you have support people to help you do what you need to do on your web site to make it grow and there are server administrators to protect and secure your web-hosting space.
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