For Beginners
Choosing a host can be a frustrating
process, especially if you are new
to the Internet. Not only do
you have to determine which of the many
hosting companies you can trust with
the well-being of your website, but
you are also faced with a whole
confusing new world of hosting
terminology. How can you
choose between hosting companies
when you don't understand many of the very
hosting features that they seem so
proud of?
Below is a list of common hosting
terms. It will serve as good
basis for further learning about
hosting and will help you to better
understand what different
packages and hosting companies are
offering. If you have any
further questions, please don't
hesitate to call us at
1-800-754-2072 or use our contact
form to reach us online.
Terminology 101
- Ad-free hosting. Unless you don't mind other people's ads popping-up
in front of your website, it is important that you make sure you are
receiving ad-free hosting. Mostly only free hosting services will ask
you to agree to allow advertising on (or in front of) your website, but it
never hurts to double-check.
- Backups.
A backup is a saved copy of your website. A good host
will ensure that backups of your site are done regularly. If backups
aren't being done, you risk loosing your entire site if there is a problem
with the computer on which your site is being stored.
- CGI-bin. CGI is short of Common Gateway Interface. A CGI-bin
is simply a directory where executable scripts can be run from your
website. These scripts can do anything from changing a graphic when
you roll-over it with a mouse to actively allowing the user to search a
database on your computer. In other words, when your website is asked
to do something rather than just display pages, it will usually need
to run a program located in the CGI-bin.
- Database Solutions. A database is a place where information is
stored. Companies and individuals have databases for countless
reasons. One common use for a database is to store product
information--prices, color, amount in stock, etc. Some websites will
allow the user to search through a database. For example, a website
may allow a user to search a car dealer's website for red, two-door
Hondas. Such a search function on a website would be considered a
database solution. In order to support database solutions, a host
needs to be able to provide enough space to allow for adequate bandwidth
(amount of information sent over the connection per second), and be able to
support the types of programs that will be used to query your
database.
- E-commerce Solutions.
E-commerce is short for Electronic
Commerce. An e-commerce solution is an element of a website that helps
you to sell online. For example, an e-commerce solution could be a
shopping cart, a secure order form, or a way to accept credit cards.
If you are planning on selling items on your website, you will want to make
sure that the host you are using is able to support the programs you will
need to run in order to conduct e-commerce.
- FrontPage Extensions. FrontPage is a program that can be used to
design websites. Websites created in FrontPage will be easier to
upload (move onto the host-computer) if the host accepts FrontPage
extensions.
- FTP Support. FTP is short for File Transfer Protocol. FTP is a
very widely used protocol for uploading (moving sites to host
computers). If your host supports FTP, it means that you will be able
to use FTP programs (such as CuteFTP) to upload your site.
- Hard Disk Storage.
This is the amount of space you are allowed to
use to store your website on the host's computer. A normal web page
without flash animations or extensive scripting will take up between 2 and
40 KB (.002 to .040 MB) of space.
- Host. Without a host, the only person that could see your website
would be you (and anyone else you physically brought to your computer and
showed it to). When a website is transferred to a host, however, the
host can make your website accessible on the world-wide web. A host
will house and maintain your website's files and will provide them with a
connection to the Internet.
- Log Files (Traffic Analysis Software). A good host will provide you
with access to some sort of log files or traffic analysis software.
This software will help you better understand the people that are coming to
your website. The actual log software can vary widely, but the log
files can help you understand such things as: who is visiting your
website, when they are visiting your website, how often they are visiting
your website and what pages or directories they are requesting the
most. Good traffic analysis software is an absolute must for anyone
who is serious about their website.
- Monthly Data Transfer (Bandwidth).
Bandwidth is the amount of
packets of data that can be sent to and from your website in a fixed amount
of time. Each time a web page is requested, everything on the page
(text and graphics) must be transferred to the Internet user's
computer. If you have a very large or complicated site or expect a lot
of hits you will need more bandwidth.
- Password Protected Directories.
A password protected directory, as
its name implies, is a directory that requires a user to have a password to
gain access. If you have come across a website that asked for your
password before you went any further, then you have seen a password
protected directory in action. This is a very good security feature to
have available from your host.
- POP3 Email Accounts. POP3 stands for Post Office Protocol, 3rd
version. POP3 email accounts are offered by virtually all reputable
hosts. If the POP3 is confusing to you, just ignore it. These
are regular email accounts. POP3 is specified only to distinguish it
from web-based email such as Hotmail or Yahoo Mail.
- Secure Server.
If you plan on doing any sort of e-commerce (selling
online) with your website, then you must demand a secure server. A
secure server will encrypt packets of data--information--as it is being sent
from the user to the host computer. This is extremely important when
credit cards or bank account numbers are being provided online.
Non-encrypted data can be stolen by hackers midway!
- Server.
A web server is the program that hands over the requested
website files when a an Internet browser (such as Internet Explorer) asks
for them. The term server can be slightly confusing, because it is
also used to mean the computer from which the server program is run.
So, when you hear, "the server is down," someone is usually
talking about the computer that is responsible for handing-up requested
files to an Internet user's computer.
- Static/Dynamic IP.
For the purposes of hosting, an IP address is a 32-bit
number assigned to a website. You may type the IP into the address bar
of a web browser instead of a domain name to get to the site. An IP
address will look something like: 216.239.51.100 (Google's IP Address). In the case of a
static IP, your website will always have the same IP address, or 32-bit
identifying number, associated with it. With a dynamic IP address, this
number can change. Static IPs are better for the stability of your
website's presence.
- Telnet.
A Telnet program is a program that is
used to remotely access one computer from another computer. You can
think of a Telnet program as your remote control for your computer.
Just as you can operate your TV from the remote instead of walking up to the
TV and pressing the buttons, so will Telnet allow you operate your computer
from another computer anywhere in the world as if you were actually there
typing on the keyboard. As long as your host is set up correctly, with a Telnet program
you will be able to make changes to your site and check your email from any computer in the world.
- Upload/Download. To upload is to hand-up or give files to a host
computer. When you 'upload your site,' you are simply transferring
website files from your computer to the host computer where your website is
housed. Conversely, to download is to copy files from the host computer
to your computer. If someone else is working on your site (such as a
web designer) you will always want to download a complete, updated copy of
your site before you make any changes.
- Uptime/Downtime.
You will want to ask your host how much uptime you
can expect. This is the amount of time people will be able to type in
your website address and will be able to see your site. Uptime is how
your website should work 99.9% of the time. Unfortunately, all hosts,
no matter how good, will have some small percentage of downtime. This
is time when something has gone wrong with the host's server or system or
time that the host's system needs to be shut down for routine
maintenance. During this time your website will not be able to be
viewed and web users searching for your site may receive an error
message. Obviously, you want downtime to be very very low.
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