AJIBOYE Forums - Web Hosting

Website Hosting and Possible Bonuses for Internet Marketing

Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Today the number of website hosting companies grows each day. So, the competition grows and the winner prize goes to the company, that find the most effective and up-to-date means to attract private and business clients. Since internet marketing with all its SEO, backlinking, PPC and other promotional techniques, is getting more and more attention these days, website hosting services is often offered supplied with some add-on features or bonuses for clients.

For example, signing up for a website hosting, one can also get a free voucher for advertising at one of the popular PPC networks, such as Google Adwords, Yahoo Search Marketing or MSN AdCenter. Once the website is hosted and set up, webmaster can create an account with the chosen internet marketing service provider and use the provided voucher to get a discount on the services or to refill the balance.

Along with free vouchers for pay-per-click advertising, some analytical tools are also usually provided within the hosting plan. These can also be treated as the instruments for internet marketing, since they can let you know about search queries, geographic location of visitors, traffic sources, etc. for your website.

Top 7 Web Hosting Companies

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:00:00 EDT

In order to organize your presence in the Internet, you will need a home for your website. Speaking technically, you will need to find a website hosting company and purchase the web hosting services, which will include physical place on a web server and a particular set of web tools for managing your website. Choosing among multiple hosting companies may be pretty difficult and time-consuming, so below we will just give a list of 7 web hosting companies, which, in our opinion, are the best in web hosting.

- Ajiboye (monthly fee from USD 3.99)

- Inmotion (monthly fee from USD 5.95)

- Bluehost (monthly fee from USD 6.95)

- Hostmonster (monthly fee from USD 6.95)

- Yahoo (monthly fee from USD 8.96)

- GoDaddy (monthly fee from USD 12.74)

Of course, when choosing your webhosting company, it is necessary to consider multiple aspects, including cost of services, technical features, services included into a package, etc. However, with the above list you have a starting point for finding the best web home for your site.

Types of Web Hosting

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

There are many different types of web hosting solutions. Depending upon your requirements, you could select from one of several web hosting solutions and therefore it is very important to research and evaluate the services to choose the right one. Below is a summary of the most common types of web hosting services available.

Shared Hosting

Generally the cheapest web hosting solution

Suitable for small to medium size websites and email domains

Can be used for emergencies, or as a backup hosting solution

Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting

Permits complete control of your virtual server and its resources

Allows you to run web applications without negatively affecting other clients

Flexible, cheaper than dedicated hosting, more expensive than shared

Dedicated Hosting

More expensive than shared/virtual hosting

Permits total control of the server and its resources

Allows custom web applications and higher level of uptime

May need software maintenance and system administration duties

Managed Hosting

Allows total control of the server and its resources

Allows custom web applications and higher level of uptime

Provides total server support and system administration

More expensive than dedicated hosting

Co-located Hosting

Allows total control of the server and its resources

Allows you to use customized hardware and software for hosting

Normally the most expensive hosting solution

Reseller Hosting

Allows you to earn an income by re-selling web hosting and services

Suitable for multiple domain hosting

Usually comes with helpful control panels to manage all the sites

Can vary greatly in price, but more expensive than shared hosting

Free Hosting

A great price, free

Does not have many features, limited resources

Constrains the type of content and files you can have online

Does not provide a professional impression

Data Centers, Bandwidth Quality and Security

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

When you are looking at your web hosting options, you will need to consider the data centers, bandwidth quality and security of the provider. Both big and small web hosting providers require a central location where they house their servers and equipment. It is important to have some idea as to where these systems are physically located. If you seek reliability and high quality you may not really want your important web venture hosted in someone's basement off an xDSL connection.

You may also want to check what type of data connections/providers are being utilized by your web host. Just because someone says that they have a "10-MBit Internet backbone" does not mean high quality and reliability. You may rather see them accessing the Internet backbone through multiple, reliable providers that allow worldwide traffic to be routed in the most efficient manner. Most web hosting companies will provide some detail on their data centers including the built-in redundancies, their use of UPS and/or diesel generators, the different bandwidth providers they use, and physical security of their premises. It can be very beneficial to look into this aspect of your website hosting.

Shared Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

There are many different types of website hosting providers, and one type is known as shared web hosting. Shared web hosting, also known as virtual hosting, is the most common type of hosting service used. As the name implies, shared web hosting means that you are sharing one server (CPU time, memory, OS, applications, bandwidth, etc) with a number of clients of your web 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 looking for shared web hosting, you must examine the terms of service to check if there are any scripts or types of software that are not 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 occurring and all the websites on a given server going down.

Advantages of Shared Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Shared, or virtual, web hosting has several advantages. The main advantages is 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. Performance 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 and SCSI based computers are common in the web hosting world. With respect to software, better management tools have allowed virtual hosting clients to have much of the functionality of their more expensive counterparts.

Disadvantages of Shared Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Although many 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 the best solution 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 website 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.

Dedicated Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Unlike shared hosting where lots 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 particularly attractive for large high-traffic websites, custom development projects creating complex web based applications, and websites that require a lots of uptime and complete 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 you are selecting a web appliance based dedicated server, ensure 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.

Advantages of Dedicated Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

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 may need and they allow for CPU intensive applications to operate without adversely affecting other sites or being conflicted.

Disadvantages of Dedicated Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

The extra functionality and control means that dedicated web hosting can be expensive and they are more expensive than the virtual options. However, they provide 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 have the required 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 components if they develop problems, but may not be willing to meddle with the server setup or the software if you have any issues. Or they may have an hourly rate to rectify these problems. This facet can be important as it could increase your budget considerably.

Managed Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Managed, or "fully managed", web hosting solutions take the dedicated model to a higher level. Dedicated hosting allows the client to have full control of the server, however, dedicated servers can be hard to operate technically and require that you have certain knowledge about server maintenance and system administration. The next level 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.

Advantages of Managed Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Managed hosting solutions continue to provide the benefits of a dedicated server such that you have access to the complete server. Your package would be tailored to the amount of bandwidth and hard drive space that you may require and CPU intensive applications could work without affecting 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 required software, updating patches, and providing support for any hardware or software issues. However, you must ensure that the provider has the specialized people on staff and provides a complete level of support.

Disadvantages of Managed Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Managed web hosting solutions are usually the top of the range offerings of a company and represent the premium in terms of service. Therefore, they normally attract the highest prices and managed hosting solutions are more expensive than their dedicated counterparts. 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 excessive if you know your way around the operating system being used and have system administration experience, you may be paying extra for something that you could do yourself.

Co-Located Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

In situations where dedicated or managed servers provided by a web hosting provider do not satisfy your requirements, it is possible to custom build your own server and place it in the data center of a provider. Co-located hosting means that you purchase a server and supply it to the host. The host will then plug your server at its data center providing you access to its network and infrastructure. The webhost is responsible for the network infrastructure and the data center, whilst you are responsible for the server through remote access.

This type of web hosting solution permits very customized and specialized websites to function at peak performance. Many popular websites use a co-location strategy to provide them with the combination of customization and superior performance.

If you are considering a co-located hosting provider, you will need to evaluate their terms of service, the security of their location, their bandwidth providers, backup and power systems. Some co-location hosting providers may also offer separate management contracts for the day to day maintenance of your server.

Advantages of Server Co-Location

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Co-location provides the ultimate in flexibility, choice and control. As the customer, you know exactly what type of hosting service you requrie, and if your own custom server is the answer, you can put it together, house it in a data center and manage it as you see fit. Most providers will include a secure cage that guarantees security and will also permit you to use your own specialized components like routers to increase efficiency.

Disadvantages of Server Co-Location

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

The main disadvantage with co-located servers is that you, as the customer, are fully responsible for the equipment. Most data centers will monitor and manage your system, but any problems will have to be solved by the owner unless maintenance agreements are in place, which will incur additional costs. Co-located servers are most likely to contain specialized software or operating systems also, which have to be managed by experienced staff or the customer.

Reseller Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

The area of reseller web hosting is an interesting one for people who wish to build an e-commerce business, selling web hosting and other related services. Reselling web hosting means that you contract with a hosting provider to sell their server space under your brand. Reseller agreements can be based on per signups, where you sell one of a number of hosting packages and pay a certain amount of the fees to the hosting company. Another option involves a carte-blanche approach where you pay a flat fee and receive certain resources that you are free to resell. Yet another option would be to lease a dedicated server and resell the web space, keeping all the profits.

Advantages of Reseller Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Reseller web hosting allows you as a client, to earn income. If you do web design services, you can easily offer your clients a complete package that includes design and hosting. The clients would appreciate the lower costs and convenience of receiving all the services under one roof and you can start creating a business that brings in recurring monthly income. Another good use of reseller accounts is if you have a network or websites you wish to host. You might not have enough to justify a dedicated server, but too many to pay for individually. Multiple domain hosting can get expensive if you have to get an individual service for each of your websites. Accordingly a reseller hosting plan can either allow you to create your own web hosting business, or host multiple domains from one easy to manage place.

Disadvantages of Reseller Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

If you decide to get into the business of web hosting, you will have a number of responsibilities and expenses. For one, you will have to provide support for your clients. This could be anything from email support, live chats to phone support if you business grows. Other responsibilities could include ensuring that your clients are adhering to the terms of service and managing the billing cycles. Unless you are reselling from a dedicated server, this is again a shared or virtual hosting service. So all the disadvantages of shared web hosting would apply here also.

Free Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

There are many times when you are not able to, do not feel like, or don't need to spend money to host a website. This could be the case for times when you are building a small site as an experiment, a hobby, as a test platform, or as a backup for your other site. In these and other cases, you can look for free web hosts.

In the Internet's halcyon days, when everything was free, web hosting was plentiful and quite reliable and feature rich. As many of the web hosts succumbed to a slowdown in the online advertising market, the number of free web hosts decreased significantly. Furthermore, those who provided free services scaled them down and switched to paid only models for the extra features. Others inundated their free clients with a multitude of banners, popups, popunders, inline ads, javascript and flash advertising, and more.

Advantages of Free Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

The most obvious thing going here is the cost of the web hosting, it is free. There are many free hosts that provide a reasonable level of service, and even more that provide many of the extra features like scripting and databases that are usually seen in paid hosts. These services are a good way for novices to cut their teeth and also allow backup sites along with a testing platform for more experienced webmasters.

Disadvantages of Free Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

There is no such thing as a free lunch, so there must be some drawbacks to free web hosting, and there are. For one, you are normally required to show some form of advertising. The web host has to re-coup their costs, they would even like to make money and you cannot blame them for that. Banners, text links, pop-ups, pop-unders and combinations of them are common. Free web hosts also tend to limit the storage space they provide, they limit the type of files and the subject of the content, they usually have size limits on the files you can upload, they don't usually provide features like scripting, shopping carts, databases and more. Apart from that, some free hosts might provide sub-domains and while others might have sub-directories, so no custom domain names. Finally, hosting on a free web host does not give a very professional impression, especially if the website is an e-commerce or business site.

Virtual Private Servers (VPS) Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

A Virtual Private Server (VPS), also known as Virtual Dedicated Server (VDS), provides the features of a dedicated server for multiple web hosting customers in the form of "virtual computers". At first it may sound 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.

Advantages of Virtual Private Server (VPS) Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Many hosting customers would like to have complete control of their server environments. They do not want to be hosted on a server with lots 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.

Disadvantages of Virtual Private Server (VPS) Web Hosting

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Not all providers setup or define Virtual Private Servers, also known as Virtual Dedicated Servers, the exact same way. You must ensure that your provider guarantees that their setup is robust enough to handle operations at a peak level. A ploy used by some 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 at least 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 resulting in problems for everyone hosted on such a server, therefore negating the benefits of a VPS. In a shared or dedicated environment you may be able to access more resources during peak or spike periods but since the VPS environment limits you to your slice of the server resources, it can be a drawback.

What Type of Website are you Building?

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

When you are considering your website hosting, the type of site you are hosting is the key question. Are you going to use the website for an e-commerce business, as a hobby site writing about your interests, will the site be static or interactive, used as a blog or online forum, or a site that will provide information and generate money?

If you will be running an e-commerce website you will have to find an online payment system, you may need to have your web host support the secure sockets layer (SSL) encryption, and you should ask whether they provide any shopping carts. If you will be developing custom e-commerce software, it is vital to make sure that you know the web hosting environment to make sure your software will work on their systems.

A blog or an online forums site will most likely require PHP or Perl/CGI scripting and in many cases access to a database system like MySQL, PostgreSQL or Microsoft's SQL Server.

How Much Storage Space Will You Need?

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

When you are looking at your web hosting options, you will need to consider how much storage space you will need. If you are building a small, static website, you will not need a very large amount of storage space. On the other hand, a wide-ranging information or e-commerce site with thousands of web pages and images or a large online forum would need much more data storage. In many cases, the databases are given their own separate storage limit and could cause problems since 100 megabytes of data capacity may not always equal 100 megabytes of database capacity.

How Much Bandwidth Will You Need?

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

When you are looking at your web hosting options, you will need to consider how much bandwidth you will need. Along with storage capacity, bandwidth is a very important web hosting feature. If your average webpage (html code + graphics) is 5KB, and you receive an average of 100 hits per day, you can see that you are using up (5 x 100) 500 KB of bandwidth a day. Multiply this number by 30 and you have an average monthly figure.

It is important that before you commit to any web hosting service, you put some thought into how big your website will be, how popular you expect it to be, and what type of service you will be providing. For example, online discussion forums use up a lot more bandwidth than any other type of website because users usually stay on for longer time as they read posts or contribute, and there is a much higher rate of repeat visitors who come back to read new messages, etc. Therefore, you must consider your bandwidth needs before signing up to a web hosting plan.

What Hosting Features Will You Need?

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

When you are considering your website hosting, the type of hosting features you will need is an important question to answer. A very basic HTML based website needs different resources compared to a PHP/CGI/ASP based site that uses a database, special image libraries, and custom programming. So if you are developing anything more than an HTML website that will require custom programming work or uses any type of scripting language, ensure the web host supports these standards and needed features.

In many cases, web hosting companies list everything they offer up front, but if you have questions, make sure you ask. Apart from programming languages, you may need special access to your website, say through FTP or Telnet. Nearly all paid web host allows FTP (File Transfer Protocol) access to your website, but Telnet or SSH access is rarer or may cost more.

It is a similar situation with mail, just about every web host will provide SMTP/ POP3 and web based access to email. If you require IMAP, or a secure access protocol, you will need to check with the hosting provider.

Disk Space and Bandwidth

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Important considerations with your choice of web hosting provider, is the amount of disk space and bandwidth you will require. You should have determined how much data your website will generate, and also the amount of bandwidth you require. The disk space is the amount of storage assigned to the account by the web hosting provider. Bandwidth is the amount of traffic that the provider allows to be transferred to and from the website.

Websites that include lots of graphics would require more hard drive storage than a mainly text based site. The same would be the case when dealing with bandwidth. If your website is dynamic or uses databases, make sure to check if the webhost has separate limitations on the size of databases. Also check how much your web host charges for extra hard drive space and bandwidth.

If you think that your site will continually grow, then allow some increase in terms of storage and bandwidth. Remember, there is no such thing as unlimited or unmetered bandwidth. Internet bandwidth and storage space are finite commodities, they are not available in infinite amounts and are capped at some point based on hardware or service levels. Do not be tricked by claims of unlimited or unmetered disk space or bandwidth, there is no such thing.

Operating System and Programming Tools

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

When you are looking at your web hosting options, you will need to consider the operating systems and programming tools you will need. Most web hosts run on a Unix based operating system, usually Linux or BSD. Unix based hosts will provide PHP, Perl/CGI, Frontpage, and a very limited ASP functionality.

If you will be developing your own web applications, it would make sense to get a good idea of their operating system environment. If you will be running an application that requires ASP, .NET, MS SQL, SBS or Access, you will need to find a Windows based web host, which can be a little more expensive. In some cases, Windows webhosts will also provide access to other technologies like Perl/CGI.

Look Beyond the Price

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

As the old saying goes, "you get what you pay for". This certainly holds true in the area of web hosting services. If you focus too much on the price, you are likely to end up with a below standard web host that will provide you with a combination of overloaded servers, poor connections to the Internet backbones, frequent downtime, and little or no support.

Support, Guaranteed Uptime and Backups

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Important considerations with your choice of web hosting provider, is the level of support provided, the guaranteed uptime and the backups provided. Always choose a reliable web hosting provider with a good service level agreement (SLA) and support options. Many web hosts provide telephone support and some have 24/7 support through local or toll-free numbers. Other methods that web hosts provide support include online trouble-ticket/helpdesk systems, web discussion forums, live chats with technicians and email support.

Regarding uptime, this guarantee is usually a little harder to locate and implement. If you settle for 99% uptime that means your website could be down for an average of 14.4 minutes a day. That is actually quite a lot, especially considering the amount of potential income you may be losing. On the other hand 99.99% uptime makes a huge difference and leads to an average negligible down-time per day.

Some webhosts will also provide refunds if they do not meet their SLAs and others may include extra security features like automated backups and load balancing. So if you need reliable webhosting, make sure to investigate the support, uptime and backups provided by any potential web hosting company.

What Type of Web Site are you Building?

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

When you are looking at web hosting, this is a key question. Are you going to use the website for an e-commerce business, as a hobby site writing about your hobbies, will it be a static or interactive site, used as a blog or online forum, or a site that will provide information and generate reviews?

If you will be running an e-commerce site, you will have to find an obtain a payment system, you may require your web host to support the secure sockets layer (SSL) encryption and you should inquire whether they provide any shopping carts. If you will be developing custom e-commerce software, it is important that you make sure you know the web hosting environment to make certain that your software will work on their systems. A blog or an online forum site will more than likely require PHP or Perl/CGI scripting and in most cases access to a database system like MySQL, PostgreSQL or Microsoft's SQL Server.

How Much Storage Space Will You Need?

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

When you are looking at your web hosting requirements, one of the aspects you will need to consider is the amount of storage space you will require.

If you are running a small, static website, then you probably will not need a large amount of storage space. On the other hand, a comprehensive information or e-commerce site with thousands of web pages and images, or a large online forum, would require much more data storage. In many cases, the databases are given their own separate storage limit and could cause problems since 100 megabytes of data capacity may not always equal 100 megabytes of database capacity.

How Much Bandwidth Will You Need?

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Another web hosting requirement you will need to consider carefully is how much bandwidth you will need.

Along with storage capacity, bandwidth is a very important web hosting feature. If your average webpage (html code + graphics) is 5KB, and you receive an average of 100 hits per day, you can see that you are using up (5 x 100) 500 KB of bandwidth per day. Multiply this number by 30 and you have an average monthly figure.

It is crucial that before you sign up for any web hosting service, you put some thought into how big your website will be, how popular the category is and what type of service you will be providing. For example, online discussion forums use up a lot more bandwidth than any other type of website because users usually stay on for longer time as they read posts or contribute, and there is a much higher rate of repeat visitors who come back to read new messages, etc. Therefore, your bandwidth must be considered before you sign up for a web hosting plan.

What Hosting Features Will You Need?

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

There are a number of features you may need to consider when you are looking at your web hosting plan.

A fairly basic and simple HTML based website needs very different resources compared to a PHP/CGI/ASP based site that uses a database, special image libraries and custom programming. So if you are creating anything more than an HTML website that will require custom programming work, or uses any type of scripting language, ensure your web host supports these standards and desired features.

Often, web hosting companies list everything they offer up front, but if you have questions, make sure you ask. Apart from programming languages, you may require special access to your website, such as through FTP. Almost all paid web host offer FTP (File Transfer Protocol) access to your website, but Telnet or SSH access is more unusual or may cost more. It is a similar story with mail. Just about every web host will provide SMTP/ POP3 and web based access to email. If you require IMAP, or a secure access protocol, you will need to check with the web host.

Disk Space and Bandwidth

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Two of the most important aspects of your web hosting plan are disk space and bandwidth. Prior to signing up to a web hosting plan, you should have determined how much data your website will generate, and also the amount of bandwidth you will require. The disk space is the amount of storage assigned to the account by the web hosting provider. Bandwidth is the amount of traffic that the provider allows to be transferred to and from the website.

Websites that include a lot of graphics would need more hard drive storage than a predominantly text based site. The same would be the case when dealing with bandwidth. If your website is dynamic or uses databases, you will need to check if the webhost has separate limitations on the size of databases. Also check how much your web host charges for extra hard drive space and bandwidth if you require it later on. If you envision that your site will continually grow, then it is a good idea to allow some headroom in terms of storage and bandwidth.

Keep in mind, there is no such thing as unlimited or unmetered bandwidth. Internet bandwidth and storage space are finite commodities, they are not available in infinite amounts and are capped at some point of based on hardware or service levels. Do not be taken in by the unlimited or unmetered gimmickry, there is no such thing.

Operating System and Programming Tools

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

When you are researching into likely web hosting providers, you will need to consider aspects such as the operating system and the programming tools available.

Most web hosts run on a Unix based operating system, usually Linux or BSD. Unix based hosts will provide PHP, Perl/CGI, Frontpage and very limited ASP functionality. If you will be developing your own web applications, it would be in your best interests to get a good idea of their operating system environment. If you will be running an application that requires ASP, .NET, MS SQL, SBS or Access, you will to locate a Windows based web host, which can be a little more expensive. In some cases, Windows web hosts will also provide access to other technologies like Perl/CGI, PHP and MySQL.

Support, Guaranteed Uptime and Backups

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Apart from the obvious web hosting requirements of storage and bandwidth, you should also consider the level of support, the uptime and backup functionality provided when you are selecting a web host provider.

It is a good idea to look for a reliable web hosting provider with a good service level agreement (SLA) and support options. Many web hosts provide telephone support, some even have 24/7 support through local or toll-free numbers. Other ways that web hosts provide support includes online trouble ticket/helpdesk systems, web discussion forums, live chats with technicians and email support.

With regard to uptime, this guarantee is usually a little harder to find and enforce. If you settle for 99% uptime, that means your website could be down for an average of 14.4 minutes a day. That is actually quite a lot, particularly considering the amount of potential revenue you might be losing. On the other hand 99.99% uptime makes a huge difference and leads to negligible down time per day.

Some webhosts will also provide refunds if they do not meet their SLAs and others may include extra security features like automated backups and load balancing. So if you need reliable webhosting, make certain to check the support, uptime and backups provided by the web hosting company you are looking at.

Data Centers, Bandwidth Quality and Security

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

There are many important aspects to consider when looking for a web hosting provider. Some of the less obvious items you may look at include the location of their data center, the bandwidth quality and their level of security.

Both big and small web hosting providers need a central location where they house their servers and equipment. It is important to have some idea where these systems are physically located. If you seek reliability and high quality you may not really want your important web venture hosted in someone's basement off an xDSL connection. You may also want to check what type of data connections/providers are being used by your web host. Just because someone says that they have a "10-MBit Internet backbone" does not mean high quality and reliability. You may prefer to see them accessing the Internet backbone through multiple, reliable providers that allow worldwide traffic to be routed in the most efficient manner.

Most reputable web hosting companies will provide some detail on their data centers, including the built-in redundancies, their use of UPS and/or diesel generators, the different bandwidth providers they use and physical security of their premises. It is really worth considering this aspect of web hosting.

Control Panel in Website Hosting

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

As part of the website hosting services, every website owner receives an access to his personal control panel. A website hosting company provides the client with the web address, where the control panel is located, as well as with the login name and password to access the tools and features of control panel.

Generally speaking, control panel in website hosting means the web interface, which is used to control, monitor and manage the hosted website by web administrator. There are multiple variants of control panels. Some of them are commercial, for example, Cpanel, H-Sphere, Cortex, LxAdmin, Plesk, and others are distributed free of charge (DTC, SysCP, Webmin, Gnupanel).

Different by design and some specific features, all the control panels have some core elements, which are typical for every control panel. Here belongs:

- File manager

- FTP accounts manager

- Email accounts manager

- Statistics

- Database manager

- Web design tools (shopping carts, forums, polls)

- Error logs

- Data backup

So, in terms of website hosting, control panel is the powerful instrument for a web administrator to manage and control the hosted website.

Specific Types of Web Hosting: File Hosting Services

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Unlike traditional website hosting, which is used to host websites, there are also many specific types of web hosting services. File hosting is one of the examples. Commonly known also as online file storage service or online media center, file hosting service is used to store files online. Documents, images, audio and video files can be stored online, using the appropriate web hosting service.

File hosting servers work like typical local hard drives, the only difference is that the files are stored on the remote file servers and can be accessed only by FTP or through web interface. Some companies even provide users with the specific applications which make working with online file hosting service more convenient and intuitive.

Along with free file hosting services, there are also many paid services, offering unlimited storage space, no limitations for file size, and substantial bandwidth capacity.

Specific Types of Web Hosting: Image Hosting Services

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Sooner or later everyone, using a digital camera, faces the problem with space limitations when storing digital images on the local hard drive. On the other hand, sooner or later one may wish to share his photo with friends. Sending digital photo by email is not always convenient and reasonable; and providing a web link may seem to be much better idea. Image hosting service, which is a specific type of web hosting, can be of great help and offer solutions for both situations...

Image hosting makes it possible to upload images on the web server and store them online. If you want to share your images with your friend, it is enough to send them a URL of the web page with your images. By the way, depending on the particular image hosting service provider, the access to your images can be either public (anyone can view them) or restricted (you can grant access to selected individuals or groups).

Examples of image hosting services are Flickr and Picassa web albums.

Specific Types of Web Hosting: Video Hosting Services

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Once video sharing has become extremely popular in the Internet and started to play an important role in the internet marketing, the popularity of video hosting services has increased drastically. Along with offering space for storing personal video clips, video hosting services make it much easier to use hosted video clips for the purposes of website design. Uploading, streaming and embedding video does not require technical programming skills any more.

As the subtype of video hosting services, the popularity of mobile video hosting is increasing these days due to the wide popularity of camera phones.

Among a great variety of website hosting service providers, the following are specialized on video hosting: YouTube, Yahoo! Video, The Video Bay, Mevio, Flickr, Blinkx, and others.

Specific Types of Web Hosting: Blog Hosting Services

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Blog hosting services usually represent the specific type of web services, which combine both - a website hosting service and a specialized content management system solution to create, publish and manage web blogs.

Such online services, as Blogger, LiveJournal and Wordpress offers their users a free space to host their private blogs as well as specific website applications, which are also called weblog software, blogware, or web blogs manager, to create, publish and maintain their blogs.

In order to realize personal presence in the web, people often use blog hosting services to create their own blogs. Besides, it usually requires absolutely no money investment – after a simple registration procedure, everyone can get his personal web site/blog and a basic set of tools to its management.

Specific Types of Web Hosting: One-Click Hosting

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

One-click hosting represents a specific type of web hosting services, dealing with files hosting rather than website hosting. The key feature of one-click hosting is that such services offer very simple procedure to upload your files to the web server. In return you will get a URL link, which you can share with your friends or just publish on your blog, so that everyone, who clicks the link, gets the file uploaded by you.

The most prominent examples of one-click hosting providers are Rapidshare and Megaupload.

In view of possibility to share copyrighted content, like music and video, there are certain legal discussions and disputes around the concept of one-click hosting services. However, such services still exist and work pretty successful. Rapidshare is said to transfer over a hundred terabytes of data through its servers daily.

What Is Private Label Web Hosting?

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

If you have every dreamt about starting your own web business with the minimum investments, private label web hosting may be the thing you were looking for.

Actually, private label website hosting services is nothing but reselling the web hosting services, provided by some large web hosting service provider. However, the peculiarity here is that you get a chance to run a web hosting store, which looks and acts as the separate and independent business structure.

To attract the visitors, private label web hosting providers usually offer free hosting services. “Free” customers form a vast clientele, which at certain period of time may be interested in paid hosting services, website design, or internet marketing services, you may be offering.

Private label web hosting stores are built and operated with the help of specialized content management systems.

The Meanings of HTTP Error 404 and HTTP Error 403

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

While surfing the web, every one of us has faced such errors at least once. Viewing the page with HTTP Error 404 or HTTP Error 403 instead of the web page, we were expecting, is far from interesting, of course. In terms of website hosting and website design, both those mistakes are not welcomed, of course, because they mean some mistakes while creating website or modifying it. So, is there something we can do to resolve such problem?

HTTP Error 404 means that the page with the particular address entered into the web browser does not exist. First, we can do and should do in case of Error 404 is to check and then double check the correctness of the address. If that does not work, try different file extensions, for example, .htm instead of .html. Next try deleting the name of the target file (the ending part of the address) to see if at least the directory, containing that file, exists.

HTTP Error 403 means that the page you are trying to visit is protected and only authorized people can view this web page. If that was made by purpose, it is unlikely and hardly reasonable to look for solutions. However, sometimes such errors are displayed in response to incorrect addresses, so try to check the address again, try substituting the file extension, or try visiting the root domain.

What Is a Hosting Uptime?

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Hosting uptime is usually used as one of the markers of reliability for website hosting services. Hosting uptime means the amount of time (in percents), when the website hosting servers remain working and all the websites, hosted on the servers, are accessible via the Internet.

Most of the website hosting companies claims the hosting uptime of about 99.9%, which means less than 45 minutes of downtime per month. However, some hosting companies may not include the time needed for server restarts or maintenance into the total downtime. So, choosing your website hosting provider, ask them for information about their hosting uptime percentage. Remember, sometimes you can even get refund if the hosting uptime does not meet the criteria, specified in your hosting agreement.

Website Redirect - Why It Is Necessary and How to Make It?

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

There can be different reasons to redirect the whole domain or just some web pages to new URL addresses. It is a common practice to use web redirection, when upgrading a website or for the internet marketing purposes. Let us say, you had a website, built in HTML, which existed for 5 years, earning you page rank, backlinks and certain positions in the Google search results. Now, you want to upgrade your website to a new version, written in php with database support, Flash elements, etc. Naturally, it is important here not to lose all those page ranking, earned by old web pages, so uploading your new files and deleting the old ones is not the best idea here.

In such situation, web redirection is the best way to upgrade a website without losing earned credentials. For web redirection we will use the “redirect 301” command for the .htaccess file.

The code “301” in redirection command means “moved permanently”, so when users or search engines will try to access your old web page, they will be immediately redirected to the web page, specified in redirect 301 line of the .htaccess file. Thus, there is no need to delete the old files and lose the page rank earned by them.

OK, let us illustrate how this thing works. Let us say we have an old web page, called “oldpage.html”, but we need all the visitors visiting that page to be automatically redirected to our newly-created page called “newpage.php”. To do it is necessary to make the following:

1) Create a .htaccess file. Use a notepad for this purpose, but mention that the file does not have an extension. If you cannot create a file without extension, create a .htaccess.txt file, and delete the .txt extension via Files Manager in your website's Control Panel after the file is uploaded.

2) Perhaps, .htaccess file already exists on your web site, so just find it in the root directory of your web site, and download it.

3) Place the code into your .htaccess file:

redirect 301 /old/oldpage.htm http://www.yoursite.com/newpage.htm

In this example:

“redirect 301” is the redirection command for the browser

“/old/oldpage.htm” - the name of your old web page (do not insert the full URL, just the internal path on your server)

“http://www.yoursite.com/newpage.htm” - full URL address of the new page

4) Save the .htaccess file and upload it to the root folder of your web server.

5) Test the changes by typing the old address into your browser address line – now you should immediately be redirected to your new page.

SEO Web Hosting

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

SEO Web Hosting

SEO Web Hosting is a new hosting solution that offer multiple IP’s for your websites using multiple name servers. Depend on your account complexity, you can use as many name servers and IP as you want.

The SEO web hosting revolutionize the marketing strategies offering for their customers multiple name servers for multiple domains, from the same account. The SEO hosting plans, like any other web hosting plan can be shared, managed dedicated and unmanaged dedicated, so does not matter if you are running a small business website or you need high resources for your website, SEO hosting can offer all you need.

VPS Hosting

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

VPS Hosting

Virtual Private Server is like a shared hosting, with few main differences. The VPS is a setup where user share server with other clients, but each client have a small operation system that can be rebooted and managed independently.

Why should I choose VPS if it’s basically like shared hosting? If you own a website that have a lot of traffic, data transfer and hosted information, and don’t have a budget for a dedicated hosting service, but shared hosting can’t support your site anymore, you should get a VPS hosting. This is the best choice when you need higher security, more accessibility to your server and to the hosting account, and want to save some money.

With VPS hosting, one thing is clear: you get what you want and what you pay for, but you should choose a reliable hosting company, that have experience and trust offering this service, because many want just to pay for the same shared account, that they call VPS. If you want to avoid this kind of inconvenience please take a look to our top listed VPS Hosting.

Introduction to Colocation

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Introduction to Colocation

Colocation is a hosting option for small businesses who want the features of a large IT department without the costs. Many large corporations have the Internet infrastructure to host their own web servers and have a team of IT professionals to manage and design the site, individuals and small companies do not. There is a wide range of options available from simple hosting up to running your own Web servers off of a dedicated Internet connection. One such option is colocation. In the first part of this series, we will examine why one would chose colocation over the other hosting options.

What is Colocation?

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

What is Colocation?

Colocation allows you to place your server machine in someone else's rack and share their bandwidth as your own. It generally costs more than standard Web hosting, but less than a comparable amount of bandwidth into your place of business. Once you have a machine set up, you take it physically to the location of the colocation provider and install it in their rack or you rent a server machine from the colocation provider. That company then provides an IP, bandwidth, and power to your server. Once it's up and running, you access it much like you would access a Web site on a hosting provider. The difference being that you own the hardware.

Advantages of Colocation

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Advantages of Colocation

1. The biggest advantage of colocation is the cost for bandwidth. For example, a low cost limited bandwidth business grade DSL line generally costs around $150 to $200, but for the same price or less a single server can be placed in a colocation facility that provides higher bandwidth speeds and better redundancy for the network connections. These savings can be even greater if the only dedicated network access is a more expensive full or fractional T1 lines.

2. Colocation facilities have better outage protection. During a long ice-storm last year, my office was without power for three days. While we have a backup generator, it wasn't powerful enough to keep the server running that entire time, so our Web sites were down during that outage. At a colocation provider, we are paying for power generators and backup power to protect against that type of situation.

3. We own the server machinery. If we decide that the machine is too slow or doesn't have enough memory, we can simply upgrade the server. We don't have to wait for our provider to get around to upgrading it.

4. We own the server software. I don't have to rely on my hosting provider to install the software or tools I want to use. I simply do it myself. If I decide to use ASP or ColdFusion or ASP, I just purchase and install the software.

5. If we move, we can leave the server up and running the entire time. When we host our own domains we have to either pay for two lines for some time, to move the domains to the new location or deal with outages while the servers are moved to the new location.

6. Colocation providers provide additional security for your machines. Your server is stored and maintained in a secured environment.

7. Most colocation servers offer a service where they will manage and maintain your server for you for an extra cost. This is especially useful if you don't have IT team members or your office is located far from the provider.

Disadvantages of Colocation

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Disadvantages of Colocation

1. Colocation providers can be hard to find. You want to find one near where your office or home is located, so that you can upgrade and maintain your server when you need to. But unless you live near a large city with major network hubs, chances are you won't find many colocation options.

2. Colocation can be more expensive than basic Web hosting. This is especially true as you have to maintain and manage your servers yourself, so when the server needs to be upgraded, you need to purchase that hardware and install it.

3. Physical access to your server can be difficult, because you have to travel to their location during your colocation provider's service hours.

4. If you move out of the area where your colocation provider is, you have to either move your servers to a new provider or leave them there and pay for a maintenance contract.

5. Another drawback to colocation can be fluctuating prices. Since one of the factors in the monthly rate of collocating a server is the amount of data transferred via the server in the monthly period, an unusually large amount of traffic in a monthly period can cause the bill for the service to jump dramatically.

Web Hosting: Exploit Their Potential

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Web Hosting: Exploit Their Potential

Host providers can be divided into two parts. They can be termed as have and the have-nots. Hosting companies cannot be said to be just parking garages for one’s domains. They have many options and apparatus which can be bring in use by someone. Some host providers mount and lope just for one’s sake while others have nil and one has to mount it by himself/herself.

Some fall in the practical category and some are not. But all-rounder is quiet few in number. In the time to come we have to tackle the challenges which are totally new to us There a few choices out there. One can only go for a host that offers all the bells and whistles. But one have to pay his/her heart out, to get this easy way That gets one the easy way, like bandwidth and what number of domains one can have.

A fair choice is to go for the host that has a lot more for one’s bucks, but to be a little technical is very essential. Even if one is or not, it’s doesn’t matter.

A good example would be the time one consumes to edit his/her hatches. One had two routes. Study the procedure to do this, or have the customer service from my host source do it for him/her. Advertising is not given priority, one can’t advertise just come waste precious customer service time.

One should keep in mind that the majority of servers are UNIX based and that means “Unlock supply”. There is a lot of unlock supply in the way open out there.

One should not allow the technical barriers to hurdle the proceedings. One should look around for a fair provider. One should consult people who know to whom they would counsel. One should always remember that he/she should always base his/her decisions just on his/her choice and as per his/her own requirement or in other words decision to select should be unbiased one.

Web Hosting: You Get What You Pay For!

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Web Hosting: You Get What You Pay For!

Your website requires a dependable web host if you value your time and content. With a commercial website, you could lose even more if your free or inexpensive webhost deserts you. Think about it - what would you lose?

Even if your webhost leaves you high and dry but you've backed your content up yourself, you'll lose prospects, sales, and your reputation while your site is down. Without your own backup of your web content, everything can disappear.

Many web hosting companies have come and gone, leaving their customers without a site until the customer can find a new service. Believe it or not, this happens every day. One reason for this is obvious. A free service may be only covering its expenses with advertising. Have you thought about this: customers need help?

A free or cheap webhost, by its very nature, caters to new webmasters, who by their very nature often require more time than those willing and able to pay for services. Just crunch the numbers. Your webhost charges you $4-$10 a month. You require maybe 20 minutes of a customer service rep's time in a month.

The webhost loses money unless they pay their customer service reps a very low wage, which in turn is reflected in the service you get. If such a web host wants to survive, they can either cut their services and therefore their costs, or they can start charging for a service.

Remember, just like with any other purchase you make, you get what you pay for. Don't be fooled by web hosting services that offer you huge database storage capabilities for cheap. This is because data base storage is indeed inexpensive, but the service you won't be getting is what has real value - technical expertise; guaranteed uninterrupted, high-speed internet access; and quality customer support.

Web hosting, web host, webhosting

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Web hosting, web host, webhosting

After one purchases their first webhosting package, there is oftentimes a bit of excitement and sometimes a feeling of accomplishment. This is all justified. Unfortunately, it is also oftentimes accompanied by a sense of confusion. If one has never had a website before, it can be very intimidating to figure out what one does once one has had hosting set up. The first steps are really quite easy and will largely depend upon whether one has contracted a web designer or whether they have designed a site themselves. Software is the first thing required.

Websites are generally uploaded to the webhost using a protocol called FTP. This is an acronym for File Transfer Protocol. Essentially, one can think of this as the service entrance of the Internet. One's site will have to be uploaded using software that allows them to use this protocol. One will have to create an account according to the policies of their webhost and give it a username and password just as they would any other account they create online. This is generally done using an interface in one's hosting control panel and is readily accessible from most login screens on most webhosting sites.

On one's hard drive, one will find the files that they use to create their site. If one is using what is generally called a WYSIWYG development program, little of this process will need to be done manually. Most of these programs allow one to set up an FTP transfer that works essentially as a wizard interface which allows them to simply press a button and to upload all of the site's files with nothing more complex than the press of a single button. However, if one is doing this manually, one must pay attention to the directory structure on their hard drive where the site is stored and must exactly duplicate that structure in the appropriate folder on the FTP server.

This may seem confusing but, once one begins the process, it is usually quite intuitive. If one becomes lost along the way, the vast majority of hosting companies will be more than willing to offer technical support to their clients to help them get their site online. If one happens to have database applications as a part of their site, this can be quite a bit more complex and may well require the services of a professional.

Personal Web Hosting

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Personal Web Hosting

If you are thinking of putting a web page online whether it be for personal reasons such as a profile for yourself, your family, an interest or simply an internet brochure for your small business, then you should go for personal web hosting as a solution. The specifications of your site will not entail the features and the costs of business web hosting anyway.

This does not mean however that you get low quality hosting because personal web hosting costs so much less. It just means that a lot of CPU and storage prices have already gone down making it more affordable for you to serve the needs of a small to medium sized business even with a personal web hosting plan. To be technical about it, there are only 2 major differences in web hosting – the shared and dedicated web hosting. The latter means that you rent your own server from a large web hosting company. So you shouldn’t bother yourself with comparing personal web hosting from business web hosting.

Web Hosting for Beginners

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Web Hosting for Beginners

As a beginner web master, the biggest challenge you will encounter when running your personal web hosting is that you will have minimal technical support as compared to business plans out there. Some of the business plans have a 24 hour technical support available to them But there are forums, blogs and search engines available on the internet that you can refer to if and when you encounter some of your first questions and difficulties. You are not likely to run into complicated and challenging problems anyway as a beginner.

There is a major advantage to using personal web hosting aside from its affordability. Usually, website building interface including website templates which are designed and created specifically for small businesses are offered by most if not all personal hosting companies. They make it very easy and convenient for you to change the look and feel of your site simply by clicking a button on a particular web form. Most of the time, content management, a range of pictures and user navigation such as menus on the right, top or left, are included in these templates. This convenience and efficient way to alter your site makes it a no brainer for most people to choose personal web hosting plans over business plans even if at times the rates are the same. You should carefully assess your requirements before choosing the plan that you need. Because with computers, your decision should not always be a comparison of price but rather of features. That is why it is important to make sure you know what your needs are first.

Lastly, take the time to do a market research before you proceed with buying a personal web hosting plan. Go for one that has a proven track record. Once you choose to use an in-house website builder of a hosting company, it will be close to impossible for you to transfer your site to a different provider in the future should you feel dissatisfied with them.

How To Assess The Liquidity Of Web Host Service Businesses

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

How To Assess The Liquidity Of Web Host Service Businesses

In this article, we'll look at the flexibility and liquidity of various types of web host service businesses. Liquidity affects the ease with which you can sell on a business, and the type of buyer that business will attract, and hence will affect the valuation of the business as a whole.

Liquidity of web hosting business

The most liquid business model, and one that can be sold on within 48 hours once due diligence has been satisfied, is the single owner, co-located web host service, with no employees, data center or design service to complicate the issue. These types of service are very attractive to cash buyers.

The least liquid business model is the exact opposite - a web hosting company with a vast range of back office services, such as design and data centers.

Although superficially it would appear that a design studio would add value to the company, this isn't necessarily the case. The revenue generated by one-off design jobs is rarely equivalent to recurring revenue from pure hosting fees. Secondly, a design studio can actually be a risky proposition for a potential buyer, who has to worry about whether key designers will leave with a change of ownership, affecting relationships with clients, as well as all the risks and costs associated with staff and offices. It's been estimated that there are 90% fewer buyers for web-host and design companies than for pure web hosts. Fewer people buying means it's a buyer's market, so it can also mean lower valuations.

Internet Data Center

Similaly, an Internet Data Center is more of a long-term investment than a short-term cash generator. Owning your own IDC inevitably reduces liquidity, as it's essentially dead weight until it's being used to it's full capacity - this is why most start up web hosts co-locate to begin with. As a long-term strategy, however, it can add significantly to the value of the company, as you can sell that capacity on to other companies. Again, this affects the type of buyer you can hope to attract, and hence the valuation of your company.

Generally speaking, more flexible and more lightweight companies attract cash buyers, and you can expect a quick sale and hence a quick return. Companies that have acquired assets will attract cash-and-asset buyers, who are fewer and further between. They may have more money to play with, but they're in a stronger position to dictate terms. It's just important to remember that when it comes to valuing your business, you need to be realistic about the amount of liquidity it has.

Data Backup in Web Hosting Industry

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Data Backup in Web Hosting Industry

The importance of data to any business regardless if it is an online or offline business cannot be disregarded. Imagine if data stored in a server is lost. It actually has the capacity to put the entire business to a halt. It will cost the business a lot of money just to retrieve the lost data if it can be replaced at all. This ordeal is not an easy task. It is therefore a wise decision to look for ways to retain this data. Hence, data back-up should be an essential.

Web Hosting Data Backup

What exactly is data back-up? It is a process of storing precious data in some form of media or in a server so that you may restore them should you need to. There are many possibilities for data loss. There may be instances wherein an application gets corrupted or your data file itself is corrupted. Then there are natural disasters, hardware failure and intentional damage that could cause data loss. It is during these instances that having back-up data in your remote server becomes vital.

It is important that data is backed-up on a regular basis. This ensures that the data stored in your remote server is current so that you experience minimal data loss should any of the above instances occur. More so these days when there are new viruses and worms that come up, you can never be sure when your data is threatened to be lost.

Web hosting accounts usually come with a comprehensive back-up capacity that is used to back-up significant data stored in the server. It is also important to have a back-up of your user data should you have numerous members in your site. It is better to have separate back-ups for your users and for you data so that you can restore whichever you need at any given time.

Two kinds of back-up are available. You have the full back-up and the incremental back-up. A full back-up is when you back-up all the available data in your site. Doing this takes a lot of time and space. An incremental back-up on the other hand, only backs-up data that has changed since the last time that you did a back-up. Formats such as .tar or .gz are what is usually used. Making back-ups in the said formats will save you a lot of time and space.

Backup Scheme

Usually, web hosting services provide a regular back-up scheme which could be done on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. The data that is backed-up is stored on a secure server. Some web hosting services charge for this service and some provide you with the tools necessary for you to take your own back-up so that you can work around a schedule it at time convenient for you. However, if your site contains very significant data then you can ask your provider to do an hourly back-up for you. This additional service will entail additional costs.

The process of taking a back-up of vital data and the site is very important in the web hosting industry. It minimizes downtime and interruption to users because data can be readily restored.

Cheap Web Hosting

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Cheap Web Hosting

Price, being the most common factor in considering a purchase, should not be the only factor when looking into web hosting services. Remember that information and links to your website will be contained in your web host’s server. These are very important data that you would not want to just entrust to the first available web hosting company that you come across. Three are many web hosting companies that now offer their services at very affordable prices. This is because of the highly competitive market of web hosting. The influx of web hosting companies has forced competitive pricing to arise.

It will not be easy to find a web hosting service suited for your business especially if it is your first time to set up a website. It is vital that you do your research on the various web hosting services available today. Determine your business requirements and find a web hosting company that can address those requirements. Be careful when making that final decision to partner with a web hosting company. Remember to read all the details of your contract to avoid any future surprises.

Reading through the details of the contract will prove to be beneficial in the long run because many times, cheap web hosting can turn out to be more expensive than you actually expected. This is because these web hosts charge for the different extra features that you assumed were included in the basic package. Go through the terms of service and be discriminating about it. It is better to spend time scrutinizing the contract than having to deal with greater costs in the future and being disappointed over your chosen web hosting service.

Web Hosting Business

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Web Hosting Business

Web hosting is a seriously competitive business, and it's a very crowded marketplace. Customers are also very choosy, and quite prepared to take their business elsewhere if they don't get the right service - if you've ever shopped around for web hosting plans yourself, you'll know this to be true.

So attracting customers to your web hosting business involves building a reputation and becoming more visible to prospective clients. That takes time and effort, or a heavy investment in advertising.

However, don't be disheartened! A reseller account may not make you a multinational web hosting giant overnight, but you can make some money, and usually very quickly.

Do you run several websites of your own? If so, the monthly hosting fees that you pay may well add up to more than the cost of a reseller package. By becoming a reseller, you can transfer all your domains to your own hosting company, instantly saving money. If you then went on to sign up some colleagues or friends, you'd be starting to turn a profit on your web hosting.

If you do decide to go down the reseller route, then the best advice is to shop around. Reseller packages come in all shapes, sizes and prices, so you'll need to find the one that best suits your requirements. Think about things like rebranding opportunities, billing set up and technical support. This last one is particularly important - you're the one who's in the firing line if your clients have problems, so you need to know that the technical back-up is reliable and quick.

Starting a web hosting company can be a great choice. But, like anything else, it involves being absolutely clear about what you want and being prepared to spend some time finding the right deal.

Web Hosting For Internet Marketers

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Web Hosting For Internet Marketers

The Internet is a source of unlimited data and information. Should you be looking for web hosting services, the Internet should be the place to go. You will find a massive amount of web hosting providers to choose from. They offer a variety of plans to choose from with similar features across the board among web hosting companies. However, some companies offer some unique tools geared towards the home business industry especially for Internet marketers.

With all the options available on the Internet, how do you determine which web hosting provider is best for you and your business? Every business has its own requirements. No matter how experienced Internet marketers are, with the multitude of plans available, it will be extremely difficult to make that choice.

As alluring as it may seem, cost alone shouldn't be the solitary basis for decision- making. Remember, you get what your money is worth. You may pay a bit more for an exceptional web hosting provider to get additional benefits. Never compromise when choosing a web hosting provider, consider the package that comes with the features that you will most required in the long term.

Some basic features that you should consider are the disk space, bandwidth, email limits, sub domain limits, CGI- Bin, and 3+MySQL Databases. At a minimum, your service provider should have 300MB worth of disk space. Should they offer more than this, the better it is for you. Look into at least 10 GB or more of monthly bandwidth. Also, take into consideration unlimited emails and sub-domains. Make these the bare minimum when considering a web hosting provider.

Moreover, look into useful marketing tools that may be part of their hosting package. There are web hosting companies that are targeted towards internet marketers and home business entrepreneurs that offer these additional features. Some of the useful tools that you can use are the following- a variety of resalable E-book collections, limitless follow-up auto-responders, FFA leads, ad tracking capabilities, lead capture systems, scripts, shopping carts, and affiliate programs/commissions.

Regardless if you are a new or experienced internet marketer, these tools will prove to be of great help. These tools will undoubtedly help boost your business profitability. Aside from the mentioned tools, what is also critical is the capacity of a web hosting company to provide an efficient level of customer support. So whether it be backing up files to the server, script installations, responding to general questions, the support staff should provide quality responses and should be contactable within a 24 hour time frame either through phone, email or chat.

You may end up paying a bit of a premium for the additional services and the efficient service and support, but these will prove to be worth it especially in the highly competitive world of the internet. These web hosting providers can give you the advantage you need over your competitors. Even if you pay a little extra, you will have an edge because you have these additional tools and services at your disposal.

Linux Hosting Servers

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Linux Hosting Servers

Linux servers use very reliable software in their applications. These servers constantly update their programs and services to make sure that they are able to address their consumer’s needs. Aside from this, they maintain a 24 hour support for your web hosting programming. This service is a very important especially when dealing with the newer hosting services and technology. Their technical service and support will prove to be vital when running your business. Linux also does not fail its patrons by using new and innovative features and tools to increase the accessibility to both new and experienced users. Linux supplies and updates each user with the basics on how to operate a successful website.

How to buy web hosting?- Linux versus Windows

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

How to buy web hosting?- Linux versus Windows

Linux

The vast majority of sites will run best on Linux. Operating systems based on Linux have very low licensing fees (often none) and provide the greatest performance due to low overhead. From an administration standpoint, Linux requires more experience to manage on the dedicated server option because most web server distributions do not have a graphical user interface.

Windows

Windows on the other hand is required if your application is built on Microsoft technologies. If you are using ASP, .NET, or SQL Server (to name a few), you will need to choose Windows hosting. Windows hosting is generally more expensive due to the substantial licensing costs of Microsoft server software.

How to buy Web hosting?- Hosting Value

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

How to buy Web hosting?- Hosting Value

Generally the cost equation for hosting boils down to service and uptime. If you pay more per month for web hosting, you expect to get a person on the phone when a problem arises. You also expect less problems to arise due to the negligence of your hosting company.

How to avoid hosting problems

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

How to avoid hosting problems

Being aware of the problems is the first step in avoiding them. There are other things we can do to keep hosting issues from becoming last minute disasters.

Get the technical contacts to talk to each other directly. If we can get the technical contact at the client to discuss these issues with our system administrator early on in the process, we can usually discover and address all these issues before they become problems. If the two technical contacts work together during the DNS modification stage, errors are less likely to occur. Our agency partners can be helpful in this regard by simply making inquiry into who the technical contact is and making the proper introductions.

Never schedule a website launch on a Friday. Because there are so many technical details (and risk of error) we do not plan "go live" dates for the end of the week. This is because, if there are going to be problems when DNS modifications are made, we want to be here to address them right away. Otherwise an entire weekend can go by before we can fix a problem. Scheduling a launch for a Monday or Tuesday is ideal.

Lookup the domain name and confirm the accuracy of the administrative contact information before beginning the project. By going to www.ajiboye.com and you can look up a current DNS record. This information will tell you who is hosting the domain name as well as listing the administrative contact. Check with your client that the email address listed for the administrative contact is still active. It can also be helpful if the client still has their account number and password from when they registered their domain. If they do not, you may want to have them request this information from the company that's hosting their domain.

Ask about email. If your client hosts their own email there should be few problems. If they are using their current web hosting for email, we will need to look into other options. If they do not yet have email through their domain we have several possible avenues to explore. In general it is much easier to establish something new, than changing something that is currently being used.

What is a Web Host?

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

What is a Web Host?

First we have to explain some basic terms.

* The Web is a network of computers all over the world.

* All the computers in the Web can communicate with each other.

* Web servers are computers where web pages are stored and are highly connected with the rest of the internet.

* Web clients view the pages with a program called a web browser such as Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.

* 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.

Once you have organized your web site, your next step is to have somewhere to place it so it could be seen on the internet. You need a place to have your site hosted.

A web host is a company that provides you with server space for your web site. This includes all of the files associated with your web site. When your web address is typed into a browser, the web host displays your pages. Web hosts provide servers, computers that have high connectivity with the rest of the internet community and where your web files are stored. Web hosting providers also offer all kinds of internet services such as domain registration, email accounts, web site design, server side programing scripts and other. You can use your own PC as a web server but remember that web hosting requires time and overall internet technology knowledge. Using a server from a web hosting company has some crucial advantages:

* Most web hosting providers have very fast connections to the Internet

* Service providers often have many powerful web servers

* Internet Service Providers are specialists on web hosting which results in high security and stability

Companies which are specialized in providing web hosting services have advanced technology and equipment which allows them to meet more sophisticated internet needs. They have the experience and know-how. For all these reasons we don't recommend hosting your site on your own PC unless you're willing to invest considerable amount of time and money in hardware, software and education.

Things to consider when deciding on host

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Things to consider when deciding on host

* Support - you should check whether the specific host really has fast and competent support service. All of the hosting companies claim to have excellent 24/7 support but only few really do. In order to find out what kind of support service the host has, you might first try their support options for yourself: call them, try live chat or send an email. Also hear what other customers are saying about their experience with the particular host's support. Fast and competent support is extremly important if you want to have your web site problems and missions solved.

* Traffic volume - A small or medium web site will consume between 1GB and 5GB of data transfer per month. You can calculate this by multiplying your average page size with the number of expected page views per month. If your average page size is 30KB and you expect 50,000 page views per month, you will need 0.03MB x 50,000 = 1.5GB. Larger, commercial sites often consume more than 100GB of monthly traffic.web hosting companies have various restrictions regarding traffic your web site has. The most important is to find out how much you'll have to pay if your web site's traffic exceeds the specific limit of your hosting plan. This way you'll avoid paying large sums of money if your site suddenly becomes popular.

* Bandwidth - The amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time. Web hosting providers usually set the limits on monthly basis. Publishing pictures or broadcastind video or sound requires more bandwidth. You'd want to know approximately how much bandwidth you'll need.

* How Much Disk Space - A small or medium web site will need between 10 and 100MB of disk space.If you look at the size of HTML pages, you will see that the average size is very small. But if you look at the size of the images (button, gif, banner, jpg) used inside the pages, you will often find images many times larger than the page itself. Expect each HTML page to take up between 5 and 50KB of disk space on your web server, depending on the use of images or other space consuming elements. If you plan to use lots of images or graphic elements (not to mention sound files or movies), you might be needing much more disk space.

* Daily Backup - Make sure your service provider runs a secure daily backup routine, otherwise you may lose some valuable data.

* Content Restrictions - You need to know if there are some restrictions for particular content such as adult, gambling and others. Is broadcasting video or sound available etc..

* Email Capabilities - You certainly need email boxes, autoresponders and other email features when running a site. Make sure email capabilities you need are available and also check with other customers of the specific company whether email features are running smoothly. This is important because lots of reports of email not working with various companies have been filed recently.

* Front Page Extensions - If you plan to use FrontPage to develop your site make sure your provider fully supports FrontPage server extensions

* Specific Application - If you intend to use some specific application such as ASP, PHP, ColdFusion and others make sure your host supports it's use.

* Upgrade charges - Does the company charge setup fees for upgrades?

* Best value for your money - Compare prices on 3 to 4 services to make sure you are getting the best value for your money. All this one has to bear in mind when deciding on the right hosting company but remember the most important thing is reliability and competence of the web hosting company. Find the company with such qualities and the chances are that all other issues will be easily solved.

What is Bandwidth?

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

What is Bandwidth?

It's perhaps the most popular web hosting term. It represents the amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time. Let us explain with a simple example what bandwidth is. Imagine water running through pipes. A specific amount of water needs to be delivered through a pipe from one place to another. If the pipe water is running through is a narrow one, it will take more time to deliver water through than if the pipe is a big one. We can say that the second pipe is "wider" than the first pipe. Or, we could take another step and say that the big pipe allows more bandwidth than the narrow pipe. And ultimately bandwidth describes how much stuff can pass through the pipe at a time or how much data can be transmitted over a certain connection line in a fixed period of time.

Bandwidth rate is usually measured in bits per second (bps) and is often expressed in units of thousands(K) or millions(M). For example:

* 1 Kbps = 1 000 bps

* 1 Mbps = 1 000 000 bps

Browsing the web, sending e-mail and downloading a file occasionally doesn't consume much bandwidth. Downloading or uploading video or huge audio files will use much more of it. At the moment 2-3% of internet users consume about 90% of the overall available bandwidth. For this reason other users may experience setbacks in performance and slowdowns.

Bandwidth is all about the type of the connection and the amount of data specific connection type allows to be transfered in a specific period of time.

Free Web Hosting

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Free Web Hosting

Free web hosting can be helpful for quickly establishing your web site with no cost, there are significant deficiencies:

* you can not expect reliability, in other words you are in no control of your site. Your site could just disappear one day and a completely different page would be displayed in a browser when typing in your URL. Don't think this could not happen because unfortunately it does happen. To tell the truth this is perhaps the worst scenario that could occur.Also there are minimal or no chances this to happen when you sign up for hosting with established companies like Geocities, but this example should show you what kind of uncertainty you could be facing if you choose free hosting service. Another aspect of unreliability is that since you paid nothing you're in no position to demand anything if your site is off the net for days. What I want to tell you is that you'll be entitled to demand exactly what you paid for.

* you can expect slow loading pages and poor performance

* if there are problems with your site don't expect customer support- there isn't any

* your site's domain name may be very long and nothing similar to the subject of your site

* you can expect very few basic features which will limit your possibilities. Shopping carts, CGI-bins, ecommerce are only a distant dream with free hosting services.

* your site will have advertising banners which may not fit into an overall scheme of your site

Some of these drawbacks may not be produced or may not be displayed so drastically when hosting your site with a particular free hosting provider, but certainly some of the deficiencies stated above will emerge in this shape or another.

So what is the conclusion? Free web hosting is a fast, no-cost option for gaining online presence. There are important setbacks connected with free hosting. Free web hosting is a solution for simple, small web sites that will not grow. Free web hosting is not an option for anybody trying to conduct any kind of online business nor for those web masters trying to have any kind of serious web site on the net.

Why is it so hard to find tried and true hosting provider

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Why is it so hard to find tried and true hosting provider?

There are many hosts and every one of them offers 24/7 support, huge space and bandwidth, lots of features at low cost and much, much more. When you face such offers it seems like a great chance is knocking at your door. But here are the facts:

* Vast majority of hosting providers are in fact resellers. A reseller is just a middleman between you and the real hosting company. Since resellers depend on the company whose plans they resell, they very often don't have neither freedom nor responsibility for dealing with your problems.Your requests and problems are dealt within the extended period of time. The result is that you pay more for the services you get and you're dealing with the "wrong" person all along the way.

* 27/7 support is extremely rare. Support is often inadequate and hard to get.

* There are hidden costs with most of the hosts.

* They all guarantee money back in case you're not satisfied but refunding money can be avoided and prolonged in many ways.

* They promise huge space and bandwidth because they know most customers don't use as nearly as they signed up with their hosting account. But if you really need an amount of space or bandwidth you thought you were entitled to, there might be a problem.

* Hosting companies often oversell their servers which results in poor performance, constant setbacks and even in complete server downfall.

* There are many other issues you won't hear of until your account has already been activated and your credit card billed.

* There is a jungle out there. With so many "honest" hosts offering everything you only dreamt of coming across, you will probably be disoriented. With so many bandwidths, spaces, CGIs, FTPs, features and all other sorts of information you read about, you'll probably get dazed and confused.

* Maybe the saddest and the most dangerous fact is that everywhere you look on the internet there are numerous sites which recommend almost the same hosting companies. Be warned of popular top lists of hosting companies and always the same hosting advocacy. The big truth is that most of "top" hosts are recommended to you for one and only reason- they pay to web site owner much more money than other companies. Unfortunately, this way you will never - ever be advised which hosts are actually reliable, safe and true hosting providers but you will certainly be pointed to incompetent, second league hosts which make their way not by providing quality services but by bribing web site owners. As many others have been before, if you act on hosting suggestions from such amoral sites, there is a pretty good chance you will also get involved in burdensome relationship with "best" host.

What Is Linux Hosting?

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

What Is Linux Hosting?

Linux hosting is an alternative to using Microsoft Windows-based technology for operating a website. Linux is an open-source operating system, which means the code that makes it run is publicly available. This means computer experts all over the world can share ways of improving how the system works. Although it is more complicated to understand than Windows, most computer experts say Linux is much more reliable and less likely to 'crash'. This makes it particularly useful for running websites.

Linux hosting makes use of several technologies:

* PHP is a programming language which produces dynamic web pages. These are pages which can change in appearance and content in response to something the person viewing it does (such as filling in a form). PHP is a server-side language, meaning the program runs on the server (the computer that physically stores the website) rather than the computer being used to view the page.

* MySQL is a database system used for websites. It can be used for features such as a real estate company letting site visitors search for properties of a certain size and cost. It is used by popular sites such as Craigslist and LiveJournal.

* Python is a programming language which is well-regarded among many programmers. It is relatively sophisticated, but is easier to understand than many programming languages. Python often uses common English words where other languages simply use symbols. Python also gives programmers the ability to make a draft alteration to a program and check the effects immediately without having to make the change permanent.

* XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a more flexible method of organizing the information that makes up a website. With the old HTML system, each piece of information is labeled only for appearance (for example 'bold' or 'italic'). With XML, any type of label can be used. For example, in a page containing a recipe, a piece of text could be labeled as 'ingredient' or 'safety warning'. XML means that a website owner has much more control over the information on their site.

Should Your Web Host Have Ethics? Web Host Ethics Explained

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Should Your Web Host Have Ethics? Web Host Ethics Explained

Ethics may not be a word that you associate with your web hosting company, but it may be time for you to add this important aspect of online business practices to your criteria for who qualifies as a great web hosting company.

Most people think that you simply pay a web host to host your domain and web space and that's the extent of the relationship, but there's more to it than that. If anything, it's the beginning of the relationship and as long as you're paying for their services, there are certain ethics that a web hosting company should abide by to keep your business.

One are of ethics of a web host that you should look at is their commitment to up-time. Does your web host guarantee a certain amount of up time as a part of your web hosting package? How frequently do they have down time, and for what reasons? Do they schedule down time and let you know about it in advance? There's nothing wrong with down time because it's needed periodically to upgrade hardware and software, but does your web host give you fair warning?

When your site is down, you lose everything that site was designed for. You lose leads, income, and communication for everything connected to your site. Let's say you're trying to sell a product on your site on a specific day. You've set up traffic campaigns and you have subscribers on your mailing list. Then, out of the blue, with no warning whatsoever, your web host has your site down to perform maintenance and they never let you know about it? You've lost all of the momentum that you've spent days, weeks, even months building, all because your web host couldn't take a few minutes to inform you of scheduled downtime.

Business ethics- Web hosting

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Business ethics- Web hosting

The standards or morals that you implement in your business. That is what Ethics means to me when it comes to running my business. I believe in karma also as in what goes around comes around. You should provide your customers with something of value, which in return will have them returning to your clothing business for repeat purchases and spreading good word about your business and services. You would never want a customer to be unsatisfied with a purchase they made from your clothing company whether it is quality or the service they may have received while visiting your online store, website or working with your company in any transaction. I think some of these points are what I neglected to mention earlier on in the blog on how you are treating customers and B2B (Business to Business) interactions.

What are some of your business Ethics? What standards or morals will your business abide by? For Example: Making sure factories you work with are abiding by child labor laws, or sweatshops.

Ajiboye is an independent business web hosting review web site. We rate hosting companies based on past user feedbacks, lab benchmark testing, and our usage with each website hosting company.

How to buy Web hosting?- Shared Hosting

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

How to buy Web hosting?- Shared Hosting

Shared hosting means that you are hosting your web site on a server with many other sites. In many cases, a single shared server will hold hundreds of small websites. Typically with shared hosting, you will have FTP access to transfer your files, a database server, provisions for server-side scripting, and a simple management console. Most hosts will offer visitor statistics, but Google Analytics will provide more detailed reports about your web site traffic.

Shared hosting will also provide a DNS server to host your domain name and some limited email features.

The disadvantages of shared hosting are that you are limited in the types of configuration options you are given. This is not an barrier for the vast majority of web sites, but complex applications often demand a degree of server customization that is not possible on a shared server for security and performance reasons.

The advantages of shared hosting are ease of use and cost. You do not need to be an expert server administrator to configure your shared hosting account. Server security and upgrades are managed by your hosting company. The cost of shared hosting is negligible, generally in the neighborhood of ten to fifteen dollar per month.

How to buy Web hosting?- Dedicated Server

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

How to buy Web hosting?- Dedicated Server

A dedicated server is suitable for high traffic web sites, and those featuring processor-intensive applications. With a dedicated server, you have complete control over the entire machine, which offers unequaled flexibility, but also a large degree of administrative overhead.

Although dedicated servers provide a management console, such as Plesk or Simple Control Panel, in most cases you will want to configure settings at the root level to get the most out of your infrastructure. This takes time and a knowledgeable professional.

As for cost, dedicated servers start at around one hundred dollars per month.

How to buy Web hosting?- Virtual Dedicated Server

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

How to buy Web hosting?- Virtual Dedicated Server

A virtual dedicated server is a hybrid between the former two types of hosting. You have access to a shared machine that is partitioned in such a way to share resources equally and allow administrative access to web site owners. This provides better performance than shared hosting, with many of the features of dedicated hosting. The downside is that your application can in some cases still bog down due to server loads created by your neighbors.

Commercial products: Pricing Aspect

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

You need to compare pricing before you finalize a web hosting service. Some may provide you better services but at low pricing. It's not always true that the best hosting services are always the most expensive. Do your research and then finalize.

Some are commercial products that require a one-time fee, some are hosted services, and others are completely free to use.

Commercial Software: Commercial CMS products are generally designed for enterprise applications and functionality required by large companies. These programs usually offer the best overall quality because they are well tested and come with premium support and regular updates for as long as the product is under license. The major downside is that they can be very expensive, some costing thousands of dollars for a single license.

Hosted Software: Hosted CMS solutions make a great alternative for smaller companies. This type of software is typically offered in the SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) cloud computing environment. Normally subscription-based, these solutions allow you to enjoy a robust CMS with many of the same features geared towards large companies. The big drawback to a hosted CMS is that the software cannot be customized to suit your personal needs. It could also turn out be more expensive depending on how long you end up paying for the service.

Free Alternatives: Free CMS software is a popular choice among users of all sorts, businesses included. Some of the most widely used programs in this category include Joomla, Drupal and Mambo. These applications are usually open-source, meaning they can be freely distributed and modified. The best open-source CMS products are backed by active communities that continuously work to enhance the platform. Many of these programs have come a long way and received dramatic improvement over the years, making them useful for a wide range of purposes.

The most significant benefit of open-source software is that is can be customized to suit your preference through plugins, themes and flexible APIs. However, because there is generally no official form of support, you may have a difficult time obtaining help when encountering problems.

What Makes a Dedicated Server Different?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The time has come; you have finally decided to get yourself a website on the internet. After conducting some research via your preferred search engine, you probably came across a countless number of sites offering hosting service for rock-bottom prices that appear too good to pass up. So what does this low price get you? In most cases, you receive space on a server along with a variety of tools that will help you build your website. The main problem is that you are forced to battle it out with other customers who are hosting their sites on the same machine. If your needs call for more than the typical web hosting arrangement, this environment may not be suitable for you. The lingering threat of performance and security issues can be very damaging to your web presence. When this is the case, you are probably best suited for a dedicated server.

PC vs. Server

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Though it is essentially a computer, a dedicated server differs greatly from the typical home-based PC. The major difference lies in the operating system. This type of computer runs specialized versions of operating systems such as Windows, Linux and Unix, platforms that are optimized for network operations. While your computer is made to run word processing applications, video games, and other related applications, a server is designed to run programming packages, databases, web services and other technologies associated with a website. And although both types of computers have similar resources such as CPU, memory and disk space capacity, a server tends to have greater amounts of each, enabling it achieve a level of performance your PC could never reach.

Dedicated Servers and the Hosting Business

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

It has become very common for web hosting firms to lease server space for hundreds and sometimes even thousands of accounts on the same machine. Depending on various factors, some of these websites may begin to experience problems as the server nears toward its limitations. It is also important to note that is even though you generally have the ability to manage your website, the service provider has control over the entire server. Therefore, if there are configurations and software applications that you really need, you just could be out of luck. A dedicated server lifts these limitations and several more by providing you with complete control. From server configuration to software technologies, you have the freedom to incorporate the components you feel are best fit for your website.

Do You Need Your Own Server?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

If you plan to run an online business with a website that contains mission-critical data and receives high volumes of traffic, a dedicated server could be the solution for you. If your business cannot afford to compromise performance and reliability, then you probably should opt for this sort of arrangement. Whether or not you choose to lease a dedicated server or run your own in-house depends on your budget and IT resources. When factoring in all the costs and technical hardships, many find that the hosted option is the best way to go as it is requires substantially less upfront investment and tends to be less complex as well.

Support, Security, Guaranteed uptime and Backups

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Security and backups are two very important aspects that you need to consider. You should always choose a web hosting service with reliable telephone support. Some also offer 24/7 support through local or toll-free numbers. In case you are running an ecommerce website then security is one aspect that you just cannot discard. Your web hosting service provider should be such that they can monitor things round the clock and ensure no unwanted intruder can hack your site. After all it's your website and it is really worth looking into this aspect of web hosting.

Finding the Best Web Hosting Service-- Amount of web space:

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Finding the best hosting service for your website can be complicated.

There are almost endless options all clamoring to be the top hosts or the least expensive service, and this can make it almost impossible for webmasters to sort fact from fiction. One of the most crucial decisions that most online businesses have to make is choosing the best web hosting service. With a popular or well known and reliable Internet Service Provider (ISP) you won't face many problems, however, with a poor web hosting service provider it can be a nightmare.

Here you can find below what exactly to look for when choosing the best web hosting service.

Finding the Best Web Hosting Service -- FTP access

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

FTP access is very crucial since it provides the ability to upload new pages. Some web hosting service providers allow you to just design your web pages with their own personal web builder.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard network protocol used to exchange and manipulate files over a TCP/IP based network, such as the Internet. FTP is built on a client-server architecture and utilizes separate control and data connections between the client and server applications. Client applications were originally interactive command-line tools with a standardized command syntax, but graphical user interfaces have been developed for all desktop operating systems in use today. FTP is also often used as an application component to automatically transfer files for program internal functions. FTP can be used with user-based password authentication or with anonymous user access. The Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) is a similar, but simplified, not interoperable, and unauthenticated version of FTP.

Finding the Best Web Hosting Service -- Assess Your Needs

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The very first item to address in selecting the best hosting service for your needs is to actually identify what those needs are. What sort of website are looking to host?

Small personal homepages will have very different hosting criteria from large company websites.

To find the best hosting service for you, it is important to determine exactly what you plan to host now, and ideally take into consideration anything you are planning to host in the immediate future.

Finding the Best Web Hosting Service -- Degree of reliability, security and speed of access

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Speed, security and reliability are extremely important for the success of any online business. While choosing a reliable web hosting service you need to ensure that this is taken care of. A site that is not available, not updated on time or is down, will lose many online visitors. If an online visitor finds your site listed on a search engine, and he tries to access it but finds it down, he is sure to move on to the next link and you lose an important customer or visitor. Even slow working websites are very frustrating. So how do you know if a hosting company is reliable or not? By word of mouth or feedback from others! If that's not possible then you can yourself try accessing your site during peak hours and non-peak hours too. Your site has to be secure of intruders at the same time, especially if it's an ecommerce website.

The best hosting services will offer uptime of over 99%. This should be a guarantee to motivate the company to keep all servers up all the time. Of course, visitors should also be able to access your site quickly.

Finding the Best Web Hosting Service -- Data Transfer and Disk Space

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Bandwidth requirements grow with your site. Web hosting companies pay for bandwidth, so you, the one using that bandwidth will be billed accordingly. It is far better to pay for the required amount of data transfer upfront rather than get a surprise bill in the mail for having gone considerably over your allotted amount. By the same token, be sure you have an appropriate amount of disk space reserved. Most websites require less than 3GB.

You need to see if the hosting company provides you with sufficient bandwidth for efficient data transfer. After all it's your website and you need to ensure that you are getting the best services for the money you invest

Finding the Best Web Hosting Service -- Technical Support

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

It is very important to be able to reach the hosting company if your website begins experiencing problems.

The best hosting support one can hope for is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Most companies know this, so take their stated hours with a grain of salt. Always spot check the companies with email at random times to see if they really have someone available to help 24/7.

Here you will get the answers of following type of questions depending on your needs:

How can you allow someone to send me mail through my website (web to e-mail form)?
How can you reduce the amount of spam (junk e-mail) I am receiving?
How can you add a mailing list subscription (or unsubscription) form to my site?
How do you upload my website files to the server? (FTP settings)
How do you set up my mail program to send and receive mail?
How can you create a Google-like search feature for my website?
How do you set up a mailing list?
What are the limits on e-mail size?

Finding the Best Web Hosting Service -- Scripts and Special Features

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Different websites have different needs, and the best hosting service for you should accommodate those needs.

Email addresses should be standard as well as the capacity for a variety of scripts.

Be sure to see if other features like shopping carts and secure servers are available or standard.

Special features like videos can be added as per needs. Before selecting any hosting service you should make sure that the service providers should be able to host all your needs.

Finding the Best Web Hosting Service -- Control Panel

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

How much control does the hosting company offer webmasters?

It is inconvenient to work through customer service every time to modify a password or to change email addresses.

Be sure hosting companies offer some form of a control panel accompanying the web hosting.

Remember, the control panel should be user-friendly and company-friendly.

Finding the Best Web Hosting Service -- Dependence and support

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Following questions should be checked under this topic:

• Does the web hosting service provide 24x7 supports?

• Do they respond rapidly to your issue?

• Can you depend on them?

If you need 24-hour technical support that larger companies need then expect to pay substantially more. In fact, people are much more expensive than machines.

Finding the Best Web Hosting Service -- Pricing plans

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Price is also one factor that you should look out for when choosing the best web hosting service. It's not necessarily true that the most expensive hosts are the best. Simply compare prices and services before you finalize one.

Many websites and blogs will run fine on cheaper web hosting plans. However, when looking for cheap hosting you don't want to find cheap service instead! Oftentimes, the sweet spot lies in getting a discount or a coupon on a standard hosting plan from a reputable hosting company. You should check out all the selections for the best values in the web hosting industry.

Microblogging for organizational usage

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Micro-blogging has the potential to become a new informal communication medium especially for collaborative work. Over the last few years communication patterns have shifted primarily from face-to-face communication to more online communication in E-mail, IM, and other tools. As more collaboration is being done remotely through technology, there are relatively fewer opportunities for face to face informal conversations. In addition because of time constraints at work due to employee downsizing there is more concern about interruptions along with convenience brought by IM and E-mail.

Many individuals like sharing the whereabouts and status updates in Microblogging. This highlights microblogging’s potential to support informal communication among co- workers. The areas where it looks to impact are the informational effects and the social and emotional effects. The informational effects include increased opportunistic valuable information sharing, expertise realizing, building and maintaining common ground. The social and emotional effects are mainly enhancing the feeling of connectedness among co-workers.

Some microblogging services, like Qaiku provide private channels and permission management tools for organizational microblogging.

Issues with microblogging

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The main issues with micro blogging are privacy, security, and integration. Privacy is a major issue due to the concerns of broadcasting social or work information to everyone who follows their feed. About security, people are worried about the public seeing possible sensitive work information on public microblogging like Twitter. Integration could be the hardest issue to overcome because the company and its employees would have to adopt microblogging into the corporate culture. This would take time since companies would need to recognize its value before they could embrace it.

Purpose of video hosting

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The YouTube and the Google are familiar for their video services and they are most popular for that. A few years ago, entertainment was the only purpose of video hosting and everything are changing day by day and people are going to use the technology for many purposes. The purpose of video hosting changing and now it has many different purposes.

People use the video hosting for advertising their new products and this system is quite popular now. People are so busy now and to get their attention you have to do something effective and for this era of internet, video hosting is the best way to give them knowledge about your new products and its really work.

Web hosting is one of the best purposes to get a lot of mania closer and the best is getting money. With a popular website you will get enough visitors and for this you will get some returns. A few years ago web hosting is costly but now by upgrading the technologies web hosting become cheaper and you can even use the shared hosting for reducing the cost. Web hosting is one of the best ways to get some extra earnings and this is easier than other business if you know the system well enough.

For shared hosting, you will need less money to start and you will get a lot of money from that if you know how to use it. If the server needs to upgrade, you will not be charged because for shared hosting you don’t get the access of the server. You don’t need to take any responsibility all the responsibilities for the company and these make shared hosting more familiar and cheaper to the people to use the web hosting.

You can have the question, why you use dedicated hosting without using the shared hosting? You will use the dedicated hosting to access the rest websites of your server what you can’t do with shared hosting. If you get any problem with the server or anything you can’t be able do anything with that.

Now a day, video hosting is the most familiar and popular hosting. To get more visitors this is the best way for you. This is like TV advertisements and you can do this for your new products advertisements and I am sure it will work. But for that you have to get a short video with perfect description.

The video about your new products must have something gorgeous and amazing, and then you can upload the video in your website. If the video can create a sensation to the people, this will make a lot of visitors on your website. You have to play with the thoughts of your customers, by doing this with your video; you can make better business than others on the internet.

Cirtex hosting offers website hosting, shared hosting and video hosting at affordable prices and becomes top web hosting company.

Gameserver hosting

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A game server is a remotely or locally run server used by game clients to play multiplayer video games. Most video games played over the Internet operate via a connection to a game server.

Game server providers (GSPs) are companies that lease game servers. Gaming clans will often lease one or more servers for their chosen game, with members of the clan contributing to the server rental fees. Game server providers often offer Web tools to control and configure the game servers; most allow those that rent or lease to modify the games being leased.

Dedicated game server

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Most games use a dedicated server application. This program collects data from players and distributes it to other players. This is more efficient and effective than a peer-to-peer arrangement, but it requires a separate computer to host the server application. The additional computer is a server.

Network bandwidth, in particularly upstream bandwidth is often one of the major limitations in hosting game servers. Home broadband Internet connections rarely provide the necessary upstream bandwidth to host dedicated game servers with more than 4-10 clients.

In the past, this is how the majority of game servers were hosted. This was the only option. The player would buy the game, and most households only had one computer, so the player would use this one machine host his or her server and play the game on, often simultaneously. The stress on the computer was enormous, and game performance was proportionately poor. Even if the bandwidth on the newest broadband Internet services could keep up with the load, the computer itself was still behind in computing the data needed. Process data for 3D graphics, game physics, sorting and distributing network data to the other players on one computer, places considerable demands on servers.

A professional server is a computer to read data and transmit vast amounts of data as fast as players need it. A handful of game hosting pioneers realized the need for such systems. They purchased rack mounted server machines and collocated them within datacenters to host their games. They paid between $200 and $700 a month for this luxury, and the teams that could foot such bills were few and far between, but these setups significantly improved the gameplay. Within a few years online multiplayer gaming became a huge success. Prices have lowered dramatically and subscribers increased 1000 fold.

Types of game servers

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Game servers can be classified as listen servers and dedicated servers. Listen server refers to a situation in which the server typically runs in the same process as the game client, allowing a player to both host and participate in the game. As a side effect, the server is usually terminated when the client is. Listen servers are operated mostly by individuals, often in LAN Party situations rather than over the Internet, and usually with a lower number of players due to the increased processing and bandwidth requirements associated with operating both server and client simultaneously on the same machine.

Dedicated servers are servers which run independently of the client. Such servers may be run by individuals, but are usually run on dedicated hardware located in data centers, providing more bandwidth and dedicated processing power. Dedicated servers are the preferred method of hosting game servers for most PC-based multiplayer games. Massively multiplayer online games run on dedicated servers usually hosted by the software company that owns the game title, allowing them to control and update content. In many cases they are run on clustered servers to allow huge environments and large player counts.

Which Web Hosting is Best For You?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

With thousands of beginners trying their hand at websites, it is certain that the market is becoming quite crowded. From music blogs to gossip communities and technological havens – these online avenues can be a wonderful hobby for people who just want an audience. After all, who wouldn't want to be heard among thousands of visitors every day? For this reason alone, websites are one of the most popular forms of entertainment. While making a website is essential, the majority of beginners do not realize that web hosting is even more important.

In simpler terms, web hosting provides you with the space to create your masterpiece. When you design your layout, post thousands of pictures, and even set up a chat room, you absolutely need a place to do so. For instance, if you were to do something like this outside of the virtual world, and build a theatre, wouldn't you need your own space? Luckily, web hosting is extremely affordable and can be easy for even the beginners to use.

After you purchase a domain name, the next step is to find a company that will host your website. There are many different paths you can take to do this, but it depends on your main goals. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is ask yourself why you want to create a website. Is it for personal use – simply to post your pictures from college? Or perhaps your dream is to create the most popular music website on the internet. Regardless of your priorities, companies have built specific web hosting packages based around your needs.

If you are looking to just post pictures or create something for fun, a free web hosting company is the way to go. There are many of these around the web, including Geocities and AngelFire. These two companies are dedicated to helping beginners. As a result, new webmasters do not need to know extensive HTML or CSS. In this day and age, it is quite easy to build a masterpiece. While these hosts give you a large amount of space and freedom, there are downsides. The majority of companies will stick pop up advertisements on your space, in order for them to market their company. Unfortunately, this is an annoyance for most, and can cause visitors to leave immediately. Luckily, Geocities lets you close the box when you enter the website. Nevertheless, if you are looking for an easy website and do not care about visitors, you simply should try it out.

On the other hand, if you are looking for something a bit more professional, you should be emptying your wallet. Providentially, 3ix.org and GoDaddy are two companies that offer extremely cheap website hosting. This means that you can easily pay $12/year just for an abundance of space. Still looking for more features? These companies will let you add on everything from FrontPage Maker to extra bandwidth. If you are serious about your venture, these are places to check out.

Web hosting may sound like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be difficult. With so many beginners flooding the internet, companies have put it upon themselves to make these programs much easier to use. As long as you can type in your name, have overflowing creativity and an e-mail address, the opportunities are endless.

Why Reliable Web Hosting?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In today's competitive world reliable web hosting is very critical especially for the success of online businesses. Your message or information won't be conveyed on time unless you send it over high-speed network connections backed up by reliable web servers. You need to seek a web hosting company that can provide you with these components and much more.

People usually wonder “why reliable web hosting?” Critical components as listed below are some of the reasons why:

• Server monitoring and 24x7 security to safeguard your site

• Spam filtering

• Firewall protection to protect the site from unwanted trespass

• Daily site backups

• 99.9% uptime guarantee

Reliable web servers with multiple fast connections are critical in ensuring that your web site runs smoothly. Only behind the hosting company's firewall and additional security on their web servers can you seek to keep your website safe from unwelcome intruders. Spam and virus filtering is another essential feature which should be taken into account with all email facilities. This is again possible with only reliable web hosting.

Apart from the above, there are many other useful reasons. Certain components responsible for reliable web hosting not only decrease your stress but also increase productivity. Reliable web hosting is known to provide dependable uptime so that you can make changes on your website and upload it for customers to view in minimal time.

Reliable web hosting is vital for serious business clients who need their web sites to be fully-functional and their domains accessible at all times. These businesses could be any online industry, be it bank, financial institutes, railway and flight online booking sites or even ecommerce sites. Only with help of reliable web hosting can you maintain the highest level of security for discreet user transaction on any website. All ecommerce websites are integrated with payment gateways and if your web hosting is not secure or reliable then anyone can hack your site and you can lose essential online cash flows.

If your site is integrated with a dependable Content Management System (CMS) through which you seek to update your site on daily basis then reliable web hosting becomes all the same critical. To stay ahead in today's online competition you need a secure and flexible website and this is only possible with help of reliable web hosting.

How to Make Money with Web Hosting

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

We all know that web hosting is the basis of all web sites. It helps us attract visitors, it displays what we are desperately trying to get across, and it allows us to survive in the cut throat internet world. While these are all important qualities that come with web hosting, there are many other opportunities. Dying to make extra cash? Surprisingly, web hosting can actually help with your bills. In a few simple steps, you will be on your way to a richer lifestyle.

Fortunately, there is a new trend in the web industry. Reseller Hosting, which consists of purchasing a web hosting package and reselling it for a larger price, has been making webmasters just a few cents richer. Although this sounds like a daunting task, it actually only requires a large amount of space. Once the webmaster acquires such a large server and bandwidth, he/she is able to divide it up among other people. As long as they are willing to pay a monthly fee, you will never get screwed over.

Regardless of how much money you want to make, purchasing this re-seller hosting does not cost much. While all of these websites will be on a shared server, the majority of webmasters do not mind this downside. After all, not everyone can shell out thousands a month just to acquire their own dedicated server. Once you have found a few loyal customers who will not create any illegal material, you will be generating a profit every single month out of the year. Fortunately, until you stop your hosting, you will never be out of a job.

In order to sell this type of hosting, you absolutely need to network. Regrettably, there are many webmasters trying to follow the trend. For this reason alone, you should look in unpopulated areas. Try and find a website or forum that has not yet been tackled by other masses of website owners.

For years web hosting has been flooding the market. However, it has just recently become a form of revenue for webmasters who just don't own their own web hosting company. It is a wonderful alternative to an additional part time job, especially if this is what you love to do. Networking with others, controlling a server, while working on your website certainly sounds like the perfect occupation.

A Sundry of Options for Web Hosting

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Since the birth of the internet, millions upon millions of websites have been created. They may contain different information and designs, but they all have one thing in common. Web hosting, one of the most important functions in the website process, allows website owners to put up their creative masterpieces. Regardless of what they do decide to display, this type of program gives them the independence to say whatever they'd like.

One of the biggest misconceptions of web hosting is that every package is the same. We all assume that one size fits all, and that there are no in betweens. Surprisingly, this is just the opposite. Depending upon the type of website you are making, and its popularity, you may need something much more professional and expensive. Nonetheless, there are affordable packages, no matter how tiny or large your budget is.

If you are just starting out and want no string attached, there are plenty of alternatives. Free hosting allows you to not only create a website, but it helps beginners, no matter how much experience they have. Although there are popup downsides and other annoyances, free web hosting will give you everything that you need. If you are not sure if you even want to extensively design one, Geocities or AngelFire is great to experiment with.

Are you looking for something a bit more customized? For many webmasters, shared hosting is a favorite. This means that an abundance of websites are actually on one server. While this only costs a few dollars a month, there are still issues that come along with it. For instance, if a fellow webmaster were to have done something illegal, chances are your website would be shut down as well. This is because you share an IP, which of course can be quite dangerous. For this reason, you must be careful when choosing people to share a host with.

While these are great alternatives, many professional companies enjoy dedicated hosting. Fortunately, the website is the only one on the server, which results in a lot less complications. With freedom comes a plethora of features, which include extra bandwidth, visitor trackers, and your own I.P. As a result, you do not have to worry about illegal situations occurring within your server. Everything is based around your needs.

Reseller hosting is another admired amenity. If you are a webmaster and are looking to make some extra cash, this is a great opportunity. In simple terms, you purchase a web hosting package from a company and divide the space into several sections. These sections can easily be purchased by fellow webmasters, who are in need of space. With this business in place, you will effortless make a few dollars.

Regardless of what you are looking to make, web hosting is necessary. From free companies to dedicated servers with only one website, there are endless opportunities. Although people assume that there is only one type of package, this article clearly shows how wrong the myth can be. The only requirement is that you are ready to work hard, be innovative, and stand out among the crowd. With these factors in mind, you could be to the top in no time.

How to Choose the Best Web Hosting Service

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

One of the most crucial decisions that most online businesses have to make is choosing the best web hosting service. With a popular or well known and reliable Internet Service Provider (ISP) you won't face many problems, however with a poor web hosting service provider it can be a nightmare.

Choosing the right kind of web hosting service can be a very daunting task at times as there are some very important features that you need to make sure of. Here you can find below what exactly to look for when choosing the best web hosting service.

Amount of web space: A web hosting service provider would usually assign you a certain amount of space on their server. You need to ensure that does it have the right amount of space for your website and your business requirements. You might want to expand your online business tomorrow and would require much more space. So it's imperative for you that the web hosting company should be able to provide you with ample of space especially if your website is rich in graphics or has video clips.

FTP access: FTP access is very crucial since it provides the ability to upload new pages. Some web hosting service providers allow you to just design your web pages with their own personal web builder. This may be useful for beginners however you need to ensure if they provide you the facility to expand later when you enhance your online business capabilities.

Degree of reliability, security and speed of access: Speed, security and reliability are extremely important for the success of any online business. While choosing a reliable web hosting service you need to ensure that this is taken care of. A site that is not available, not updated on time or is down, will lose many online visitors. If an online visitor finds your site listed on a search engine, and he tries to access it but finds it down, he is sure to move on to the next link and you lose an important customer or visitor. Even slow working websites are very frustrating. So how do you know if a hosting company is reliable or not? By word of mouth or feedback from others! If that's not possible then you can yourself try accessing your site during peak hours and non-peak hours too. Your site has to be secure of intruders at the same time, especially if it's an ecommerce website.

Dependence and support: Does the web hosting service provide 24x7 supports? Do they respond rapidly to your issue? Can you depend on them? If you need 24-hour technical support that larger companies need then expect to pay substantially more. In fact, people are much more expensive than machines.

Pricing plans : Price is also one factor that you should look out for when choosing the best web hosting service. It's not necessarily true that the most expensive hosts are the best. Simply compare prices and services before you finalize one.

Data transfer (Bandwidth): You also need to see if the hosting company provides you with sufficient bandwidth for efficient data transfer. After all it's your website and you need to ensure that you are getting the best services for the money you invest.

Remote back up

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A remote, online, or managed backup service is a service that provides users with an online system for backing up and storing computer files. Online backup providers are companies that provide this type of service.

Online backup systems are typically built around a client software program that runs on a schedule, typically once a day. This program collects, compresses, encrypts, and transfers the data to the remote backup service provider's servers. Other types of product are also available in the market, such as remote continuous data protection (CDP).

Providers of this type of service frequently target specific market segments. High-end LAN-based backup systems may offer services such as near-realtime transaction-level replication or open file backups. Consumer online backup companies frequently have beta software offerings and/or free-trial backup services.

History

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Most online/remote backup services came into existence during the heyday of the dotcom boom in the late 1990s with the exception of a few early pioneers like industry originator Rob Cosgrove, CEO of Remote Backup Systems. While the initial years of these service providers were about capturing market share distributed among the top few providers, the large industry players took cognizance of the importance and the role that these online backup providers were playing in the web services arena and M&A activity has become quite predominant in the last few years. Today, most service providers of online backup services position their services using the SaaS (software as a service) strategy and its relevance is predicted to increase exponentially in the years to come as personal and enterprise data storage needs rise. The last few years have also witnessed a healthy rise in the number of online backup providers with them existing independently as also as part of a business unit of a larger industry behemoth

Typical features

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Opened file backup: The ability to back up files that are frequently left open, such as Outlook files (*.pst) or SQL database files. This feature allows IT administrators to run backup jobs at any time of the day, not requiring server down-time. Most enterprise online backup products support an add-on for this. Higher-end products may support this natively.

Multi-platform: A multi-platform backup service can back up multiple platforms such as the various flavours of Windows, Macintosh, and Linux/Unix.

Network backup; A backup service supporting network backup can back up multiple computers , servers or Network Attached Storage appliances on a local area network from a single computer or device.

Multi-site; Some services offer the capability to back up both data at the primary site and data located at remote offices and branch offices, in a relatively seamless manner.

Typical features: II

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Continuous backup - Continuous Data Protection CDP: Allows the service to back up continuously or on a predefined schedule. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages. Most backup services are schedule-based and perform backups at a predetermined time. Some services provide continuous data backups which are used by large financial institutions and large online retailers. However, there is typically a tradeoff with performance and system resources.

Online access to files: Some services allow you to access backed-up files via a normal web browser. Many services do not provide this type of functionality.

Data compression: Data will typically be compressed with a lossless compression algorithm to minimize the amount of bandwidth used.

Differential data compression: A way to further minimize network traffic is to transfer only the binary data that has changed from one day to the next, similar to the open source file transfer service Rsync. More advanced online backup services use this method rather than transfer entire files.

Typical features-- Transfer encryption

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Encryption to prevent interception of data. This does not mean that the data will necessarily be encrypted during storage.

End-to-end encryption: Encryption of data at the client. The encrypted data is then transmitted and stored on the server. This requires a client-generated key, and precludes data recovery should the key be lost. Depending on implementation, it may also preclude certain optimization techniques (such as recognition of common operating system files which don't need to be stored multiple times, and removal of duplicate user files across different users —'deduplication').

Bandwidth usage: User-selectable option to use more or less bandwidth; it may be possible to set this to change at various times of day.

Cost factors

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Online backup services are usually priced as a function of the following things:

• The total amount of data being backed up.

• The number of machines covered by the backup service.

• The maximum number of versions of each file that are kept.

• Data retention and archiving period options

• Managed backups vs. Unmanaged backups

•

Some vendors limit the number of versions of a file that can be kept in the system. Some services omit this restriction and provide an unlimited number of versions. Add-on features (plug-ins), like the ability to back up currently open or locked files, are usually charged as an extra, but some services provide this built in.

Most remote backup services reduce the amount of data to be sent over the wire by only backing up changed files. This approach to backing up means that the customers total stored data is reduced. Reducing the amount of data sent and also stored can be further drastically reduced by only transmitting the changed data bits by binary or block level incremental backups. Solutions that transmit only these changed binary data bits do not clog bandwidth by transmitting the same file data over and over again if only small amounts (ie a date change or different address in a word document)

Advantages of remote backup

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Remote backup has advantages over traditional backup methods:

Remote backup does not require user intervention. The user does not have to change tapes, label CDs or perform other manual steps.

Remote backup maintains data offsite. Perhaps the most important aspect of backing up is that backups are stored in a different location from the original data. Traditional backup requires manually taking the backup media offsite.

Unlimited data retentions

Some remote backup services will work continuously, backing up files as they are changed.

Most remote backup services will maintain a list of versions of your files. Most remote backup services will use a 128 - 448 bit encryption to send data over unsecured links (ie internet)

A few remote backup services can reduce backup by only transmitting changed binary data bits

Disadvantages of remote backup

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Remote backup has some disadvantages:

Depending on the available network bandwidth, the restoration of data can be slow. Because data is stored offsite, the data must be recovered either via the Internet or via tape or disk shipped from the online backup service provider.

Some backup service providers have no guarantee that stored data will be kept private - for example, from employees. As such, most recommend that files be encrypted before storing or automating this process.

It is possible that a remote backup service provider could go out of business or be purchased, which may affect the accessibility of one's data or the cost to continue using the service.

If encryption password is lost, no more data recovery will be possible. However with managed services this should not be a problem.

Residential broadband services often have monthly limits that preclude large backups. They are also usually asymmetric; the user-to-network link regularly used to store backups is much slower than the network-to-user link used only when data is restored.

Managed vs. Unmanaged Online Backup

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Some services provide expert backup management services as part of the overall offering. These services typically include:

Assistance configuring the initial backup

Continuous monitoring of the backup processes on the client machines to ensure that backups actually happen.

Proactive alerting in the event that any backups fail

Assistance in restoring and recovering data

Off-site data protection

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In computing, off-site data protection, or vaulting, is the strategy of sending critical data out of the main location (off the main site) as part of a disaster recovery plan. Data is usually transported off-site using removable storage media such as magnetic tape. Data can also be sent electronically via a remote backup service, which is known as electronic vaulting or e-vaulting. Sending backups off-site ensures systems and servers can be reloaded with the latest data in the event of a natural disaster, accidental error, or system crash. Sending backups off-site also ensures that there is a copy of pertinent data that isn’t stored on-site. Off-site backup services are convenient for companies that backup pertinent data on a daily basis (classified and unclassified).

Although some organizations manage and store their own off-site backups, many choose to have their backups managed and stored by third parties who specialize in the commercial protection of off-site data.

Data vaults

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The storage of off-site data is also known as vaulting, as backups are stored in purpose built vaults. There are no generally recognized standards for the type of structure which constitutes a vault. That said, commercial vaults typically fit into three categories:

Underground vaults - often converted defunct cold war military or communications facilities, or even disused mines.

Free-standing dedicated vaults

Insulated chambers sharing facilities - often implemented within existing record center buildings.

Why Online Backup?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Backing up your important files enables you to protect them against future data loss. If the original data becomes corrupted or is accidentally deleted, or if your hard drive fails, you can still restore the lost data from the backup.

The backup service provides several key advantages and is far more secure than methods relying solely on local media:

Simplicity: Traditional backup methods require user intervention, complicating the backup process. You may have to insert CDs into drives, change tapes, or manually initiate the backup. In contrast, online backup requires only a simple, one-time configuration. Online backup then runs automatically according to your desired schedule, without any need for user intervention.

Security: When backed up online, your data is automatically encrypted and fingerprinted as soon as it leaves your local network. For even stronger security, you can use a personal passphrase known only to you for gaining access to data backups.

Why Online Backup?â��II

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Storage Location: With traditional backup, your backed up data is often stored in a single location (for example, in a stack of CDs in your office). If backup media are not taken off-site, a natural disaster at that location may destroy your data along with the backup. Online backup ensures that your data is stored in multiple locations, usually quite far from each other, and protects if from local disasters such fires or floods.

Versioning: When using traditional backup, users often choose to maintain only the most recent version of their files, due to storage space limitations. Online backup preserves multiple versions of your data, enabling you to restore the version of your choice.

Restore Options: When using traditional backup, you must have access to the backup medium in order to restore your data. Online backup, however, offers multiple restore options, including restoring your data from anywhere simply by using a Web browser to access backup versions of your files.

Reliability: Traditional media used for backup are prone to failure. Tapes, hard drives, CDRs and DVD-Rs have a surprisingly high failure rate. Online backup uses enterprise-grade infrastructure that is significantly more reliable.

Glossary of website hosting

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Adult Sites Allowed: Some hosting companies block access to web sites that contain adult content. Some hosting companies will not host web sites that contain such adult content. If you plan to launch a web site that contains adult content, this is a feature that should be considered.

Alias: A name that points to another name. Aliases are used to make the original name easier to remember or to protect the site's identity.

Applet: An applet is an embedded program on a web site. Applets are usually written in the coding language called Java. They are normally used for creating a virtual object that may move or interact with the web site. An applet is like a small piece of executable code that needs a full application to run it.

Audio Streaming: The process of providing audio content on a web site. This takes up a large amount of bandwidth, especially if you get a lot of visitors at your site. Some hosts do not allow audio or video streaming because of this.

Auto Responder: An automated program that acknowledges receipt of an e-mail message, and then sends back a previously prepared email to the sender, letting them know it was received. Once you configure your auto responder, it sends e-mail with no further action required on your part, making your web site interactive around the clock. Most hosting companies let you set this up through their control panel.

Availability (Uptime): Refers to the amount of time within a 24 hour period a system is active or available for servicing requests. For example, if a hosting company says it is available 99.9% of the time, they are claiming that your web site will up all the time except for about 8 seconds each day. Over the course of a year, in this example, the hosting company is claiming that your site will only be unavailable (couldn't surf to it) for 48 hours.

Backbone: A high-speed line or series of connections that forms a major pathway within a network. The term is relative as a backbone in a small network will likely be much smaller than many non-backbone lines in a large network. In general, the better the backbone of the hosting company, the better the availability of the web sites that run on their computers.

Backups: Web hosts back up data on their servers. Many host packages offer backups every 24 hours. This is supposed to prevent the loss of data should something happen to the server. . If you think you may need to restore old data in case of a disaster, it may make sense to choose a hosting company that performs regular backups.

Active Server Pages (ASP)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Active Server Pages allow web developers to make their sites dynamic with database driven content. The code is mainly written in VB Script, and it is produced on the server of the web site instead of the browser of your web site visitors. The server reads the ASP code and then translates it to HTML.

Active Server Pages (ASP), also known as Classic ASP or ASP Classic, was Microsoft's first server-side script engine for dynamically-generated web pages. Initially released as an add-on to Internet Information Services (IIS) via the Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack, it was subsequently included as a free component of Windows Server (since the initial release of Windows 2000 Server). It has now been superseded by ASP.NET.

Developing functionality in ASP websites is enabled by the active scripting engine's support of the Component Object Model (COM), with each object providing a related group of frequently-used functions and data attributes. In ASP 2.0 there were six built-in objects: Application, ASP Error, Request, Response, Server, and Session. Session, for example, is a cookie-based session object that maintains the state of variables from page to page. Functionality is further extended by objects which, when instantiated, provide access to the environment of the web server; as an example File System Object (FSO) is used to create, read, update and delete files.

Web pages with the .asp file extension use ASP, although some Web sites disguise their choice of scripting language for security purposes (e.g. still using the more common .htm or .html extension). Pages with the .aspx extension are ASP.NET (based on Microsoft's .NET Framework) and compiled, which makes them faster and more robust than server-side scripting in ASP which is interpreted at run-time; however, many ASP.NET pages still include some ASP scripting. Such marked differences between ASP and ASP.NET have led to the terms Classic ASP or ASP Classic being used, which also implies some nostalgia for the simpler platform.

CGI (Common Gateway Interface)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A CGI is a program that translates data from a web server and then displays that data on a web page or in an email. CGI involves the transfer of data between a server and a CGI program (called a script).

This allows HTML pages to interact with other programming applications. These scripts make web pages interactive. Page counters, forms, guest books, random text/images and other features can be driven by CGI scripts.

Some servers have pre-installed/pre-defined CGI scripts, meaning that the scripts are already installed on the server for you to use on your site. Some servers permit user-defined or custom CGI scripts, which means the site owner creates his/her own CGI script and runs this custom made script on the web site. Not all servers allow user-defined (custom) scripts for security reasons. Almost all hosting companies offer CGI today. If you think you will need forms on your web site, CGI could be a key requirement.

The Common Gateway Interface (CGI) is a standard protocol for interfacing external application software with an information server, commonly a web server.

The task of such an information server is to respond to requests (in the case of web servers, requests from client web browsers) by returning output. Each time a request is received, the server analyzes what the request asks for, and returns the appropriate output.

The two basic methods for the server to do this are the following:

• If the request identifies a file stored on disk, then return the contents of that file.

• If the request identifies an executable command and possibly arguments, then run the command and return its output.

CGI defines a standard way of doing the second. It defines how information about the server and the request is passed to the command in the form of arguments and environment variables, and how the command can pass back extra information about the output (such as the type) in the form of headers.

Implementation

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From the Web server's point of view, certain locators are defined as corresponding to a program to execute via CGI. When a request for the URL is received, the corresponding program is executed.

Data is passed into the program using environment variables. This is in contrast to typical execution, where Command-line arguments are used. In the case of HTTP PUT or POSTs, the user-submitted data is provided to the program via the standard input.

Web servers often have a cgi-bin directory at the base of the directory tree to hold executable files called with CGI.

The program returns the result to the web server in the form of standard output, prefixed by a header and a blank line.

Header format

The header is encoded in the same way as an HTTP header and must include the MIME type of the document returned. The headers are generally forwarded with the response back to the user, supplemented by the web server.

CGI Drawbacks

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In the case that a CGI call involves use of a scripting language such as csh or perl, coding errors are highly likely to result in a code injection vulnerability.

Calling a command generally means the invocation of a newly created process. Starting up the process can take up much more time and memory than the actual work of generating the output, especially when the program still needs to be interpreted or compiled.

If the program is called often, the workload can quickly overwhelm web servers. However, this overload may be reduced by using compiled CGI programs, such as those in C/C++, rather than using Perl or other scripting languages with CGI. Such performance issues are usually only a concern on machines that experience a high load.

Alternatives

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Several approaches can be adopted for remedying this:

The popular Web servers developed their own extension mechanisms that allows third-party software to run inside the web server itself, e.g. Apache modules, Netscape NSAPI plug-ins, IIS ISAPI plug-ins. While these interfaces didn't reach the same standardization achieved for CGI, they were at least published and at least partly implemented on multiple web servers.

Simple Common Gateway Interface or SCGI

FastCGI allows a single, long-running process to handle more than one user request while keeping close to the CGI programming model, retaining the simplicity while eliminating much of the overhead CGI incurs by creating a new process for each request. Unlike converting an application to a web server plug-in, FastCGI applications remain independent of the web server.

The optimal configuration for any web application depends on application-specific details, amount of traffic, and complexity of the transaction; these tradeoffs need to be analyzed to determine the best implementation for a given task and time budget.

ColdFusion

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

An application which simplifies database queries by allowing for a simpler programming language to handle functions between the user's browser, the server, and the database.

After you have developed your web site, you will know whether ColdFusion is a requirement. If you have not used ColdFusion to develop your site, you should ignore this feature.

ColdFusion is a commercial rapid application development platform invented by Jeremy and JJ Allaire in 1995. Originally designed to make it easier to connect simple HTML pages to a database, by 2.0 had become a full platform that included an IDE in addition to a full Scripting Language. Current versions of ColdFusion, sold by Adobe Systems include advanced features for enterprise integration and development of rich internet applications. ColdFusion primarily competes with PHP and ASP.

Main features

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ColdFusion provides a number of additional features out of the box. Among them:

• Simplified database access

• Client and server cache management

• Client-side code generation, especially for form widgets and validation

• Conversion from HTML to PDF and FlashPaper

• Data retrieval from common enterprise systems such as Active Directory, LDAP, SMTP, POP, HTTP, FTP, Microsoft Exchange Server and common data formats such as RSS and Atom

• File indexing and searching service based on Verity K2

• GUI administration

• Server, application, client, session, and request scopes

• XML parsing, querying (XPath), validation and transformation (XSLT)

• Server clustering

• Task scheduling

• Graphing and reporting

• Simplified file manipulation including raster graphics (and CAPTCHA) and zip archives (introduction of video manipulation is planned in a future release)

• Simplified web service implementation (with automated WSDL generation / transparent SOAP handling for both creating and consuming services

Cookie

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A message given to a Web browser by a Web server. The browser stores the message in a text file called cookie.txt. The message is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server. The main purpose of cookies is to identify users and possibly prepare customized Web pages for them. When you enter a Web site using cookies, you may be asked to fill out a form providing such information as your name and interests. This information is packaged into a cookie and sent to your Web browser which stores it for later use. The next time you go to the same Web site, your browser will send the cookie to the Web server. The server can use this information to present you with custom Web pages. So, for example, instead of seeing just a generic welcome page you might see a welcome page with your name on it.

In computing, a cookie (also tracking cookie, browser cookie, and HTTP cookie) is a small piece of text stored on a user's computer by a web browser. A cookie consists of one or more name-value pairs containing bits of information such as user preferences, shopping cart contents, the identifier for a server-based session, or other data used by websites.

It is sent as an HTTP header by a web server to a web browser and then sent back unchanged by the browser each time it accesses that server. A cookie can be used for authenticating, session tracking (state maintenance), and remembering specific information about users, such as site preferences or the contents of their electronic shopping carts. The term "cookie" is derived from "magic cookie", a well-known concept in UNIX computing which inspired both the idea and the name of browser cookies. Some alternatives to cookies exist; each has its own uses, advantages, and drawbacks.

Being simple pieces of text, cookies are not executable. They are neither spyware or viruses, although cookies from certain sites are detected by many anti-spyware products because they can allow users to be tracked when they visit various sites.

Most modern browsers allow users to decide whether to accept cookies, and the time frame to keep them, but rejecting cookies makes some websites unusable. For example, shopping carts or login systems implemented using cookies do not work if cookies are disabled.

History of a Cookie

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The term "cookie" derives from "magic cookie", which is a packet of data a program receives and sends out again unchanged. Magic cookies were already used in computing when Lou Montulli had the idea of using them in Web communications in June 1994.

At the time, he was an employee of Netscape Communications, which was developing an e-commerce application for a customer. Cookies provided a solution to the problem of reliably implementing a virtual shopping cart.

Together with John Giannandrea, Montulli wrote the initial Netscape cookie specification the same year. Version 0.9beta of Mosaic Netscape, released on October 13, 1994, supported cookies. The first use of cookies (out of the labs) was checking whether visitors to the Netscape website had already visited the site. Montulli applied for a patent for the cookie technology in 1995, and US patent 5774670 was granted in 1998. Support for cookies was integrated in Internet Explorer in version 2, released in October 1995.

The introduction of cookies was not widely known to the public at the time. In particular, cookies were accepted by default, and users were not notified of the presence of cookies. Some people were aware of the existence of cookies as early as the first quarter of 1995, but the general public learned about them after the Financial Times published an article about them on February 12, 1996. In the same year, cookies received lot of media attention, especially because of potential privacy implications. Cookies were discussed in two U.S. Federal Trade Commission hearings in 1996 and 1997.

The development of the formal cookie specifications was already ongoing. In particular, the first discussions about a formal specification started in April 1995 on the www-talk mailing list. A special working group within the IETF was formed. Two alternative proposals for introducing state in HTTP transactions had been proposed by Brian Behlendorf and David Kristol respectively, but the group, headed by Kristol himself, soon decided to use the Netscape specification as a starting point. On February 1996, the working group identified third-party cookies as a considerable privacy threat. The specification produced by the group was eventually published as RFC 2109 in February 1997. It specifies that third-party cookies were either not allowed at all, or at least not enabled by default.

At this time, advertising companies were already using third-party cookies. The recommendation about third-party cookies of RFC 2109 was not followed by Netscape and Internet Explorer. RFC 2109 was followed by RFC 2965 in October 2000.

Uses of cookie

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Session management

Cookies may be used to maintain data related to the user during navigation, possibly across multiple visits. Cookies were introduced to provide a way to implement a "shopping cart" (or "shopping basket"), a virtual device into which a user can store items he wants to purchase as he navigates the site.

Shopping basket applications today usually store the list of a basket contents in a database on the server side, rather than storing basket items in the cookie itself. A web server typically sends a cookie containing a unique session identifier. The web browser will send back that session identifier with each subsequent request and shopping basket items are stored associated with a unique session identifier.

Allowing users to log in to a website is a frequent use of cookies. Typically the web server will first send a cookie containing a unique session identifier. Users then submit their credentials and the web application authenticates the session and allows the user access to services.

Personalization: Cookies may be used to remember the information about the user who has visited a website in order to show relevant content in the future. For example a web server may send a cookie containing the username last used to log in to a web site so that it may be filled in for future visits.

Many websites use cookies for personalization based on users' preferences. Users select their preferences by entering them in a web form and submitting the form to the server. The server encodes the preferences in a cookie and sends the cookie back to the browser. This way, every time the user accesses a page, the server is also sent the cookie where the preferences are stored, and can personalize the page according to the user preferences.

Tracking cookies

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Tracking cookies may be used to track internet users' web browsing habits. This can also be done in part by using the IP address of the computer requesting the page or the referer field of the HTTP header, but cookies allow for a greater precision. This can be done for example as follows:

• If the user requests a page of the site, but the request contains no cookie, the server presumes that this is the first page visited by the user; the server creates a random string and sends it as a cookie back to the browser together with the requested page

• From this point on, the cookie will be automatically sent by the browser to the server every time a new page from the site is requested; the server sends the page as usual, but also stores the URL of the requested page, the date/time of the request, and the cookie in a log file.

By looking at the log file, it is then possible to find out which pages the user has visited and in what sequence. For example, if the log contains some requests done using the cookie id=abc, it can be determined that these requests all come from the same user. The URL and date/time stored with the cookie allows for finding out which pages the user has visited, and at what time.

Tracking within a site is typically used to produce usage statistics, while tracking across sites is typically used by advertising companies to produce anonymous user profiles (which are then used to determine what advertisements should be shown to the user).

A tracking cookie may potentially infringe upon the user's privacy but they can be easily removed. Current versions of popular web browsers include options to delete 'persistent' cookies when the application is closed.

Features of video hosting

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Features of video hosting

The YouTube and the Google are familiar for their video services and they are most popular for that. A few years ago, entertainment was the only purpose ofvideo hosting and everything are changing day by day and people are going to use the technology for many purposes. The purpose of video hosting changing and now it has many different purposes.

People use the video hosting for advertising their new products and this system is quite popular now. People are so busy now and to get their attention you have to do something effective and for this era of internet,video hosting is the best way to give them knowledge about your new products and its really work.

Web hosting is one of the best purposes to get a lot of mania closer and the best is getting money. With a popular website you will get enough visitors and for this you will get some returns. A few years agoweb hosting is costly but now by upgrading the technologies web hosting become cheaper and you can even use the shared hosting for reducing the cost. Web hosting is one of the best ways to get some extra earnings and this is easier than other business if you know the system well enough.

For shared hosting, you will need less money to start and you will get a lot of money from that if you know how to use it. If the server needs to upgrade, you will not be charged because forshared hosting you don’t get the access of the server. You don’t need to take any responsibility all the responsibilities for the company and these makeshared hosting more familiar and cheaper to the people to use the web hosting.

Now a day, video hosting is the most familiar and popular hosting. To get more visitors this is the best way for you. This is like TV advertisements and you can do this for yournew products advertisements and I am sure it will work. But for that you have to get a short video with perfect description.

The purpose of web hosting

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The purpose of web hosting

The purpose of web hosting is very simple. Look at the "Web" as a huge plot of land, heck, even it's own planet of sorts. In order to claim your own piece of land (Web Site), you must purchase it from someone else who has enough to share! Basically, hosting accounts give you space on their server to create your own website, and claim all rights to it. The company you bought your hosting account from will act as your landlord, maintaining the quality of your land (space on web) and making sure it is running correctly. You can do with it, whatever else you please!

With this company, you will also be given an email address that corresponds to your hosting website. They will also provide a medium with which to check the email that they've provided as your hosting company. Sometimes hosting companies offer other added benefits...Ajiboye.com is a really great hosting company (to me at least) because you can automatically download complete CMS programs with just one click.

You can find many different hosting companies via the web, by just thinking about what you want to do with your "real-estate" (Website) and finding the best hosting company for that purpose.

Third-party cookies

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Images or other objects contained in a Web page may reside in servers different from the one holding the page. In order to show such a page, the browser downloads all these objects, possibly receiving cookies. These cookies are called third-party cookies if the server sending them is located outside the domain of the Web page.

This condition is common with on-line advertising. Indeed, web banners are typically stored in servers of the advertising company, which are not in the domain of the Web pages showing them. If third-party cookies are not rejected by the browser, an advertising company can track a user across the sites where it has placed a banner. In particular, whenever a user views a page containing a banner, the browser retrieves the banner from a server of the advertising company. If this server has previously set a cookie, the browser sends it back, allowing the advertising company to link this access with the previous one. By choosing a unique banner URL for every Web page where it is placed or by using the HTTP referer field, the advertising company can then find out which pages the user has viewed. The same technique can be used with web bugs. These, unlike the obvious banners, are images embedded in the Web page that are undetectable by the user (e.g. they are tiny and/or transparent).

Third-party cookies are used to create an anonymous profile of the user. This allows the advertising company to select the banner to show to a user based on the user's profile. The advertising industry has denied any other use of these profiles.

Many modern browsers, such as Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer and Opera block third party cookies if requested by the user. Internet Explorer version 6 allows a mild form of blocking, called leashing. A leashed cookie is a third-party cookie that is sent by the browser only when accessing a third-party document via the same first-party. For example, if third.com sets a cookie when an image is requested, and this cookie is set for the first time when the user views a document from first.com, the same cookie is not sent if the user downloads a document that contains the same image but the document is on another site other.com, if the cookie is leashed. A leashed cookie is different from a blocked cookie in that it is sent, in this example, if the image is contained in another document from the same site first.com.

Cookie Attributes

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Beside the name/value pair, a cookie may also contain an expiration date, a path, a domain name, and whether the cookie is intended only for encrypted connections. RFC 2965 also specifies that cookies must have a mandatory version number, but this is usually omitted. These pieces of data follow the name=newvalue pair and are separated by semicolons. For example, a cookie can be created by the server by sending a line Set-Cookie: name=newvalue; expires=date; path=/; domain=.example.org.

The domain and path tell the browser that the cookie has to be sent back to the server when requesting URLs of a given domain and path. If not specified, they default to the domain and path of the object that was requested. As a result, the domain and path strings may tell the browser to send the cookie when it normally would not. For security reasons, the cookie is accepted only if the server is a member of the domain specified by the domain string.

Cookies are actually identified by the combination of their name, domain, and path, as opposed to only their name (the original Netscape specification considers only their name and path). In other words, same name but different domains or paths identify different cookies with possibly different values. As a result, cookie values are changed only if a new value is given for the same name, domain, and path.

The expiration date tells the browser when to delete the cookie. If no expiration date is provided, the cookie is deleted at the end of the user session, that is, when the user quits the browser. As a result, specifying an expiration date is a means for making cookies survive across browser sessions. For this reason, cookies that have an expiration date are called persistent.

The expiration date is specified in the "Wdy, DD-Mon-YYYY HH:MM:SS GMT" format. As an example, the following is a cookie sent by a Web server (the value string has been changed):

Set-Cookie: RMID=732423sdfs73242; expires=Fri, 31-Dec-2010 23:59:59 GMT; path=/; domain=.example.net

The name of this particular cookie is RMID, while its value is the string 732423sdfs73242. The server can use an arbitrary string as the value of a cookie. The server may collapse the value of a number of variables in a single string, like for example a=12&b=abcd&c=32. The path and domain strings / and .example.net tell the browser to send the cookie when requesting an arbitrary page of the domain .example.net, with an arbitrary path.

Cookies Expiration

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Cookies expire, and are therefore not sent by the browser to the server, under any of these conditions:

• At the end of the user session (i.e. when the browser is shut down) if the cookie is not persistent

• An expiration date has been specified, and has passed

• The expiration date of the cookie is changed (by the server or the script) to a date in the past

• The browser deletes the cookie by user request

The third condition allows a server or script to explicitly delete a cookie. Note that the browser doesn't send to the server information about cookie lifetime, so there is no way for the server to check if the cookie expires soon.

How Does My Website Get a Name?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

All websites typically have a name that points to the space on the web where your website is physically located. In reality, your website will have an address which is just a set of numbers. This is called an IP address and it looks something like this 205.11.109.64 An IP address is a unique address (just like a street address) for your website location. Domain names are really just a pointer to the real address. This makes it much easier to remember websites.

When you buy web hosting it can be easier to let the web host handle everything associated with this. You just tell them the name that you want (www.yoursite.com for example) and so long as that name is available, they will set up your web hosting space so that when people type in that www address, it will automatically go to your website. You can check if a domain name is available on our domain registration page.

If you already have a domain name and need to transfer it to a web hosting account, then the domain records have to be pointed to your web hosting company. Most web hosts will handle this for you, but if you need to do it yourself then you will need to contact the company where you registered your domain name and provide the Nameserver address of your web hosting provider. Your web host will tell you what their Nameservers address is.

You probably don't want to buy your web hosting plan until your website is ready, but you might want to buy your website name early to prevent somebody else taking the name you want. Almost all companies that sell domain names will park your domain on their servers until you are ready to buy web hosting.

FFmpeg hosting service

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

FFmpeg hosting is a term that is used to refer to any "assortment of software which is available free, which helps in recording, converting and streaming a digital video or an audio", and to those domain registrars and web hosting companies which provide the above assortment of software to video hosting services.

It is known as FFmpeg hosting due to the usage by several video hosting services of the FFmpeg software library in the server-side conversion of files with variously-encoded video and audio formats into a single preferred video or audio format that is both playable from the video hosting service and embeddable into any offsite webpage.

As of 2008, the preferred format for the presentation of converted video is the .flv format.

FFmpeg is a computer program that can record, convert and stream digital audio and video in numerous formats.

FFmpeg is a command line tool that is composed of a collection of free software / open source libraries. It includes libavcodec, an audio/video codec library used by several other projects, and libavformat, an audio/video container mux and demux library. The name of the project comes from the MPEG video standards group, together with “FF” for “fast forward”.

FFmpeg-friendly webhosting

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

While there are thousands of web hosting services on the World Wide Web, only a tiny, but growing minority of these webhosts are willing to allow or accommodate video and audio hosting services, due to the rapid takeup of both bandwidth and disk space by user-uploaded video .

The creation of video hosting services which sprung up in the years since the 2005 founding of YouTube, however, has created a demand for video-hosting friendly web hosts.

FFmpeg is used to encode various video formats to flash for streaming. A variety of scripts utilize FFmpeg and related libraries in their software. We support a large number of scripts that use this technology on all our VPS, virtual hosting, reseller hosting and dedicated hosting services.

Basic needs from FFmpeg hosts

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Most video hosting services need a dedicated or semi-dedicated server from the FFmpeg host, with shared bandwidth and virtual servers being sub-optimal solutions.

The service mainly features

Hosting Features:

• Domain Names

• Unlimited Storage

• Unlimited Monthly Bandwidth

• Online Control Panel

• FTP accounts

• Shell Access

• Customer Account Page

Popular scripts that require ffmpeg â�� PHP Motion

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

PHPMotion: PHPmotion is a free-to-use video sharing content management system, written in PHP and using MySQL databases and ffmpeg. PHPmotion does not require payment to use, but a "Powered by PHPmotion" link is required unless a fee is paid. The software provides the average person the ability to have their own video sharing website. PHPmotion supports many different video formats as well as audio formats that include mpg, avi, divx, mp3 and wma.

Following is a list of some features that are included with PHPMotion.

• Uploading, managing, and deletion of videos and audio files

• Embedding of videos

• Creation and management of groups and member profiles

• Internal email messaging

Sideloading

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Sideloading is a term used in Internet culture, similar to "upload" and "download", but in reference to the process of transferring data between two local devices, in particular between a computer and a mobile device such as a cellphone, smartphone, PDA, or portable media player.

Sideloading typically refers to media file transfer to a mobile device via USB, Bluetooth or by writing directly to a memory card for insertion into the mobile device.

Sideloading is a variation on the more familiar terms downloading — receiving data from a remote source — and uploading — sending data to a remote source. The medium for most downloading and uploading activity these days is the Internet, so this sense of sideloading is used to refer to downloads that occur over the cell phone provider's network (off to the side, as it were).

History of sideloading

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The term "sideload" was coined in the late 1990's by online storage service xdrive.com as an alternative means of transferring and storing computer files. Rather than initiating a traditional file "download" from a web/ftp site to their computer, a user could perform a "sideload" and have the file transferred directly into their personal storage area on the service. Usage of this feature began to decline as newer hard drives became cheaper and the space on them grew each year into the gigabytes.

The launch of Apple’s iTunes store brought sideloading to the masses, even if the term was not widely adopted at the time. The service allowed iPod users to download content to their PCs and sideload it to their iPods. This approach was also adopted by other portable media player manufacturers.

For cell phones, sideloading was something of a niche, particularly as the performance, storage and transfer options varied greatly between devices. Although there were some early attempts at delivery of entire movies on memory cards, the number of devices supported was small and adoption was low.

However the situation started to change in June 2007 with the launch of Clippz.com. It allowed cell phone users to download and sideload user generated video in formats optimized for any device. In the same month, Apple launched its iPhone, which was the first mobile phone to be focused on a sideload delivery of content (again from iTunes) rather than through the wireless network.

Today, sideloading is far more widespread and virtually every mobile device is capable of sideloading in one or more ways.

Advantages of sideloading

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Sideloading has several advantages when compared with other ways of delivering content to mobile devices:

• There are no wireless data charges. Sideloading delivery does not involve a wireless carrier.

• Content can be optimized for each mobile device. As there are no mobile network restrictions, content can be tailored for each device. This is more important for video playback, where the lowest common denominator is often a limiting factor on wireless networks.

• There are no geographic limitations on the delivery of content for sideloading as are implicit in the limited coverage of wireless networks.

• The content is not streamed, and can be permanently stored in the mobile device, It can be listened to or watched at the user’s convenience.

• Sideloading is an excellent mechanism for proximity marketing.

Disadvantages of sideloading

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Sideloading also has some disadvantages:

• Streaming is generally preferred to downloading so there is limited content available to download and sideload.

• There is no common DRM solution that covers all devices that can make use of sideloading delivery, although companies such as NXVision are active in this area.

• There are huge variations in performance capability for mobile devices that can make use of sideloading, from simple cell phones with limited video playback, to high-end portable media players. Unless the audio/video file is encoded with the target device in mind, playback may not be possible. Companies like Clippz address this problem.

• Some wireless carriers (most notably Verizon Wireless) require that handset manufacturers limit the sideload capabilities of devices on their networks as a form of vendor lock-in. This usually results in the loss of USB and Bluetooth as sideload options (though memory card transfer is still available).

USB sideloading

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Sideloading over a standardized USB (Micro-USB) connection was an agreement come to by the OMTP in late 2007. Until this time, cell phone manufacturers had tended to adopt proprietary USB transfer solutions requiring the use of bundled or third party cables and software.

Transfer performance of USB sideloading varies greatly, depending on the USB version supported, and further still by the actual engineering implementation of the USB controller. USB is available in Low-Speed, Full-Speed, and Hi-Speed levels, with High-Speed USB transferring up to 480Mbit/s (60MB/s). However, the majority of cellphones as of the time of writing of this article are Full-Speed USB. Of the mobile products supporting USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, the actual sideloading performance usually ranges between 1-5MB/s. However, the popular BlackBerry cellphones by RIM and the iPods by Apple distance themselves at higher performing speeds of roughly 15.7MB/s and 9.6MB/s, respectively.

Bluetooth sideloading

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Bluetooth sideloading is an option that is generally only available to cell phones and some PDAs as it is not adopted in portable media players.

Bluetooth’s OBEX/OPP profiles allow for file transfer between a PC and a mobile device. Using this option is slightly more complicated than using a USB connection as the two devices have to be paired first. Also, unlike the familiar drag and drop that is usually available via USB, Bluetooth implementation is specific to the Bluetooth transceiver and drivers being used. Files that are sideloaded to mobile devices via Bluetooth are often received as messages, in the same way that SMS texts would be received. While these files can be saved to any storage medium, their initial location is the handset’s internal memory. As such the limitations of the internal memory have to be taken into account before beginning the sideload.

Memory card sideloading

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Sideloading via a memory card requires that the user have access to a memory card writer. Audio and video files can be written directly to the memory card and then inserted into the mobile device.

This is potentially the quickest way of sideloading several files at once, as long as the user knows where to put the media files.

The practicality of this solution varies between different mobile devices according to the accessibility of the memory card. On many devices the card can be hot-swapped via a slot on the side of the devices. In other cases, the card is located under the battery and so the device must be first switched off and the battery removed before the transfer can take place.

Microblogging

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Microblogging is a form of multimedia blogging that allows users to send brief text updates or micromedia such as photos or audio clips and publish them, either to be viewed by anyone or by a restricted group which can be chosen by the user. These messages can be submitted by a variety of means, including text messaging, instant messaging, E-mail, digital audio or the web.

The content of a microblog differs from a traditional blog in that it is typically smaller in actual size and aggregate file size. A single entry could consist of a single sentence or fragment or an image or a brief, ten second video. But, still, its purpose is similar to that of a traditional blog. Users microblog about particular topics that can range from the simple, such as "what one is doing at a given moment," to the thematic, such as "sports cars," to business topics, such as particular products. Many microblogs provide short commentary on a person-to-person level, share news about a company's products and services, or provide logs of the events of one's life.

Semi-dedicated hosting

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Semi-dedicated hosting is a type of hosting service, which is closer to "shared" than is to "dedicated" hosting, whereby the server is configured so as to host less but more heavily loaded websites in terms of bandwidth.

As with the shared hosting service, the users too have separate accounts but their parameters are many times larger than those offered by the shared hosting service.

Obtaining hosting

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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. You can always use any content management system on your servers and modify them at your will.

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.

Green hosting

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Green or Eco-friendly website hosting is a recent addition to the field of website hosting which involves a given website hosting company attempting to prove that they are not having any negative impact on the environment in an attempt to attract green consumers.

World internet usage statistics show that the internet is still doubling in size in the U.S. and growing from 400 to 1000% a year, worldwide. The energy usage needed for that type of demand is staggering. In fact, the total electric bill to operate those servers and related infrastructure equipment was $2.7 billion in the United States and $7.2 billion worldwide. It is estimated that if energy consumption with web hosting keeps raising at the current rate by 2020 the industry will be more polluting than the airline industry. With so much demand on resources, eco-friendly hosting services, utilizing Green Marketing, has emerged.

How Do Hosting Companies Go Green?

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The most popular way hosting companies prove their green credentials is Carbon offsetting, others include planting trees and more day to day activities such as energy conservation and the use of energy saving appliances.

• Buy Carbon Credits: Offset means “neutralize,” “balance,” or “cancel out.” When you buy a carbon offset, therefore, you are helping to fund a project that reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Offsets can also involve planting trees.

• Buy Green Tags: Also known as Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), buying green tags means the energy that you use is created by a green source (wind, solar, hydro) and delivered to the power grid you're connected to. (Even though you aren't using it necessarily.)

• Virtualization : This is a type of sharing of resources among customers, so that you can more effectively use your server hardware. This can potentially reduce the number of servers consuming energy.

• Use more energy friendly servers: There are alternative types of servers that green companies can choose to buy and use. Some have two servers housed within a single box, utilizing the same power supply. This cuts down on consumption. There is also a server technology called “speed stepping” that will reduce the amount of voltage and heat a server uses, especially during peak usage.

• Data Center Layout: Anything from how you weatherize your center to how you lay out your air conditioning can greatly reduce the amount of energy consumed.

• Other methods: Propane gas is also being utilized for back-up resources. Propane gas is cleaner than diesel. There are also windmill driven data centers, installing solar panels, completely solar data center, paperless office, telecommuting employees, incentives for alternative work transportation are all additional measures that web hosting companies can take to become green or greener hosting companies. Some companies are attempting to offset the energy consumed by their customers by planting a tree for each new customer.

Renewable Energy Certificates

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), also known as Green tags, Renewable Energy Credits, or Tradable Renewable Certificates (TRCs), are tradable, non-tangible energy commodities in the United States that represent proof that 1 megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity was generated from an eligible renewable energy resource.

These certificates can be sold and traded or bartered, and the owner of the REC can claim to have purchased renewable energy. While traditional carbon emissions trading programs promote low-carbon technologies by increasing the cost of emitting carbon, RECs can incentivize carbon-neutral renewable energy by providing a production subsidy to electricity generated from renewable sources. It is important to understand that the energy associated with a REC is sold separately and is used by another party. The consumer of a REC receives only a certificate.

In states that have a REC program, a green energy provider (such as a wind farm) is credited with one REC for every 1,000 kWh or 1 MWh of electricity it produces (for reference, an average residential customer consumes about 800 kWh in a month). A certifying agency gives each REC a unique identification number to make sure it doesn't get double-counted. The green energy is then fed into the electrical grid (by mandate), and the accompanying REC can then be sold on the open market.

Green marketing

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

According to the American Marketing Association, green marketing is the marketing of products that are presumed to be environmentally safe. Thus green marketing incorporates a broad range of activities, including product modification, changes to the production process, packaging changes, as well as modifying advertising. Yet defining green marketing is not a simple task where several meanings intersect and contradict each other; an example of this will be the existence of varying social, environmental and retail definitions attached to this term. Other similar terms used are Environmental Marketing and Ecological Marketing.

The legal implications of marketing claims call for caution. Misleading or overstated claims can lead to regulatory or civil challenges. In the USA, the Federal Trade Commission provides some guidance on environmental marketing claims.

Virtual server

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Virtual server is a notion, which stands somewhere between "shared" and "dedicated" hosting. Here, one physical server is divided into several independent virtual servers.

Essentially, each such virtual server can be looked upon as being "dedicated", because a separate operation system is being installed on it according to the user's needs, which takes up the applications of one given client only.

The most commonly used pieces of server virtualization software are VMware, FreeVPS, User-mode Linux, Virtuozzo, etc. The settings of the server are optimized to work with each of them and the resources it can use are much more than those offered by shared hosting. Recommended for websites and applications, which require specific operation system settings, and which generate substantial server load.

Uses

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Virtual private servers bridge the gap between shared web hosting services and dedicated hosting services, giving independence from other customers of the VPS service in software terms but at less cost than a physical dedicated server. As a VPS runs its own copy of its operating system, customers have superuser-level access to that operating system instance, and can install almost any software that runs on the OS. Certain software does not run well in a virtualized environment, including firewalls, anti-virus clients, and indeed virtualizers themselves; some VPS providers place further restrictions, but they are generally lax compared to those in shared hosting environments. Due to the number of virtualization clients typically running on a single machine, a VPS generally has limited processor time, RAM, and disk space.

Due to their isolated nature, VPSs have become common sandboxes for possibly-insecure public services or update testing. For example, a single physical server might have two virtual private servers running: one hosting the production-level (live) website, and a second which houses a copy of it. When updates to crucial parts of software need to be made, they can be tested in the second VPS, allowing for detailed testing to be conducted without requiring several physical servers.

Virtual private servers are also sometimes employed as honeypots, allowing a machine to deliberately run software with known security flaws without endangering the rest of the server. Multiple honeypots can be quickly set up via VPSs in this fashion.

Virtual private server hosting

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A growing number of companies offer virtual private server hosting, or virtual dedicated server hosting as an extension for Web hosting services. Some web hosting companies call a Virtual Private Server a Virtual Dedicated Server/Dynamic Dedicated Server or the other way around.

Managed and Unmanaged Hosting

In a managed hosting environment, your provider owns and is responsible for the data center, network, devices, operating system and application infrastructure components, providing a stable operating environment for your applications. Your IT organization manages your applications and maintains full control over the operating system and application infrastructure. IT hosting, on the other hand, actually goes a step further and includes the management of your applications too.

Managed hosting provides more value than colocation and dedicated hosting because it frees more of your IT personnel from mundane infrastructure related tasks, personnel that can now be reallocated to understanding and supporting your business more effectively. Managed hosting also provides greater responsiveness than fully outsourced solutions because it emphasizes a flexible bottom up approach to delivering value that puts you fully in control of your OS, application infrastructure and application.

The unmanaged hosting, customer is left to monitor and administer their own server. It gives you complete control over the administration.

Unmetered Hosting

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Similar to unmanaged hosting but a fixed bitrate is offered so that it is not possible to exceed a monthly budget.

Here, Unmetered means "unmeasured". However, some of the companies offering it explicitly mention an initial limit that once reached will be upgraded upon request. So their system does in fact measure the data traffic consumption.

Unmetered vs Unlimited

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In the shared hosting arena the word unmetered has its share of fans. Often times when discussing the use of the word "unlimited", people have argued that it's just a matter of semantics, that it must be obvious to anyone that unlimited hosting can't be really taken at face value, so there's no harm done when hosts use it in relation with bandwidth or space. They argue that unlimited means "as much as a regular/normal/standard/average website may need". Thing is, there is no true standard/regular/normal/average website.

Some people acknowledge the fact that unlimited is not an acceptable word to use when describing bandwidth, that it can be considered deceiving, but sustain that "unmetered" would be the right term for it. Well now, let's see, is it really?

Reasons for hosts to offer unmetered bandwidth

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Back to basics: a business exists to profit. That's its purpose, and the role of its employees is to do whatever is needed to maximize profits.

So, how would offering unmetered bandwidth increase profits? By sheer volume. Significantly increased sales with smaller profits per account could potentially translate into higher total profits.

In the case of serious businesses, the decision to gamble by offering unmetered bandwidth is based on mathematical reasoning and it's a calculated risk: statistics - the cornerstone of all rational overselling decisions.

However, hosts have devised a way to not take that risk, for in order to qualify for unmetered bandwidth a website must fit certain requirements. But, I get ahead of myself.

Websites not eligible for unmetered bandwidth

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

To ensure that things will be manageable, certain types of websites are typically not eligible for unmetered bandwidth:

• Those that offer file downloads (software, video, mp3s etc.)

• Those that host image galleries (they are notorious for both high bandwidth and high server resources usage)

• Those that contain popular forums

• Portals and other types of communities

• Adult websites

• Chats

Why Unmetered hosting packages are not possible?

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

There are hosts that offer unlimited bandwidth. What they mean is that they may not expect you to use more than a certain amount, as there are practical limits on most everything, including bandwidth. To claim unlimited is typically a marketing 'hook' to get you sign up. In reality, once you reach a certain limit, you will no doubt hear from this host to do something about this bandwidth consumption.

For example, it is as if you were to try to transfer multiple large files ( * > 1 GB ) on your home connection 24/7 for a whole month. The fact is it runs out somewhere.

Another marketing scheme is that of offering unmetered which says you can use however much the server would allow in a possible months cycle. Without a doubt the host will contact you or suspend your account.

There are some legit hosts that offer unlimited packages either as a marketing method to get their business noticed or promote it over another business. It is highly recommended that you look into your host before you sign up with them, ask them questions. If the host is really interested in you they would reply to your questions without a problem within 24 hours.

Even if you do not plan on using much space, keep in mind you are not the only one on that server and you will get other people abusing such a policy rendering you pretty much useless in the sense that you have only used a few megabytes of storage and some other person on the server is using gigabyte upon gigabyte.

Many hosts that offer unlimited or unmetered packages have fine print or policies that clearly state that if you use more than a certain percentage of the servers resources, you can be charged extra, you can be shut down, or any other consequences in relationship to resource usage. Be alert because this goes to show that the service is not unlimited and not unmetered.

DNS hosting

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A DNS hosting service is a service that runs Domain Name System servers. Most, but not all, domain name registrars include DNS hosting service with registration. Free DNS hosting services also exist. Many third-party DNS hosting services provide Dynamic DNS.

DNS hosting service is better when the provider has multiple servers in various geographic locations that minimize latency for clients around the world.

DNS can also be self-hosted by running DNS software on generic Internet hosting services.

Free DNS

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A number of sites offer free DNS hosting, either for second level domains registered with registrars which do not offer free (or sufficiently flexible) DNS service, or as third level domains (selection.somedomain.com). These services generally also offer Dynamic DNS. Free DNS typically includes facilities to manage A, MX, CNAME, TXT and NS records of the domain zone. In many cases the free services can be upgraded with various premium services.

Free DNS service providers can also make money through sponsorship. The majority of modern free DNS services are sponsored by large providers of a telecommunication services.

Disk space and bandwidth

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

You should know how much space your website would need and approximate data it will generate. When we talk about disk space, well, it's actually the amount of storage assigned to you by the web hosting provider. The bandwidth is the amount of traffic that is allowed to access and leave your website. In case your website has a lot of graphics then you would require higher storage area and greater bandwidth.

The OS

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

You need to be sure that your website is uploaded through secure servers using the latest Operating System.

Most web hosts run on a UNIX based operating system, usually Linux or BSD.

For the running of various web applications you would require ASP, .NET, MS SQL, SBS and for these you need a Window based host.

An operating system (OS) is an interface between hardware and user which is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and the sharing of the resources of the computer that acts as a host for computing applications run on the machine. As a host, one of the purposes of an operating system is to handle the details of the operation of the hardware. This relieves application programs from having to manage these details and makes it easier to write applications. Almost all computers (including handheld computers, desktop computers, supercomputers, video game consoles) as well as some robots, domestic appliances (dishwashers, washing machines), and portable media players use an operating system of some type. Some of the oldest models may, however, use an embedded operating system that may be contained on a data storage device.

Operating systems offer a number of services to application programs and users. Applications access these services through application programming interfaces (APIs) or system calls. By invoking these interfaces, the application can request a service from the operating system, pass parameters, and receive the results of the operation. Users may also interact with the operating system with some kind of software user interface (SUI) like typing commands by using command line interface (CLI) or using a graphical user interface (GUI, commonly pronounced “gooey”). For hand-held and desktop computers, the user interface is generally considered part of the operating system. On large multi-user systems like Unix and Unix-like systems, the user interface is generally implemented as an application program that runs outside the operating system. (Whether the user interface should be included as part of the operating system is a point of contention.)

Common contemporary operating systems include BSD, Darwin (Mac OS X), Linux, SunOS (Solaris/OpenSolaris), and Windows NT (XP/Vista/7). While servers generally run Unix or some Unix-like operating system, embedded system markets are split amongst several operating systems, although the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems has almost 90% of the client PC market.

History of operating systems: Mainframe

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Through the 1950s, many major features were pioneered in the field of operating systems. The development of the IBM System/360 produced a family of mainframe computers available in widely differing capacities and price points, for which a single operating system OS/360 was planned (rather than developing ad-hoc programs for every individual model). This concept of a single OS spanning an entire product line was crucial for the success of System/360 and, in fact, IBM`s current mainframe operating systems are distant descendants of this original system; applications written for the OS/360 can still be run on modern machines. In the mid-70's, the MVS, the descendant of OS/360 offered the first implementation of using RAM as a transparent cache for data.

OS/360 also pioneered a number of concepts that, in some cases, are still not seen outside of the mainframe arena. For instance, in OS/360, when a program is started, the operating system keeps track of all of the system resources that are used including storage, locks, data files, and so on. When the process is terminated for any reason, all of these resources are re-claimed by the operating system. An alternative CP-67 system started a whole line of operating systems focused on the concept of virtual machines.

Control Data Corporation developed the SCOPE operating system in the 1960s, for batch processing. In cooperation with the University of Minnesota, the KRONOS and later the NOS operating systems were developed during the 1970s, which supported simultaneous batch and timesharing use.

UNIVAC, the first commercial computer manufacturer, produced a series of EXEC operating systems. Like all early main-frame systems, this was a batch-oriented system that managed magnetic drums, disks, card readers and line printers. In the 1970s, UNIVAC produced the Real-Time Basic (RTB) system to support large-scale time sharing, also patterned after the Dartmouth BASIC system.

General Electric and MIT developed General Electric Comprehensive Operating Supervisor (GECOS), which introduced the concept of ringed security privilege levels. After acquisition by Honeywell it was renamed to General Comprehensive Operating System (GCOS).

Digital Equipment Corporation developed many operating systems for its various computer lines, including TOPS-10 and TOPS-20 time sharing systems for the 36-bit PDP-10 class systems. Prior to the widespread use of UNIX, TOPS-10 was a particularly popular system in universities, and in the early ARPANET community.

In the late 1960s through the late 1970s, several hardware capabilities evolved that allowed similar or ported software to run on more than one system. Early systems had utilized microprogramming to implement features on their systems in order to permit different underlying architecture to appear to be the same as others in a series. In fact most 360's after the 360/40 (except the 360/165 and 360/168) were microprogrammed implementations. But soon other means of achieving application compatibility were proven to be more significant.

The enormous investment in software for these systems made since 1960s caused most of the original computer manufacturers to continue to develop compatible operating systems along with the hardware. The notable supported mainframe operating systems include:

Burroughs MCP – B5000,1961 to Unisys Clearpath/MCP, present.

IBM OS/360 – IBM System/360, 1966 to IBM z/OS, present.

IBM CP-67 – IBM System/360, 1967 to IBM z/VM, present.

UNIVAC EXEC 8 – UNIVAC 1108, 1967, to OS 2200 Unisys Clearpath Dorado, present.

History of operating systems: Microcomputers

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The first microcomputers did not have the capacity or need for the elaborate operating systems that had been developed for mainframes and minis; minimalistic operating systems were developed, often loaded from ROM and known as Monitors. One notable early disk-based operating system was CP/M, which was supported on many early microcomputers and was closely imitated in MS-DOS, which became wildly popular as the operating system chosen for the IBM PC (IBM's version of it was called IBM DOS or PC DOS), its successors making Microsoft. In the 80's Apple Computer Inc. (now Apple Inc.) abandoned its popular Apple II series of microcomputers to introduce the Apple Macintosh computer with an innovative Graphical User Interface (GUI) to the Mac OS.

The introduction of the Intel 80386 CPU chip with 32-bit architecture and paging capabilities, provided personal computers with the ability to run multitasking operating systems like those of earlier minicomputers and mainframes. Microsoft responded to this progress by hiring Dave Cutler, who had developed the VMS operating system for Digital Equipment Corporation. He would lead the development of the Windows NT operating system, which continues to serve as the basis for Microsoft's operating systems line. Steve Jobs, a co-founder of Apple Inc., started NeXT Computer Inc., which developed the Unix-like NEXTSTEP operating system. NEXTSTEP would later be acquired by Apple Inc. and used, along with code from FreeBSD as the core of Mac OS X.

Minix, an academic teaching tool which could be run on early PCs, would inspire another reimplementation of Unix, called Linux. Started by computer science student Linus Torvalds with cooperation from volunteers over the Internet, an operating system was developed with the tools from the GNU Project. The Berkeley Software Distribution, known as BSD, is the UNIX derivative distributed by the University of California, Berkeley, starting in the 1970s. Freely distributed and ported to many minicomputers, it eventually also gained a following for use on PCs, mainly as FreeBSD, NetBSD and OpenBSD.

OS Features: Program execution

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The operating system acts as an interface between an application and the hardware. The user interacts with the hardware from "the other side". The operating system is a set of services which simplifies development of applications.

Executing a program involves the creation of a process by the operating system. The kernel creates a process by assigning memory and other resources, establishing a priority for the process (in multi-tasking systems), loading program code into memory, and executing the program. The program then interacts with the user and/or other devices and performs its intended function.

Can You Handle a Dedicated Server?

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Can You Handle a Dedicated Server?

There are many advantages to purchasing a dedicated hosting plan. This arrangement is perfect for customers who require a higher degree of flexibility, security, reliability and a website that gives out an enterprise-grade performance. Although you are actually leasing the hardware from the hosting company, you are still provided with a great deal of flexibility and control that allows you to customize the server based on your specific needs. So even though you do not really own the server, this can actually turn out to be a good thing, especially if your organization does not have the manpower to handle the various maintenance tasks that must be performed on a day to day basis.

The Experience Factor

While some customers have the experience needed to maintain a dedicated server, others do not. If you have a capable in-house team, you should be able to thrive just fine in this more complex environment. For the more technically inclined user, managing an entire web server is usually no problem at all. For those that have no experience or knowledgeable administrator, a managed solution may be the best option for their dedicated server. With a managed service, the hosting provider handles the bulk of the maintenance and is often responsible for making sure the server stays up and running. This generally includes taking care of the operating system, web server, applications and the hardware itself. While an unmanaged server is usually the cheaper route, managed hosting is often the best way to go if you lack the knowledge and experience needed to maintain the system.

Is it the Right Move for You?

Whether or not you have the resources needed to manage a dedicated server is a critical factor to determining if this type of hosting is right for you. If you are have the budget to take on the cost associated with leasing the hardware and feel that the hosting firm can provide you with an acceptable level of support, this could be the best move. Regardless of where you stand in terms of experience, it is critical to first determine whether your website or business demands the power of a dedicated server. If not, you could taking on an unnecessary expense and complexity that makes it more difficult for you to succeed. As long as you warrant the need, a dedicated server can be a viable option whether you possess the technical abilities or not. With the market for managed hosting services growing rapidly, you do not have to let the lack of experience deter your plans because solutions are widely available.

In today’s internet driven world, the website often reflects on the credibility of the company behind it. A dedicated server can help you a establish and maintain a credible online presence while providing your business with the best possible chance to succeed. If you are not sure of how to proceed, reach out to a few service providers for a little guidance. This way, you can gather the information you need and perhaps find yourself a good partner in the process.

The Benefits of Email Hosting

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Benefits of Email Hosting

Email hosting is designed for businesses that cannot or simply do not want to spend their precious time and resources on setting up and managing an internal messaging infrastructure. This is very understandable because the continued maintenance and support can raise costs and also greatly increase the probability of virus infections, hardware and software problems. All of these issues could leave your business without email functionality for hours and possibly days.

There are many benefits to outsourcing your messaging needs to a professional hosting company. This article will go over some of the most significant.

Secure Webmail Access

Email hosting providers generally equip their mail servers with industry standard 128-bit encryption, which is active during the entire webmail session. This essentially means that any data sent to and from the server is encrypted from the moment you sign in, until the moment you sign out. With this proven security protocol, you can ensure that your sensitive messages will not be intercepted or compromised in any way.

Secure IMAP and POP Access

Businesses are increasingly opting for email hosting solutions because they enable secure access to desktop email clients through IMAP or POP. All email traffic is encrypted, including user names and passwords sent from the email client to the mail server for authentication. The best hosting providers support all the popular mail clients such as Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express, Eudora, Mozilla Thunderbird and Apple Mail. Some even offer support for Linux and BSD clients as well as PDAs and pocket PCs. Whether you prefer to manage your mail on or offline, an email hosting plan can ensure that is done in an efficient and secure manner.

Adequate Storage Space

When signing up a for an email hosting account, you typically get a robust amount of storage for each mailbox created. Some give you MB of storage, others give you GB per mailbox. All tend to provide you with more than enough to efficiently store tens of thousands of messages. A more flexible solution will allow you to easily upgrade as your storage needs increase.

Spam and Virus Filtering

A quality email hosting solution blocks potentially harmful mail before it even enters the network. Anti-virus scanners are usually integrated into the host’s SMTP gateways while spam is dealt with in numerous ways. A company that truly wants to help keep spam out your life will employ filtering methods such as blacklisting, whitelisting and greylisting, and allow you to make configurations that automatically sends it to a quarantine folder instead of your inbox.

Shared Address Book

The Address Book is a very useful feature in many email clients as it provides the user with a convenient way to store contact data for easy retrieval and use. Most email hosts offer both a private and shared address book, along with access to public network directory services. In many cases, the shared address book can be used with any mail client that supports LDAP directory services.

Email is such a prevalent method of communication that it can easily get out of hand over time. If you are no longer able to control your messaging infrastructure from within, it might be time to consider email hosting.

Web Hosting Features â�� A Necessary Foundation

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Web Hosting Features – A Necessary Foundation

For a plethora of reasons, millions of customer are motivated to start a website. Each new hosting acount accompanies a unique set of requirements. Although price, customer support, and reliability are key points, features also play a major role in making a decision. Features are often the most attractive part of a web hosting package and thy act as the foundation to any hosting account. This article will talk about some of the most common features you will encounter when looking for service.

Email Tools

Email is the preferred method of communication for millions of individuals and businesses across the world. Realizing this, web hosting companies provide all the email features needed to keep base with contacts. Aside from multiple accounts, you generally get complimentary features such as webmail, autoresponders and forwarders to communicate effectively no matter where you might be. Because unsolicited mail and virus infected attachments are a tremendous problem, hosting providers help you stay protected with spam filtering applications to dramatically cut down on those potentially dangerous messages. Often overshadowed by more luxurious offerings, but email remains to be one of the most useful features in any hosting plan.

Shopping Cart Software

E-commerce is a driving force on the web and shopping carts are a big part of what enables this thriving industry. If you have aspirations of selling your own products or services online, this is the type of software you need to make it happen. Shopping carts often come included in business or e-commerce hosting packages, usually at no additional costs. In many cases, these programs can be easily installed through your control panel interface.

Programming Languages

Scripting or programming languages, have become common on the web hosting market but these features are geared towards more advanced users. Some examples are open-source languages such as PHP, Perl and Ruby on Rails and proprietary technologies such as ASP and ASP.NET. These programming tools serve benefit to developers and webmasters who are proficient at coding and building content from scratch. A hosting provider that has these software packages installed on their server allow you to diversify your website with dynamic content that stand outs from static HTML pages.

Site Builders

Almost all web hosting plans come equipped with utilities that provide you the ability to create your site. With most tools, you can choose from a nice selection of pre-designed templates and basically create your website in easy drag-and-drop fashion. These utilities typically do not call for you to have any knowledge in client-side programming languages such as HTML or even server-side variations like Python or PHP. In addition to integrated building tools, many host also offer support for standalone web design applications such as Dreamweaver and Microsoft FrontPage. These programs allow you to create your site offline and upload it to the server without the use of an FTP client.

Conclusion

The list of web hosting features is huge and seems to expand every year. Others you might find interesting include support for multimedia applications, web stat applications and databases among others. To each its own in this regard because everyone has that dynamic tool set they just can’t do without.

Obtaining Web Hosting

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Obtaining Web Hosting

Whether you are an individual wanting just a quirky web page, or a business wanting an e-commerce website you must have a web host in order for your particular information to appear on the internet. A web host provides the server needed for your website to have a home on the World Wide Web. Often internet service providers offer web hosting services, but sometimes a web hosting service provider utilizing a data center is a better fit for certain situations.

In today’s fast-paced world people are looking more and more toward quick convenience and the internet provides just that. With this in mind if a small business or a new business wants exposure, they need to be present on the internet. Likewise the larger companies’ presence needs to include e-commerce tactics to bring them more profits. To be competitive in any industry, it is imperative to be visible to the wider audiences that are those individuals that globally are tapping into the World Wide Web. In any case finding the right web hosting service provider can be quite overwhelming.

Your website must have a domain name. When considering this, you should put into play either the company name or what it specializes in and implement the abbreviations of such into your domain name. You should have several in mind and written down in case one or more you have chosen is already taken. Consider the overall purpose and scope of your website, and features such as a blog, that you would like. It is important that the web host of your choosing has a sufficient up time and overall reliability. If the host servers go down often, that means your internet exposure is decrease, as is your likelihood for decent revenue from the investment in the web host services.

Before looking for a web host service provider have a list of what your company needs and expects from a host. Included in this should not only be your web address, but what type of billing cycle you would like. Consider not only the size of your company now, but what you want it to become so that you can choose a web host that is experienced in every area of how you want your online presence. Knowledge and understanding of web platforms will be of help to you during your search for a web host. You likely will want a company that uses a platform that you are most familiar with, such as Windows. However, if you find that a company of preference uses a different platform, but one that is known to be a reliable operating system, you will need to know that you can adapt to that particular platform.

All companies have the advantages and disadvantages. Be sure to do plenty of research through asking other business whose needs similar to yours have been satisfied. Consider all you want your website to do for you in the present and in the future and put it in writing to refer to. Compare programs and prices, operating systems, software types and availability, upgrade and maintenance costs and availability, reliability and uptime and purpose and scope. If you are thorough in this endeavor you will be able to acquire the services of just the right web host to meet your particular needs.

OS Features: Interrupts

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Interrupts are central to operating systems, since they provide an efficient way for the operating system to interact with and react to its environment. The alternative—having the operating system "watch" the various sources of input for events (polling) that require action—is a poor use of CPU resources. Interrupt-based programming is directly supported by most CPUs.

Interrupts provide a computer with a way of automatically running specific code in response to events. Even very basic computers support hardware interrupts, and allow the programmer to specify code which may be run when that event takes place.

When an interrupt is received, the computer's hardware automatically suspends whatever program is currently running, saves its status, and runs computer code previously associated with the interrupt; this is analogous to placing a bookmark in a book in response to a phone call. In modern operating systems, interrupts are handled by the operating system's kernel. Interrupts may come from either the computer's hardware or from the running program.

When a hardware device triggers an interrupt the operating system's kernel decides how to deal with this event, generally by running some processing code. How much code gets run depends on the priority of the interrupt (for example: a person usually responds to a smoke detector alarm before answering the phone). The processing of hardware interrupts is a task that is usually delegated to software called device drivers, which may be either part of the operating system's kernel, part of another program, or both. Device drivers may then relay information to a running program by various means.

A program may also trigger an interrupt to the operating system. If a program wishes to access hardware for example, it may interrupt the operating system's kernel, which causes control to be passed back to the kernel. The kernel will then process the request. If a program wishes additional resources (or wishes to shed resources) such as memory, it will trigger an interrupt to get the kernel's attention.

OS Features: Protected mode and supervisor mode

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Modern CPUs support something called dual mode operation. CPUs with this capability use two modes: protected mode and supervisor mode, which allow certain CPU functions to be controlled and affected only by the operating system kernel. Here, protected mode does not refer specifically to the 80286 (Intel's x86 16-bit microprocessor) CPU feature, although its protected mode is very similar to it. CPUs might have other modes similar to 80286 protected mode as well, such as the virtual 8086 mode of the 80386 (Intel's x86 32-bit microprocessor or i386).

However, the term is used here more generally in operating system theory to refer to all modes which limit the capabilities of programs running in that mode, providing things like virtual memory addressing and limiting access to hardware in a manner determined by a program running in supervisor mode. Similar modes have existed in supercomputers, minicomputers, and mainframes as they are essential to fully supporting UNIX-like multi-user operating systems.

When a computer first starts up, it is automatically running in supervisor mode. The first few programs to run on the computer, being the BIOS, bootloader and the operating system have unlimited access to hardware - and this is required because, by definition, initializing a protected environment can only be done outside of one. However, when the operating system passes control to another program, it can place the CPU into protected mode.

In protected mode, programs may have access to a more limited set of the CPU's instructions. A user program may leave protected mode only by triggering an interrupt, causing control to be passed back to the kernel. In this way the operating system can maintain exclusive control over things like access to hardware and memory.

The term "protected mode resource" generally refers to one or more CPU registers, which contain information that the running program isn't allowed to alter. Attempts to alter these resources generally cause a switch to supervisor mode, where the operating system can deal with the illegal operation the program was attempting (for example, by killing the program).

OS Features: Memory management

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Among other things, a multiprogramming operating system kernel must be responsible for managing all system memory which is currently in use by programs. This ensures that a program does not interfere with memory already used by another program. Since programs time share, each program must have independent access to memory.

Cooperative memory management, used by many early operating systems assumes that all programs make voluntary use of the kernel's memory manager, and do not exceed their allocated memory. This system of memory management is almost never seen anymore, since programs often contain bugs which can cause them to exceed their allocated memory. If a program fails it may cause memory used by one or more other programs to be affected or overwritten. Malicious programs, or viruses may purposefully alter another program's memory or may affect the operation of the operating system itself. With cooperative memory management it takes only one misbehaved program to crash the system.

Memory protection enables the kernel to limit a process' access to the computer's memory. Various methods of memory protection exist, including memory segmentation and paging. All methods require some level of hardware support (such as the 80286 MMU) which doesn't exist in all computers.

In both segmentation and paging, certain protected mode registers specify to the CPU what memory address it should allow a running program to access. Attempts to access other addresses will trigger an interrupt which will cause the CPU to re-enter supervisor mode, placing the kernel in charge. This is called a segmentation violation or Seg-V for short, and since it is both difficult to assign a meaningful result to such an operation, and because it is usually a sign of a misbehaving program, the kernel will generally resort to terminating the offending program, and will report the error.

Windows 3.1-Me had some level of memory protection, but programs could easily circumvent the need to use it. Under Windows 9x all MS-DOS applications ran in supervisor mode, giving them almost unlimited control over the computer. A general protection fault would be produced indicating a segmentation violation had occurred, however the system would often crash anyway.

In most Linux systems, part of the hard disk is reserved for virtual memory when the Operating system is being installed on the system. This part is known as swap space. Windows systems use a swap file instead of a partition.

OS Features: Virtual memory

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The use of virtual memory addressing (such as paging or segmentation) means that the kernel can choose what memory each program may use at any given time, allowing the operating system to use the same memory locations for multiple tasks.

If a program tries to access memory that isn't in its current range of accessible memory, but nonetheless has been allocated to it, the kernel will be interrupted in the same way as it would if the program were to exceed its allocated memory. (See section on memory management.) Under UNIX this kind of interrupt is referred to as a page fault.

When the kernel detects a page fault it will generally adjust the virtual memory range of the program which triggered it, granting it access to the memory requested. This gives the kernel discretionary power over where a particular application's memory is stored, or even whether or not it has actually been allocated yet.

In modern operating systems, memory which is accessed less frequently can be temporarily stored on disk or other media to make that space available for use by other programs. This is called swapping, as an area of memory can be used by multiple programs, and what that memory area contains can be swapped or exchanged on demand.

OS Features: Multitasking

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Multitasking refers to the running of multiple independent computer programs on the same computer, giving the appearance that it is performing the tasks at the same time. Since most computers can do at most one or two things at one time, this is generally done via time sharing, which means that each program uses a share of the computer's time to execute.

An operating system kernel contains a piece of software called a scheduler which determines how much time each program will spend executing, and in which order execution control should be passed to programs. Control is passed to a process by the kernel, which allows the program access to the CPU and memory. At a later time control is returned to the kernel through some mechanism, so that another program may be allowed to use the CPU. This so-called passing of control between the kernel and applications is called a context switch.

An early model which governed the allocation of time to programs was called cooperative multitasking. In this model, when control is passed to a program by the kernel, it may execute for as long as it wants before explicitly returning control to the kernel. This means that a malicious or malfunctioning program may not only prevent any other programs from using the CPU, but it can hang the entire system if it enters an infinite loop.

The philosophy governing pre-emptive multitasking is that of ensuring that all programs are given regular time on the CPU. This implies that all programs must be limited in how much time they are allowed to spend on the CPU without being interrupted. To accomplish this, modern operating system kernels make use of a timed interrupt. A protected mode timer is set by the kernel which triggers a return to supervisor mode after the specified time has elapsed.

On many single user operating systems cooperative multitasking is perfectly adequate, as home computers generally run a small number of well tested programs. Windows NT was the first version of Microsoft Windows which enforced pre-emptive multitasking, but it didn't reach the home user market until Windows XP, (since Windows NT was targeted at professionals.)

OS Features: Kernel pre-emption

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In recent years, concerns have arisen because of long latencies associated with some kernel run-times, sometimes on the order of 100ms or more in systems with monolithic kernels. These latencies often produce noticeable slowness in desktop systems, and can prevent operating systems from performing time-sensitive operations such as audio recording and some communications.

Modern operating systems extend the concepts of application pre-emption to device drivers and kernel code, so that the operating system has pre-emptive control over internal run-times as well. Under Windows Vista, the introduction of the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) accomplishes this for display drivers, and in Linux, the pre-emptable kernel model introduced in version 2.6 allows all device drivers and some other parts of kernel code to take advantage of pre-emptive multi-tasking.

Under Windows prior to Windows Vista and Linux prior to version 2.6 all driver execution was co-operative, meaning that if a driver entered an infinite loop it would freeze the system.

OS Features: Disk access and file systems

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Access to data stored on disks is a central feature of all operating systems. Computers store data on disks using files, which are structured in specific ways in order to allow for faster access, higher reliability, and to make better use out of the drive's available space. The specific way in which files are stored on a disk is called a file system, and enables files to have names and attributes. It also allows them to be stored in a hierarchy of directories or folders arranged in a directory tree.

Early operating systems generally supported a single type of disk drive and only one kind of file system. Early file systems were limited in their capacity, speed, and in the kinds of file names and directory structures they could use. These limitations often reflected limitations in the operating systems they were designed for, making it very difficult for an operating system to support more than one file system.

While many simpler operating systems support a limited range of options for accessing storage systems, operating systems like UNIX and Linux support a technology known as a virtual file system or VFS. An operating system like UNIX supports a wide array of storage devices, regardless of their design or file systems to be accessed through a common application programming interface (API). This makes it unnecessary for programs to have any knowledge about the device they are accessing. A VFS allows the operating system to provide programs with access to an unlimited number of devices with an infinite variety of file systems installed on them through the use of specific device drivers and file system drivers.

A connected storage device such as a hard drive is accessed through a device driver. The device driver understands the specific language of the drive and is able to translate that language into a standard language used by the operating system to access all disk drives. On UNIX this is the language of block devices.

When the kernel has an appropriate device driver in place, it can then access the contents of the disk drive in raw format, which may contain one or more file systems. A file system driver is used to translate the commands used to access each specific file system into a standard set of commands that the operating system can use to talk to all file systems. Programs can then deal with these file systems on the basis of filenames, and directories/folders, contained within a hierarchical structure. They can create, delete, open, and close files, as well as gather various information about them, including access permissions, size, free space, and creation and modification dates.

Various differences between file systems make supporting all file systems difficult. Allowed characters in file names, case sensitivity, and the presence of various kinds of file attributes makes the implementation of a single interface for every file system a daunting task. Operating systems tend to recommend the use of (and so support natively) file systems specifically designed for them; for example, NTFS in Windows and ext3 and ReiserFS in Linux. However, in practice, third party drives are usually available to give support for the most widely used filesystems in most general-purpose operating systems (for example, NTFS is available in Linux through NTFS-3g, and ext2/3 and ReiserFS are available in Windows through FS-driver and rfstool).

OS Features: Device drivers

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A device driver is a specific type of computer software developed to allow interaction with hardware devices. Typically this constitutes an interface for communicating with the device, through the specific computer bus or communications subsystem that the hardware is connected to, providing commands to and/or receiving data from the device, and on the other end, the requisite interfaces to the operating system and software applications. It is a specialized hardware-dependent computer program which is also operating system specific that enables another program, typically an operating system or applications software package or computer program running under the operating system kernel, to interact transparently with a hardware device, and usually provides the requisite interrupt handling necessary for any necessary asynchronous time-dependent hardware interfacing needs.

The key design goal of device drivers is abstraction. Every model of hardware (even within the same class of device) is different. Newer models also are released by manufacturers that provide more reliable or better performance and these newer models are often controlled differently. Computers and their operating systems cannot be expected to know how to control every device, both now and in the future. To solve this problem, OSes essentially dictate how every type of device should be controlled. The function of the device driver is then to translate these OS mandated function calls into device specific calls. In theory a new device, which is controlled in a new manner, should function correctly if a suitable driver is available. This new driver will ensure that the device appears to operate as usual from the operating systems' point of view.

OS Features: Networking

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Currently most operating systems support a variety of networking protocols, hardware, and applications for using them. This means that computers running dissimilar operating systems can participate in a common network for sharing resources such as computing, files, printers, and scanners using either wired or wireless connections. Networks can essentially allow a computer's operating system to access the resources of a remote computer to support the same functions as it could if those resources were connected directly to the local computer. This includes everything from simple communication, to using networked file systems or even sharing another computer's graphics or sound hardware. Some network services allow the resources of a computer to be accessed transparently, such as SSH which allows networked users direct access to a computer's command line interface.

Client/server networking involves a program on a computer somewhere which connects via a network to another computer, called a server. Servers, usually running UNIX or Linux, offer (or host) various services to other network computers and users. These services are usually provided through ports or numbered access points beyond the server's network address. Each port number is usually associated with a maximum of one running program, which is responsible for handling requests to that port. A daemon, being a user program, can in turn access the local hardware resources of that computer by passing requests to the operating system kernel.

Many operating systems support one or more vendor-specific or open networking protocols as well, for example, SNA on IBM systems, DECnet on systems from Digital Equipment Corporation, and Microsoft-specific protocols (SMB) on Windows. Specific protocols for specific tasks may also be supported such as NFS for file access. Protocols like ESound, or esd can be easily extended over the network to provide sound from local applications, on a remote system's sound hardware.

OS Features: Security

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A computer being secure depends on a number of technologies working properly. A modern operating system provides access to a number of resources, which are available to software running on the system, and to external devices like networks via the kernel.

The operating system must be capable of distinguishing between requests which should be allowed to be processed, and others which should not be processed. While some systems may simply distinguish between "privileged" and "non-privileged", systems commonly have a form of requester identity, such as a user name. To establish identity there may be a process of authentication. Often a username must be quoted, and each username may have a password. Other methods of authentication, such as magnetic cards or biometric data, might be used instead. In some cases, especially connections from the network, resources may be accessed with no authentication at all (such as reading files over a network share). Also covered by the concept of requester identity is authorization; the particular services and resources accessible by the requester once logged into a system are tied to either the requester's user account or to the variously configured groups of users to which the requester belongs.

In addition to the allow/disallow model of security, a system with a high level of security will also offer auditing options. These would allow tracking of requests for access to resources (such as, "who has been reading this file?"). Internal security, or security from an already running program is only possible if all possibly harmful requests must be carried out through interrupts to the operating system kernel. If programs can directly access hardware and resources, they cannot be secured.

External security involves a request from outside the computer, such as a login at a connected console or some kind of network connection. External requests are often passed through device drivers to the operating system's kernel, where they can be passed onto applications, or carried out directly. Security of operating systems has long been a concern because of highly sensitive data held on computers, both of a commercial and military nature. The United States Government Department of Defense (DoD) created the Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria (TCSEC) which is a standard that sets basic requirements for assessing the effectiveness of security. This became of vital importance to operating system makers, because the TCSEC was used to evaluate, classify and select computer systems being considered for the processing, storage and retrieval of sensitive or classified information.

Network services include offerings such as file sharing, print services, email, web sites, and file transfer protocols (FTP), most of which can have compromised security. At the front line of security are hardware devices known as firewalls or intrusion detection/prevention systems. At the operating system level, there are a number of software firewalls available, as well as intrusion detection/prevention systems. Most modern operating systems include a software firewall, which is enabled by default. A software firewall can be configured to allow or deny network traffic to or from a service or application running on the operating system. Therefore, one can install and be running an insecure service, such as Telnet or FTP, and not have to be threatened by a security breach because the firewall would deny all traffic trying to connect to the service on that port.

An alternative strategy, and the only sandbox strategy available in systems that do not meet the Popek and Goldberg virtualization requirements, is the operating system not running user programs as native code, but instead either emulates a processor or provides a host for a p-code based system such as Java.

Internal security is especially relevant for multi-user systems; it allows each user of the system to have private files that the other users cannot tamper with or read. Internal security is also vital if auditing is to be of any use, since a program can potentially bypass the operating system, inclusive of bypassing auditing.

OS Features: Graphical user interfaces

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Most of the modern computer systems support graphical user interfaces (GUI), and often include them. In some computer systems, such as the original implementations of Microsoft Windows and the Mac OS, the GUI is integrated into the kernel.

While technically a graphical user interface is not an operating system service, incorporating support for one into the operating system kernel can allow the GUI to be more responsive by reducing the number of context switches required for the GUI to perform its output functions. Other operating systems are modular, separating the graphics subsystem from the kernel and the Operating System. In the 1980s UNIX, VMS and many others had operating systems that were built this way. Linux and Mac OS X are also built this way. Modern releases of Microsoft Windows such as Windows Vista implement a graphics subsystem that is mostly in user-space, however versions between Windows NT 4.0 and Windows Server 2003's graphics drawing routines exist mostly in kernel space. Windows 9x had very little distinction between the interface and the kernel.

Many computer operating systems allow the user to install or create any user interface they desire. The X Window System in conjunction with GNOME or KDE is a commonly-found setup on most Unix and Unix-like (BSD, Linux, Solaris) systems. A number of Windows shell replacements have been released for Microsoft Windows, which offer alternatives to the included Windows shell, but the shell itself cannot be separated from Windows.

Numerous Unix-based GUIs have existed over time, most derived from X11. Competition among the various vendors of Unix (HP, IBM, Sun) led to much fragmentation, though an effort to standardize in the 1990s to COSE and CDE failed for the most part due to various reasons, eventually eclipsed by the widespread adoption of GNOME and KDE. Prior to open source-based toolkits and desktop environments, Motif was the prevalent toolkit/desktop combination (and was the basis upon which CDE was developed).

Graphical user interfaces evolve over time. For example, Windows has modified its user interface almost every time a new major version of Windows is released, and the Mac OS GUI changed dramatically with the introduction of Mac OS X in 1999.

Diversity of operating systems and portability

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Application software is generally written for use on a specific operating system, and sometimes even for specific hardware. When porting the application to run on another OS, the functionality required by that application may be implemented differently by that OS (the names of functions, meaning of arguments, etc.) requiring the application to be adapted.

This cost in supporting operating systems diversity can be avoided by instead writing applications against software platforms like Java, Qt or for web browsers. These abstractions have already borne the cost of adaptation to specific operating systems and their system libraries.

Another approach is for operating system vendors to adopt standards. For example, POSIX and OS abstraction layers provide commonalities that reduce porting costs.

High-availability cluster

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

High-availability clusters (also known as HA Clusters or Failover Clusters) are computer clusters that are implemented primarily for the purpose of providing high availability of services which the cluster provides. They operate by having redundant computers or nodes which are then used to provide service when system components fail. Normally, if a server with a particular application crashes, the application will be unavailable until someone fixes the crashed server. HA clustering remedies this situation by detecting hardware/software faults, and immediately restarting the application on another system without requiring administrative intervention, a process known as Failover. As part of this process, clustering software may configure the node before starting the application on it. For example, appropriate filesystems may need to be imported and mounted, network hardware may have to be configured, and some supporting applications may need to be running as well.

HA clusters are often used for critical databases, file sharing on a network, business applications, and customer services such as electronic commerce websites.

HA cluster implementations attempt to build redundancy into a cluster to eliminate single points of failure, including multiple network connections and data storage which is multiply connected via Storage area networks.

HA clusters usually use a heartbeat private network connection which is used to monitor the health and status of each node in the cluster. One subtle, but serious condition every clustering software must be able to handle is split-brain. Split-brain occurs when all of the private links go down simultaneously, but the cluster nodes are still running. If that happens, each node in the cluster may mistakenly decide that every other node has gone down and attempt to start services that other nodes are still running. Having duplicate instances of services may cause data corruption on the shared storage.

Application Design Requirements

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Not every application can run in a high-availability cluster environment, and the necessary design decisions need to be made early in the software design phase. In order to run in a high-availability cluster environment, an application must satisfy at least the following technical requirements:

There must be a relatively easy way to start, stop, force-stop, and check the status of the application. In practical terms, this means the application must have a command line interface or scripts to control the application, including support for multiple instances of the application.

The application must be able to use shared storage (NAS/SAN).

Most importantly, the application must store as much of its state on non-volatile shared storage as possible. Equally important is the ability to restart on another node at the last state before failure using the saved state from the shared storage. Application must not corrupt data if it crashes or restarts from the saved state. The last two criteria are critical to reliable functionality in a cluster, and are the most difficult to satisfy fully. Finally, licensing compliance must be observed.

Node reliability

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

HA clusters usually utilize all available techniques to make the individual systems and shared infrastructure as reliable as possible. These include:

Disk mirroring so that failure of internal disks does not result in system crashes

Redundant network connections so that single cable, switch, or network interface failures do not result in network outages

Redundant Storage area network or SAN data connections so that single cable, switch, or interface failures do not lead to loss of connectivity to the storage (this would violate the share-nothing architecture)

Redundant electrical power inputs on different circuits, usually both or all protected by Uninterruptible power supply units, and redundant power supply units, so that single power feed, cable, UPS, or power supply failures do not lead to loss of power to the system. These features help minimize the chances that the clustering failover between systems will be required. In such a failover, the service provided is unavailable for at least a little while, so measures to avoid failover are preferred.

Grid computing

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Grid computing (or the use of computational grids) is the combination of computer resources from multiple administrative domains applied to a common task, usually to a scientific, technical or business problem that requires a great number of computer processing cycles or the need to process large amounts of data.

One of the main strategies of grid computing is using software to divide and apportion pieces of a program among several computers, sometimes up to many thousands. Grid computing is distributed, large-scale cluster computing, as well as a form of network-distributed parallel processing. The size of grid computing may vary from being small — confined to a network of computer workstations within a corporation, for example — to being large, public collaboration across many companies and networks. "The notion of a confined grid may also be known as an intra-nodes cooperation whilst the notion of a larger, wider grid may thus refer to an inter-nodes cooperation". This inter-/intra-nodes cooperation "across cyber-based collaborative organizations are also known as Virtual Organizations".

It is a form of distributed computing whereby a “super and virtual computer” is composed of a cluster of networked loosely coupled computers acting in concert to perform very large tasks. This technology has been applied to computationally intensive scientific, mathematical, and academic problems through volunteer computing, and it is used in commercial enterprises for such diverse applications as drug discovery, economic forecasting, seismic analysis, and back-office data processing in support of e-commerce and Web services.

What distinguishes grid computing from conventional cluster computing systems is that grids tend to be more loosely coupled, heterogeneous, and geographically dispersed. Also, while a computing grid may be dedicated to a specialized application, it is often constructed with the aid of general-purpose grid software libraries and middleware.

Grids versus conventional supercomputers

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

“Distributed” or “grid” computing in general is a special type of parallel computing that relies on complete computers (with onboard CPU, storage, power supply, network interface, etc.) connected to a network (private, public or the Internet) by a conventional network interface, such as Ethernet. This is in contrast to the traditional notion of a supercomputer, which has many processors connected by a local high-speed computer bus.

The primary advantage of distributed computing is that each node can be purchased as commodity hardware, which when combined can produce similar computing resources to a multiprocessor supercomputer, but at lower cost. This is due to the economies of scale of producing commodity hardware, compared to the lower efficiency of designing and constructing a small number of custom supercomputers. The primary performance disadvantage is that the various processors and local storage areas do not have high-speed connections. This arrangement is thus well suited to applications in which multiple parallel computations can take place independently, without the need to communicate intermediate results between processors.

The high-end scalability of geographically dispersed grids is generally favorable, due to the low need for connectivity between nodes relative to the capacity of the public Internet.

There are also some differences in programming and deployment. It can be costly and difficult to write programs so that they can be run in the environment of a supercomputer, which may have a custom operating system, or require the program to address concurrency issues. If a problem can be adequately parallelized, a “thin” layer of “grid” infrastructure can allow conventional, standalone programs to run on multiple machines (but each given a different part of the same problem). This makes it possible to write and debug on a single conventional machine, and eliminates complications due to multiple instances of the same program running in the same shared memory and storage space at the same time.

Design considerations and variations

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One feature of distributed grids is that they can be formed from computing resources belonging to multiple individuals or organizations (known as multiple administrative domains). This can facilitate commercial transactions, as in utility computing, or make it easier to assemble volunteer computing networks.

One disadvantage of this feature is that the computers which are actually performing the calculations might not be entirely trustworthy. The designers of the system must thus introduce measures to prevent malfunctions or malicious participants from producing false, misleading, or erroneous results, and from using the system as an attack vector. This often involves assigning work randomly to different nodes (presumably with different owners) and checking that at least two different nodes report the same answer for a given work unit. Discrepancies would identify malfunctioning and malicious nodes.

Due to the lack of central control over the hardware, there is no way to guarantee that nodes will not drop out of the network at random times. Some nodes (like laptops or dialup Internet customers) may also be available for computation but not network communications for unpredictable periods. These variations can be accommodated by assigning large work units (thus reducing the need for continuous network connectivity) and reassigning work units when a given node fails to report its results as expected.

The impacts of trust and availability on performance and development difficulty can influence the choice of whether to deploy onto a dedicated computer cluster, to idle machines internal to the developing organization, or to an open external network of volunteers or contractors.

In many cases, the participating nodes must trust the central system not to abuse the access that is being granted, by interfering with the operation of other programs, mangling stored information, transmitting private data, or creating new security holes. Other systems employ measures to reduce the amount of trust “client” nodes must place in the central system such as placing applications in virtual machines.

Public systems or those crossing administrative domains (including different departments in the same organization) often result in the need to run on heterogeneous systems, using different operating systems and hardware architectures. With many languages, there is a trade off between investment in software development and the number of platforms that can be supported (and thus the size of the resulting network). Cross-platform languages can reduce the need to make this trade off, though potentially at the expense of high performance on any given node (due to run-time interpretation or lack of optimization for the particular platform).

Various middleware projects have created generic infrastructure, to allow diverse scientific and commercial projects to harness a particular associated grid, or for the purpose of setting up new grids. BOINC is a common one for academic projects seeking public volunteers; more are listed at the end of the article.

In fact, the middleware can be seen as a layer between the hardware and the software. On top of the middleware, a number of technical areas have to be considered, and these may or may not be middleware independent. Example areas include SLA management, Trust and Security, Virtual organization management, License Management, Portals and Data Management. These technical areas may be taken care of in a commercial solution, though the cutting edge of each area is often found within specific research projects examining the field.

Market segmentation of the grid computing market

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According to Gridipedia, for the segmentation of the grid computing market, two perspectives need to be considered: the provider side and the user side:

The provider side

The overall grid market comprises several specific markets. These are the grid middleware market, the market for grid-enabled applications, the utility computing market, and the software-as-a-service (SaaS) market.

Grid middleware is a specific software product, which enables the sharing of heterogeneous resources, and Virtual Organizations. It is installed and integrated into the existing infrastructure of the involved company or companies, and provides a special layer placed among the heterogeneous infrastructure and the specific user applications. Major grid middlewares are Globus Toolkit, gLite, and UNICORE.

Utility computing is referred to as the provision of grid computing and applications as service either as an open grid utility or as a hosting solution for one organization or a VO. Major players in the utility computing market are Sun Microsystems, IBM, and HP.

Grid-enabled applications are specific software applications that can utilize grid infrastructure. This is made possible by the use of grid middleware, as pointed out above.

Software as a service (SaaS) is “software that is owned, delivered and managed remotely by one or more providers.” (Gartner 2007) Additionally, SaaS applications are based on a single set of common code and data definitions. They are consumed in a one-to-many model, and SaaS uses a Pay As You Go (PAYG) model or a subscription model that is based on usage. Providers of SaaS do not necessarily own the computing resources themselves, which are required to run their SaaS. Therefore, SaaS providers may draw upon the utility computing market. The utility computing market provides computing resources for SaaS providers.

The user side

For companies on the demand or user side of the grid computing market, the different segments have significant implications for their IT deployment strategy. The IT deployment strategy as well as the type of IT investments made are relevant aspects for potential grid users and play an important role for grid adoption.

CPU scavenging

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CPU-scavenging, cycle-scavenging, cycle stealing, or shared computing creates a “grid” from the unused resources in a network of participants (whether worldwide or internal to an organization). Typically this technique uses desktop computer instruction cycles that would otherwise be wasted at night, during lunch, or even in the scattered seconds throughout the day when the computer is waiting for user input or slow devices.

Volunteer computing projects use the CPU scavenging model almost exclusively.

In practice, participating computers also donate some supporting amount of disk storage space, RAM, and network bandwidth, in addition to raw CPU power. Since nodes are likely to go "offline" from time to time, as their owners use their resources for their primary purpose, this model must be designed to handle such contingencies.

Definitions

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Today there are many definitions of Grid computing:

In his article “What is the Grid? A Three Point Checklist”, Ian Foster lists these primary attributes:

Computing resources are not administered centrally.

Open standards are used.

Nontrivial quality of service is achieved.

Plaszczak/Wellner define grid technology as "the technology that enables resource virtualization, on-demand provisioning, and service (resource) sharing between organizations."

IBM defines grid computing as “the ability, using a set of open standards and protocols, to gain access to applications and data, processing power, storage capacity and a vast array of other computing resources over the Internet. A grid is a type of parallel and distributed system that enables the sharing, selection, and aggregation of resources distributed across ‘multiple’ administrative domains based on their (resources) availability, capacity, performance, cost and users' quality-of-service requirements”.

Buyya/Venugopal define grid as "a type of parallel and distributed system that enables the sharing, selection, and aggregation of geographically distributed autonomous resources dynamically at runtime depending on their availability, capability, performance, cost, and users' quality-of-service requirements".

CERN, one of the largest users of grid technology, talk of The Grid: “a service for sharing computer power and data storage capacity over the Internet.”

Grids can be categorized with a three stage model of departmental grids, enterprise grids and global grids. These correspond to a firm initially utilizing resources within a single group i.e. an engineering department connecting desktop machines, clusters and equipment. This progresses to enterprise grids where nontechnical staff's computing resources can be used for cycle-stealing and storage. A global grid is a connection of enterprise and departmental grids that can be used in a commercial or collaborative manner.

Home servers

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A home server is a server located in a private residence providing services to other devices inside and/or outside the household through a home network and/or the internet. Such services may include file and/or printer serving, media center serving, web serving, web caching, account authentication and backup services. Because of the relatively low number of computers on a typical home network, a home server commonly does not require significant computing power. Often, users recycle older systems, and home servers with specifications as low as 1 GHz CPU and 256 MB of RAM can be used. Large, preferably fast hard drives (ATA-100 or Serial ATA) and a network interface card are usually all the hardware required for home file serving. An uninterruptible power supply is recommended in case of power outages that can possibly corrupt data.

Operating systems

Home servers run many different operating systems. Enthusiasts who build their own home servers can use whatever OS is conveniently available or familiar to them, such as Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris or BSD. Pre-built home servers are usually supplied with Windows Home Server installed.

Home server scenarios

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Home servers do not necessarily have to be easy to administer or use; it wholly depends on the home administrator (for example, a person in IT having a complex home network with a Windows domain). However, most of the home servers today do not offer any services to the public internet, and operate as simple media-oriented devices. Many are simply glorified NAS devices and other consumer devices to integrate TVs and gaming consoles with the PC and sometimes the internet.

Administration and configuration

Home servers often run headless, and can be administered remotely through a command shell, or graphically through a remote desktop system such as RDP, VNC, Webmin, or many others.

Some home server operating systems, such as Windows Home Server include a consumer-focused graphical user interface for setup and configuration that is available on home computers on the home network (and remotely over the Internet via remote access). Others simply enable users to use native operating system tools for configuration.

Centralized storage

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Home servers often act as network-attached storage providing the major benefit that all users' files can be centrally and securely stored, with flexible permissions applied to them. Such files can be easily accessed 24/7 from any other system on the network, provided the correct credentials are supplied. This also applies to shared printers.

Such files can also be shared over the internet to be accessible from anywhere in the world using remote access.

Servers running UNIX or Linux with the free Samba suite (or certain Windows Server products - Windows Home Server excluded) can provide domain control, custom logon scripts, and roaming profiles to users of certain versions of Windows. This allows a user to log on from any machine in the domain and have access to his/her "My Documents" and personalized Windows and application preferences - multiple accounts on each computer in the home are not needed.

Media Serving

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Home servers are often used to serve multi-media content, including photos, music, and video to other devices in the household (and even to the Internet; see Place Shifting and Orb). Using standard protocols such as DLNA or proprietary systems such as iTunes users can access their media stored on the home server from any room in the house. Windows XP Media Center Edition and Windows Vista can act as a home server, supporting a particular type of media serving that streams the interactive user experience to Media Center Extenders including the Xbox 360.

A typical MythTV menu.Windows Home Server supports media streaming to Xbox 360 and other DLNA based media receivers via the built-in Windows Media Connect technology. Some Windows Home Server device manufacturers such as Hewlett-Packard extend this functionality with a full DLNA implementation such as PacketVideo TwonkyMedia server.

On a Linux server, there are many free, open-source, fully-functional, all-in-one software solutions for media serving available. One such program is LinuxMCE, which allows other devices to boot off a hard drive image on the server, allowing them to become appliances such as set-top boxes. Amahi is a free Linux Home Server that provides shared storage, automated backups, secure VPN, and shared applications. Asterisk, Xine, MythTV (another media serving solution), VideoLAN, SlimServer, and many other open-source projects are fully integrated for a seamless home theater/automation/telephony experience.

Because a server is typically always on, it is often a more logical choice to put a TV tuner or radio tuner for recording broadcasts into a server, than it is to use e.g. a desktop for recording, as it allows recording to be scheduled at any time.

On an Apple Macintosh server, options include iTunes, PS3 Media Server, Twonky Media Server, Nullriver MediaLink, and Elgato EyeConnect. Additionally, for Macs directly connected to TVs, the built-in FrontRow program or Boxee can act as a full-featured media center interface.

Some home servers provide remote access to media and entertainment content.

Remote access

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The Webmin Interface as it would appear in a standard browser.A home server can be used to provide remote access into the home from devices on the Internet, using remote desktop software and other remote administration software. For example, Windows Home Server provides remote access to files stored on the home server via a web interface as well as remote access to Remote Desktop sessions on PCs in the house. Enthusiasts often use VPN technologies as well.

On a Linux server, two popular tools are (among many) VNC and Webmin. VNC allows clients to remotely view a server GUI desktop as if the user was physically sitting in front of the server. A GUI need not be running on the server console for this to occur; there can be multiple 'virtual' desktop environments open at the same time. Webmin allows users to control many aspects of server configuration and maintenance all from a simple web interface. Both can be configured to be accessed from anywhere on the internet.

Servers can also be accessed remotely using the command line-based Telnet and SSH protocols.

Web serving and Web proxy

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Some users choose to run a web server in order to share files easily and publicly (or privately, on the home network). Others set up web pages and serve them straight from their home, although this may be in violation of some ISPs terms of service. Sometimes these webservers are run on a nonstandard port in order to avoid the ISP's port blocking. Example web servers used on home servers include Apache and IIS.

Many other webservers are available; see Comparison of web servers.

Some networks have a HTTP proxy which can be used to speed up web access when multiple users visit the same websites, and to get past blocking software while the owner is using the network of some institution that might block certain sites. Public proxies are often slow and unreliable and so it is worth the trouble of setting up one's own private proxy.

Some proxies can be configured to block websites on the local network from being viewed if it is set up as a transparent proxy.

E-mail and BitTorrent

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Many home servers also run e-mail servers that handle e-mail for the owner's domain name. The advantages are having much bigger mailboxes and maximum message size than most commercial e-mail services. Access to the server, since it is on the local network is much faster than using an external service. This also increases security as e-mails don't reside on an off-site server.

Home servers are ideal for utilizing the BitTorrent protocol for downloading and seeding files as some torrents can take days, or even weeks to complete and perform better on an uninterrupted connection. There are many command-line based clients such as rTorrent and web-based ones such as TorrentFlux available for this purpose. BitTorrent also makes it easier for those with limited bandwidth to distribute large files over the internet.

Gopher and others

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An unusual service is the Gopher protocol, a hypertext document retrieval protocol which pre-dated the World Wide Web and was popular in the early 1990s. Many of the remaining gopher servers are run off home servers utilizing PyGopherd and the Bucktooth gopher server.

Home automation requires a device in the home that is available 24/7. Often such home automation controllers are run on a home server.

Security monitoring

Relatively low cost CCTV DVR solutions are available that allow recording of video cameras to a home server for security purposes. The video can then be viewed on PCs or other devices in the house.

A series of cheap Universal serial bus-based webcams can be connected to a home server as a makeshift CCTV system. Optionally these images and video streams can be made available over the internet using standard protocols.

Family applications

Home servers can act as a host to family oriented applications such as a family calendar, to-do lists, and message boards.

IRC and instant messaging

Because a server is always on, an IRC client or IM client running on it will be highly available to the Internet. This way, the chat client will be able to record activity that occurs even while the user is not at the computer, e.g. asleep or at work or school. Textual clients such as Irssi and tmsnc can be detached using GNU Screen for example, and graphical clients such as Pidgin can be detached using xmove. Home servers can also be used to run personal XMPP servers and IRC servers as these protocols can support a large number of users on very little bandwidth

Online gaming and 3rd Party Platform

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Some MMORPGs such as Continuum, Tremulous and World of Warcraft have server software available which users may download and use to run their own private game server. Some of these servers are password protected, so only a selected group of people such as guild members can gain access to the server. Others are open for public use and may move to collocation or other forms of paid hosting if they gain a large number of players.

Home servers often are platforms that enable 3rd party products to be built and added over time. For example Windows Home Server provides a Software Development Kit and over 60 3rd party products are available for it.

Private vs Public Cloud Computing

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Larger companies and government departments are likely to consider going to the Cloud but in a more controlled and secure fashion via a Private Cloud.

A Private Cloud has all the benefits of the Public Clouds but it is hosted inside the firewall of the company or department it is supporting. Full control of who has access to data is maintained while all the benefits of the Cloud are realized.

End-users simply buy their Cloud services from the Private Cloud and the Private Cloud treats the end-users in the same way a Cloud vendor treats its customers. An institution would need to be fairly large to get benefits from this model, however, and smaller groups that do not want to or cannot have their data leave their network can host virtualized environments that have many of the features of the Cloud without the benefits of sharing the expertise and access to scalable resources that a Cloud provider has.

Image hosting service

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An image hosting service allows individuals to upload images to an Internet website. The image host will then store the image onto its server, and show the individual different types of code to allow others to view that image.

Image hosting is a specialized file hosting service whereby only image files are being stored on the server. This allows for easy and unrestricted sharing of images, graphics and other materials, which can be conveniently used for example on various online forums, ecommerce platforms, etc, which usually disallow the uploading of images and photos of very large size and resolution for the purpose of decreasing bandwidth.

How Image hosting works?

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Typically image hosting websites provide an upload interface; a form in which you specify the location of an image file on your local computer file system (using a browse button). After pressing a “Submit” button the file is uploaded to the image host’s server. Some image hosts allow you to specify multiple files at once, in this form, or the ability to upload one ZIP file containing multiple images. Additionally, some hosts allow FTP access, where single or multiple files can be uploaded in one session using FTP software or an FTP-capable browser.

After this process, your image is hosted on their server. Typically this means it is available on the web (to the public). You may also be allowed to make inline links to the hosted image, to embed it on other websites e.g.

• Linking with HTML code

• Linking with BBcode

• A clickable thumbnail that is linked to the full image

Usually, the image host will put restrictions on the maximum image size allowed, or the maximum space or bandwidth allowed per user. Due to bandwidth costs, free services usually offer relatively modest size limits per image when compared to paid services, but allow users to hotlink their images. Individuals needing to host large images should consider purchasing image hosting services or purchasing webhosting services, so that they may operate their own website.

Image hosting Tools

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Image hosts also allow tools such as the ability to create photoblogs/galleries with your images, or add them to a slideshow for easier viewing.

Some offer more advanced tools such as the ability for an individual to add notes to an image they uploaded, sideloaders, or browser sidebars.

Other hosts have introduced novel features such as the ability to automatically resize images down to a user-selected size.

A Flickr tool allows you to upload photos using a camera phone with email capability.

Cost of Image hosting

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Many image hosts are free. Of the free image hosts, the vast majority are supported by advertisement, mostly on their top pages, thumbnail pages, or 'not found' pages. Showing advertisements to users has enabled image size and bandwidth limits to increase.

Some free hosts have optional paid image hosting functions, while other hosts offer only paid services. Features and storage available are generally better for paid services, while cost is still much less than the cost of purchasing webhosting to operate a website.

Paid services often allow users to have password protected photo albums, customizable skins, and customized subdomains. There are many other paid services available that offer different packages of features, options, and costs.

Video hosting service

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A video hosting service allows individuals to upload video clips to an Internet website. The video host will then store the video on its server, and show the individual different types of code to allow others to view this video. The website, mainly used as the video hosting website, is usually called the video sharing website.

In networks, to download means to receive data to a local system from a remote system, or to initiate such a data transfer.

A download can mean either any file that is offered for downloading or that has been downloaded, the process of receiving such a file.

The inverse operation, uploading, is the sending of data from a local system to a remote system, such as a server, with the intent that the remote system should save a copy of whatever is being transferred, or the initiation of such a process. The words first came into common usage among computer users with the advent of dial-up Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs) in the 1970s.

Impetus

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Because many users do not have unlimited web space, either as a paid service, or through an ISP offering, video hosting services are becoming increasingly popular, especially with the explosion in popularity of blogs, forums, and other interactive pages.

The mass market for camera phones has increased the supply of user-generated video. Traditional methods of personal video distribution, such as making a DVD to show to friends at home, are unsuited to the low resolution and high volume of camera phone clips. In contrast, current broadband Internet connections are well suited to serving the quality of video shot on mobile phones. Most people do not own web servers, and this has created demand for user-generated video content hosting, which the likes of YouTube are catering to.

Purpose of video hosts (for users)

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• Save on bandwidth costs, often eliminating costs entirely

• Creating a common place

• Make a hassle-free experience, where uploading a video and streaming or embedding would normally require advanced programming knowledge. It is now commonly achieved through a web browser, with little or no programming experience.

Mobile video hosting

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A more recent application of the video hosting services is in the mobile web 2.0 arena, where video and other mobile content can be delivered to, and easily accessed by mobile devices. While video-hosting services such as YouTube have developed means by which video can be watched on mobile devices, mobile-oriented web-based frontends for video hosting services that possess equal access and capability to desktop oriented web services have yet to be developed.

A mobile live streaming software called Qik allows the users to upload videos from their cell phones to the internet. The videos will then be stored online and can be shared to various social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Videos will be stored on the servers and can be watched from both the mobile devices and the website.

Mobile content

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Mobile content is any type of media which is viewed or used on mobile phones, like ringtones, graphics, discount offers, games, and movies. As mobile phone use has grown since the mid 1990s, the significance of the devices in everyday life has grown accordingly. Owners of mobile phones can now use their devices to make calendar appointments, send and receive text messages (SMS), listen to music, watch videos, shoot videos, redeem coupons for purchases, view Microsoft Word documents, and so forth. The use of mobile content has grown accordingly.

Modern mobile phones can take photographs with a few million pixels. The Nokia N93 can create videos of comparable resolution to a DVD, storing up to 90 minutes on the phone memory.

Mobile content can also refer to text or multimedia hosted on websites, which may either be standard internet pages, or else specific mobile pages.

Mobile Content types

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Games

Mobile games are applications that allow people to play a game on a mobile handset. The main categories of mobile games include Puzzle/Strategy, Retro/Arcade, Action/Adventure, Card/Casino, Trivia/Word, Sports/Racing, given in approximate order of their popularity.

Several studies have shown that the majority of mobile games are bought and played by women. Sixty-five percent of mobile game revenue is driven by female wireless subscribers. They are the biggest driver of revenue for the Puzzle/Strategy category; comprising 72 percent of the total share of revenue, while men made up 28 percent. Women dominate revenue generation for all mobile game categories, with the exception of Action/Adventure mobile games, in which men drive 60 percent of the revenue for that category. It's also said that teens are three times as likely as those over twenty to play cell phone games.

Images and music

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Mobile images are used as the wallpaper to a mobile phone, and are also available as screensavers. On some handsets images can also be set to display when a particular person calls the users. Sites like adg.ms allow users to download free content, however service operators such as Telus Mobility blocks non Telus website downloads.

Music

Mobile music is any audio file that is played on a mobile phone. Mobile music is normally formatted as an AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) file or an MP3, and comes in several different formats. Monophonic ringtones were the earliest form of ringtone, and played one tone at a time. This was improved upon with polyphonic ringtones, which played several tones at the same time so a more convincing melody could be created.

The next step was to play clips of actual songs, which were dubbed Realtones. These are preferred by record labels as this evolution of the ringtone has allowed them to gain a cut of lucrative ringtone market. In short Realtones generate royalties for record labels (the master recording owners) as well as publishers (the writers), however, when Monophonic or Polyphonic ringtones are sold only publishing or "mechanical" royalties are incurred as no master recording has been exploited.

Some companies promote covertones, which are ringtones that are recorded by cover bands to sound like a famous song. Recently Ringback tones have become available, which are played to the person calling the owner of the ringback tone. Voicetones are ringtones that play someone talking or shouting rather than music, and there are various of ringtones of natural and everyday sounds. Realtones are the most popular form of ringtones.

Video

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Mobile video comes in several forms, including 3GPP, MPEG-4, RTSP and Flash Lite.

Mobishows

A Mobishow is a term to describe a broadcast quality programme / series which has been produced, directed, edited and encoded for the mobile phone. Mobishows can range from short video clips such as betting advice or the latest celebrity gossip, through to half hour drama serials.

Blog software

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Weblog software (also called blog software or blogware) is software designed to simplify the creation and maintenance of weblogs. As specialized content management systems, weblog applications support the authoring, editing, and publishing of blog posts and comments, with special functions for image management, web syndication, and moderation of posts and comments.

A blog (a contraction of the term "web log") is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Server models

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Many weblog applications can be downloaded and installed on user systems. Some of these are provided under free-software and open-source licenses, allowing them to be used, modified, and redistributed freely. Others are proprietary software which must be licensed.

Other weblog applications are offered only through their developers' hosts, either free of charge or for a fee. Services are typically limited to hosting of the blog itself, but some services offer the option of using the hosted software to update a blog published elsewhere.

Clients

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Maintenance through the Internet is a nearly universal feature of weblog software. This is usually done through a browser-based interface, enabling authors to create and update content on the site.

Most software also supports the use of external client software to update content using common APIs such as the MetaWeblog API and the Atom Publishing Protocol.

Third party developers have created many such clients, allowing bloggers to publish entries using desktop software rather than the web-based interface. The WordPress website has an extensive list of clients that support most APIs (not just WordPress).

Features

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Post and comment management: All weblog software supports authoring, editing, and publishing of entries in the following format.

Title, the main title, or headline, of the post.

Body, main content of the post.

Permalink, the URL of the full, individual article.

Post Date, date and time the post was published.

Blog entries can optionally include the following:

Comments – Comments allow readers to discuss blog entries, correcting errors or otherwise expressing their opinions on the post or the post's subject.

Services like coComment aim to facilitate discussions through comment tracking.

Categories (or tags) – indexes to subjects discussed by the entry

Trackback and or pingback – links to other sites that refer to the entry

Other features

Most weblog applications also have various linking and web syndication features. Web syndication is usually offered in the form of RSS or Atom. This allows other software (such as feed aggregators) to maintain a current summary of the blog's content. Some services and organizations also offer extended features to aid communication.

Many weblog applications allow the user to define static pages which can be placed into a hierarchy or tree. Such pages are often used to present information about the blog and its authors. Extensive use of pages can result in a blog that looks more like a website.

Most weblog applications support English and many other languages. The user selects a language during installation.

Post moderation requires users to register before commenting, or requires individual posts or comments to be approved by a moderator or administrator before they appear in the blog. Weblog applications use various user account systems that allow readers to post comments to a particular blog. For instance, users with Blogger accounts may comment on any Blogger blog. Other weblog applications allow users to post content or comments only to blogs where they have an account.

The posting API varies among different weblog applications. The typical interface is a form to be filled out online, with a varying number of fields. Applications such as Movable Type offer a greater number of form fields and choices than applications such as Blogger. Some applications also have plugins for Firefox that integrate into the browser's menus so that right clicking on selected text on any given web page brings up a small window that allows the user to post directly to their blog.

Most types of blogware support adding thumbnail images within blog posts. Photo blogging is a separate genre of blogging that deals primarily with images.

Documentation and support

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Different blogware packages feature varying levels of community support and documentation. Because the installation of some types of software requires an advanced knowledge of computer administration, community support and documentation can be very helpful. The web servers and database software can be more difficult to install than the blogware itself. Also a strong and active community surrounding the blogware gives advice on integrating the blogware into a personal site.

A partial list of notable weblog software follows:

User hosted platforms: Software packages installed by weblog authors to run on their own servers.

Free and open source software: These software packages are offered as free and open source software:

• Apache Roller (Java-based)

• b2evolution (PHP/MySQL)

• blosxom (Perl)

• Dotclear (PHP)

• DotNetNuke (VB.NET/ASP.NET)

• Drupal (PHP)

• Frog CMS (PHP)

• Elgg (PHP)

• Habari (PHP)

• HelixBlog (Ruby on Rails)

• Jaws (PHP)

• Joomla! (PHP)

• Livejournal (Perl) (Also available, developer hosted)

• LifeType (PHP)

• Movable Type (Perl)

• Nooto (Ruby on Rails)

• Nucleus CMS (PHP)

• PivotX (PHP)

• Serendipity (PHP)

• SimpleLog (Ruby on Rails)

• Slash (Perl)

• Subtext (C#/ASP.NET)

• Textpattern (PHP/MySQL)

• Thingamablog (Static web page, no need for CGI, PHP or MySQL)

• Typo (Ruby on Rails)

• WordPress (PHP)

• Postview (Ruby, Sinatra)

Proprietary software

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

These packages are under a proprietary software license. They may require the purchase of a license key to use them. The specific licensing terms vary but some are free of charge for personal or non-commercial use.

Developer-hosted platforms: Software services operated by the developer, allowing no software installation by the weblog author:

• Blogger

• Gandi

• Posterous

• LiveJournal

• Moxietype

• MySpace

• Open Diary

• Skyrock

• Tumblr

• TypePad

• Typo

• Vox

• Windows Live Spaces

• Wordpress.com

• Xanga

Pastebin

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A pastebin is a web application which allows its users to upload snippets of text, usually samples of source code, for public viewing.

It is very popular in IRC channels where pasting large amounts of text is considered bad etiquette.

A vast number of pastebins exist on the Internet, suiting a number of different needs and provided features tailored towards the crowd they focus on most.

History

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Pastebins, similar to the ones referenced from this article, have been around since at least 2002.

Pastebin.com is one of the earliest public pastebins and has spawned a large number of direct descendants (such as Pastebin.im and Pastebin.ca), based on its open source PHP code. Pastebin.com was inspired from a basic PHP code sharing application called Paste.

Pastebot, a stand-alone Perl application incorporating both an IRC client and a web server, was created for EFNet #perl as late as March 2002. It is still in use. Pastebot's stock submission form template encourages "No paste!" and may have coined or helped popularize the term as a noun.

Over time, many of the public pastebins have become specialized and targeted at a single group of users. This benefits the users by letting them share code or text in a consistent and clean manner. In many cases, pastes made to pastebins are kept only for some time, usually a month.

Common features of pastebins

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Although there are literally thousands of pastebins available, most have a common set of features. They may appear different or target a different user base, but at the core, they take an upload or text paste and provide a sharable HTTP URL which contains the body of text.

A pastebin often has the capability to format and syntax highlighting the text for easier viewing. Throughout the years, the number of languages and formatting styles has grown quickly as the Pastebin user base has grown and their needs have fanned out. A well-known highlighting software package called GeSHi supports the most common pastebins.

Some of the newer pastebins provide features for comparing two or more pastes, synchronous notifications through IRC or XMPP, paste histories, encryption, password protection and virtual subdomains.

Abuse and spam

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In some cases, pastebin sites have been abused as a venue in which to post personal information, such as passwords or identifiers.

In one such incident, media coverage of abusive postings of approximately 20,000 Hotmail passwords as part of a phishing scheme led to the operator of the original pastebin.com temporarily closing the site with the following message: "Down for maintenance - 6th Oct 2009 - Pastebin.com is getting an unprecedented amount of traffic due to a news story in which some leaked Hotmail passwords have been pasted on this site. Pastebin.com was intended as a tool to aid software developers, not for distributing this sort of material. Filters have been put in place to prevent reoccurrence, but the current traffic level is unsustainable. Pastebin.com is just a fun side project for me, and today it's not fun. It will remain offline all day while I make some further modifications. Paul Dixon"

Spam is a large problem.

For the same reasons that open up the pastebins to abuse, they are easy to spam. The spam robots or spammers involved in this sort of activity may not realize that most pastebins do not allow search engines to index their pages or even follow the links. This causes an extra burden on the services to provide filtering of pastes which would not accomplish the intended goal. To protect against spam, some pastebins have implemented CAPTCHAs.

Applications in Microblogging

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

There are some pastebins which exist specifically to surpass character limitations of disobliging services like Twitter. The idea is to save a large piece of text in a pastebin and post the URL and text excerpt to disobliging services which have character limitations.

Shopping cart software

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Shopping cart software is software used in e-commerce to assist people making purchases online, analogous to the American English term 'shopping cart'. In British English it is generally known as a shopping basket, almost exclusively shortened on websites to 'basket'.

The software allows online shopping customers to accumulate a list of items for purchase, described metaphorically as "placing items in the shopping cart". Upon checkout, the software typically calculates a total for the order, including shipping and handling (i.e. postage and packing) charges and the associated taxes, as applicable.

Technical definition

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

These applications typically provide a means of capturing a client's payment information, but in the case of a credit card they rely on the software module of the secure gateway provider, in conjunction with the secure payment gateway, in order to conduct secure credit card transactions online.

Some setup must be done in the HTML code of the website, and the shopping cart software must be installed on the server which hosts the site, or on the secure server which accepts sensitive ordering information. E-shopping carts are usually implemented using HTTP cookies or query strings. In most server based implementations however, data related to the shopping cart is kept in the Session object and is accessed and manipulated on the fly, as the user selects different items from the cart. Later at the process of commit, the information is accessed and an order is generated against the selected item thus clearing the shopping cart.

Although the most simple shopping carts strictly allow for an item to be added to a basket to start a checkout process (e.g. the free PayPal shopping cart), most shopping cart software actually provides additional features that an Internet merchant uses to fully manage an online store. Data (products, categories, discounts, orders, customers, etc.) is normally stored in a database and accessed in real time by the software.

Shopping Cart Software is also known as e-commerce software, e-store software, online store software or storefront software.

Components

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Shopping cart software typically consists of two components:

Storefront: the area of the Web store that is accessed by visitors to the online shop. Category, product, and other pages (e.g. search, best sellers, etc.) are dynamically generated by the software based on the information saved in the store database. The look of the storefront can normally be changed by the store owner so that it merges with the rest of the Web site (i.e. with the pages not controlled by the shopping cart software in use on the store).

Administration: the area of the Web store that is accessed by the merchant to manage the online shop. The amount of store management features changes depending on the sophistication of the shopping cart software chosen by the merchant, but in general a store manager is able to add and edit products, categories, discounts, shipping and payment settings, etc. Order management features are also included in many shopping cart programs. The administration area can be:

Web-based (accessed through a Web browser)

Desktop-based (a desktop application that runs on the user's computer and then transfers changes to the storefront component).

Licensed vs. Hosted Shopping Carts

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Shopping cart software can be generally categorized into two main categories.

Licensed software: The software is downloaded and then installed on a Web server. This is most often associated with a one-time fee, although there are many free products available as well. The main advantages of this option are that the merchant owns a license and therefore can host it on any Web server that meets the server requirements, and that the source code can often be accessed and edited to customize the application.

Hosted service: The software is never downloaded, but rather is provided by a hosted service provider and is generally paid for on a monthly/annual basis; also known as the application service provider (ASP) software model. Some of these services also charge a percentage of sales in addition to the monthly fee. This model often has predefined templates that a user can choose from to customize their look and feel. In this model users typically have less ability to modify or customize the software with the advantage of having the vendor continuously keep the software up to date for security patches as well as adding new features added.

Guild hosting

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A guild hosting or clan hosting service is a specialized type of web hosting service designed to support online gaming communities, generally referred to as guilds or clans. They vary from game server hosting in that the focus of such companies is to provide applications and communication tools outside of the gaming environments themselves.

Guild hosting services address a guild's basic need to have an online presence and allow guild members to communicate with each other outside of the game. While it is possible for any guild to do this on their own, setting up and maintaining a site requires constant maintenance, upgrades and integration of new software. One of the key reasons for the popularity of guild hosting services is their focus on relieving the guild from this overhead and freeing them up to spend more time playing the game.

Typical Features

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The services typically offered by such a service include:

Public and/or private forums for members to communicate with each other, or other tools for communications such as instant messaging or chat servers.

Tools for tracking the roster of characters that a player might have in an MMORPG.

An application for scheduling and organizing raids, tournaments and other gaming events.

Applications for tracking treasure, items, or points accrued toward redeeming treasure (often referred to as a DKP system).

History

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Originally, most people who decided to create a website for their guild used bulletin board software such as vBulletin and phpBB on traditional web hosting services. However, as the complexity of online games increased, many guilds sought after more advanced management features and turned to specialized services to accommodate their needs.

One of the earliest such companies was GuildPortal, formed in 2001. In 2006, competition increased with the launch of 3 new services: GuildCafe (now GamerDNA), GuildLaunch and MMO Guildsites. In 2007, Guildomatic launched as the first game-specific guild host, paving the way for even more specialized services tailored to individual games. The number of guild hosting services continues to grow with the rising popularity of Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games.

Finding the Right Web Host

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

When it comes to picking a good Web host for setting up a blog, there are a few things you must keep in mind.

You want to first make sure that they are going to deliver you enough disk space and bandwidth to keep your head above water for a while. If you expect to write five or more posts a day - you could fill up that space pretty quick. Also make sure that you have an upgrade you can make when you need it.

It might be to the next largest plan - or it might be to a VPS or dedicated account. If you are a nobody just starting your first blog, you could probably just go with the least expensive plan and move on from there. Find some of blogs out there and see who they use for hosting.

Uptime is always important too - because you never want your readers to be left looking at a “this site is not available right now” message too long.

Even though we haven’t picked our blogging engine yet - you must keep in mind you need a Web host that will support the features you need. So you might pick a few good candidates first, and then go on to finding the content management system you need.

Server management includes

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Server management can include some or all of the following:

• Operating system updates

• Application updates

• Server monitoring

• SNMP hardware monitoring

• Application monitoring

• Application management

• Technical support

• Firewall services

• Antivirus updates

• Security audits

• DDoS protection and mitigation

• Intrusion detection

• Backups and restoration

• Disaster recovery

• DNS hosting service

• Load balancing

• Database administration

• Performance tuning

• Software installation and configuration

• User management

• Programming consultation

Server managed supports by dedicates servers hosting providers

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Dedicated server hosting providers may provide the following types of server managed support:

Fully Managed - Includes monitoring, software updates, reboots, security patches and operating system upgrades. Customers are completely hands-off.

Managed - Includes medium level of management, monitoring, updates, and a limited amount of support. Customers may perform specific tasks.

Self Managed - Includes regular monitoring and some maintenance. Customers provide most operations and tasks on dedicated server.

Unmanaged - Little to no involvement from service provider. Customers provide all maintenance, upgrades, patches, and security.

When you are ready for a Dedicated Server?

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Websites grow at different rates, but as the success of a business grows, so does the need for additional hosting capacity. If you are approaching the limits of your current hosting company or have concerns about safety, such as storing credit card information on the same server as others or simply if your current company is the best hosting company for your needs, it is definitely time for a dedicated server.

Collocation centre

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A collocation centre (collocation center) ("colo") or carrier hotel is a type of data centre where multiple customers locate network, server and storage gear and interconnect to a variety of telecommunications and other network service provider(s) with a minimum of cost and complexity. Most network access point facilities provide colocation.

Major types of colocation customers are:

• Web commerce companies, who use the facilities for a safe environment and cost-effective, redundant connections to the Internet

• Major enterprises, who use the facility for disaster avoidance, offsite data backup and business continuity

• Telecommunication companies, who use the facilities to interexchange traffic with other telecommunications companies and access to potential clients

Benefits

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Increasingly, organizations are recognizing the benefits of collocating their mission-critical equipment within a data centre. Collocation is becoming popular because of the time and cost savings a company can realize as result of using shared data centre infrastructure. Significant benefits of scale (large power and mechanical systems) result in large colocation facilities, typically 4500 to 9500 square metres (roughly 50000 to 100000 square feet). With IT and communications facilities in safe, secure hands, telecommunications, internet, ASP and content providers, as well as enterprises, enjoy less latency and the freedom to focus on their core business.

Additionally, customers reduce their traffic back-haul costs and free up their internal networks for other uses. Moreover, by outsourcing network traffic to a colocation service provider with greater bandwidth capacity, web site access speeds should improve considerably.

Physical security and power

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Most collocation centres have high levels of physical security, and may be guarded continuously. They may employ CCTV.

Some collocation facilities require that employees escort customers, especially if there are not individual locked cages/cabinets for each customer. In other facilities, a PIN code or proximity card access system may allow customers access into the building, and individual cages/cabinets have locks. Biometric security measures, such as fingerprint recognition, voice recognition and "weight matching", are also becoming more commonplace in modern facilities.

Power

Collocation facilities generally have generators that start automatically when utility power fails, usually running on diesel fuel. These generators may have varying levels of redundancy, depending on how the facility is built.

Generators do not start instantaneously, so collocation facilities usually have battery backup systems. In many facilities, the operator of the facility provides large inverters to provide AC power from the batteries. In other cases, the customers may install smaller UPSes in their racks.

Some customers choose to use equipment that is powered directly by 48VDC (nominal) battery banks. This may provide better energy efficiency, and may reduce the number of parts that can fail.

An alternative to batteries is a motor generator connected to a flywheel and diesel engine.

Many collocation facilities can provide A and B power feeds to customer equipment, and high end servers and telecommunications equipment often can have two power supplies installed.

Collocation facilities are sometimes connected to multiple sections of the utility power grid for additional reliability.

Mirror (computing)

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In computing, a disk is an exact copy of a data set. On the Internet, a mirror site is an exact copy of another Internet site. Mirror sites are most commonly used to provide multiple sources of the same information, and are of particular value as a way of providing reliable access to large downloads. Mirroring is a type of file synchronization.

A live mirror is automatically updated as soon as the original is changed.

There are numerous offline browsers that provide automated mirroring of entire sites. Some are oriented towards personal use, which allows browsing from a local copy — this means an initial waiting time but much improved load time for those pages once they're mirrored

Reasons

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Mirroring of sites occurs for a variety of reasons.

To preserve a website or page, especially when it is closed or is about to be closed.

To allow faster downloads for users at a specific geographical location.

For example, a U.S. server could be mirrored in Japan, allowing Japanese Internet users to download content faster from the local Japanese server than from the original American one. This may be viewed as caching on a worldwide scale.

To counteract censorship and promote freedom of information.

For example, an activist might post pictures on a website of a company conducting illegal activities or make available information on secret government activity and be litigated for such. Other internet users will make the content in question available on other servers when the legal action results in the cancellation of ISP or DNS services for the original activist.

To provide access to otherwise unavailable information.

For example, when the popular Google search engine was banned in 2002 by the People's Republic of China, the mirror elgooG was used as a way of effectively circumventing the ban.

To preserve historic content.

Financial constraints and/or bandwidth prevent the maintainers of a server from keeping older and unsupported content available to users who still may desire them - a mirror may be made to prevent this content from disappearing.

To balance load.

If one server is extremely popular a mirror may help relieve this load: for example if a Linux distribution is released as an ISO image onto the distribution developer's own server, this server may become overloaded with demand. Alternative download points allow the total number of download requests to be spread among several servers, maintaining the availability of the distribution. Metalink is frequently used for automatic load balancing by listing all mirrors.

As a temporary measure to counterbalance a sudden, temporary increase in traffic. For example, Slashdotted websites will often be mirrored by a few slashdot posters until the article is pushed off the front page.

To increase a site's ranking in a search engine by placing hyperlinks from each mirror to every other mirror (a technique known as link farming). This is viewed as unethical by most search engine administrators and websurfers.

Rarely, as a form of plagiarism; this is, however, usually pointless, as a website popular enough to be worth plagiarizing will quickly discover the copy as soon as one of their many readers stumbles onto the plagiarized site.

Inline linking

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Inline linking (also known as hotlinking, leeching, piggy-backing, direct linking, offsite image grabs and bandwidth theft) is the use of a linked object, often an image, from one site into a web page belonging to a second site. The second site is said to have an inline link to the site where the object is located.

Common uses of linked content

The ability to display content from one site within another is part of the original design of the Web's hypertext medium. Commonly accepted uses include:

Web architects may deliberately segregate the images of a site on one server or a group of servers. Hosting images on separate servers allows the site to divide the bandwidth requirements between servers. As an example, the high-volume site Slashdot stores its "front page" at slashdot.org; individual stories on servers such as games.slashdot.org or it.slashdot.org; and serves images for each host from images.slashdot.org.

Many web pages include banner ads. Banner ads are images hosted by a company that acts as middleman between the advertisers and the web sites on which the ads appear. The <img> tag may specify a URL to a CGI script on the ad server, including a string uniquely identifying the site producing the traffic, and possibly other information about the person viewing the ad, previously collected and associated with a cookie. The CGI script determines which image to send in response to the request.

Hit counters show how many times a page has been loaded. Several companies provide hit counters that are maintained off site and displayed with an inline link.

Controversial uses of inline linking

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The blurring of boundaries between sites can lead to other problems when the site violates users' expectations. Other times, inline linking can be done for malicious purposes.

Content sites where the object is stored and from which it is retrieved may not like the new placement.

Inline linking to an image stored on another site increases the bandwidth use of that site even though the site is not being viewed as intended. The complaint may be the loss of ad revenue or changing the perceived meaning through an unapproved context.

Cross-site scripting and phishing attacks may include inline links to a legitimate site to gain the confidence of a victim.

Pay-per-content services may attempt to restrict access to their content through complex scripting and inline linking techniques.

Cloud hosting

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

It is a new type of hosting platform that allows customers powerful, scalable and reliable hosting based on clustered load-balanced servers and utility billing. Removing single-point of failures and allowing customers to pay for only what they use versus what they could use.

Generally, website hosted on a cloud hosting operates on clustered servers where online operations are not limited to a single server. By handling security, load balance and hardware resources virtually the website has access to the processing power of a number of servers that are distributed in real time.

Benefits of cloud hosting

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Cloud hosting benefits the users from various angles.

It’s scalability and cost efficient is the commonly known advantages. As the technology is highly scalable, website expansion can be done without the limitation in server resources. Think about the hassle of migrating your website from a shared server to a dedicated server; think about server crash when your website experienced a sudden surge – with the scalability of cloud hosting, all these problem can be avoided easily.

Cloud hosting companies charge their users based on the quantity of computing power used. It’s like your electricity and water supply bills – it’s pay-per-use. Gone are the days where you need to reserve high server powers in order to avoid website crash, server resources are now used on demand.

Characteristics of cloud computing

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In general, cloud computing customers do not own the physical infrastructure, instead avoiding capital expenditure by renting usage from a third-party provider. They consume resources as a service and pay only for resources that they use.

Many cloud-computing offerings employ the utility computing model, which is analogous to how traditional utility services (such as electricity) are consumed, whereas others bill on a subscription basis. Sharing "perishable and intangible" computing power among multiple tenants can improve utilization rates, as servers are not unnecessarily left idle (which can reduce costs significantly while increasing the speed of application development).

A side-effect of this approach is that overall computer usage rises dramatically, as customers do not have to engineer for peak load limits. In addition, "increased high-speed bandwidth" makes it possible to receive the same response times from centralized infrastructure at other sites.

Architecture

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The majority of cloud computing infrastructure, as of 2009, consists of reliable services delivered through data centers and built on servers with different levels of virtualization technologies. The services are accessible anywhere that provides access to networking infrastructure.

Clouds often appear as single points of access for all consumers' computing needs. Commercial offerings are generally expected to meet quality of service (QoS) requirements of customers and typically offer SLAs.

Open standards are critical to the growth of cloud computing, and open source software has provided the foundation for many cloud computing implementations.

Key characteristics of cloud computing

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

• Agility: Agility is the ability to change the body's position efficiently, and requires the integration of isolated movement skills using a combination of balance, coordination, speed, reflexes, strength, endurance and stamina. In business, agility means the capability of rapidly and cost efficiently adapting to changes. It improves with users able to rapidly and inexpensively re-provision technological infrastructure resources.

• Cost is claimed to be greatly reduced and capital expenditure is converted to operational expenditure. This ostensibly lowers barriers to entry, as infrastructure is typically provided by a third-party and does not need to be purchased for one-time or infrequent intensive computing tasks. Pricing on a utility computing basis is fine-grained with usage-based options and fewer IT skills are required for implementation (in-house).

• Device and location independence enable users to access systems using a web browser regardless of their location or what device they are using (e.g., PC, mobile). As infrastructure is off-site (typically provided by a third-party) and accessed via the Internet, users can connect from anywhere.

• Multi-tenancy enables sharing of resources and costs across a large pool of users thus allowing for:

1. Centralization of infrastructure in locations with lower costs (such as real estate, electricity, etc.)

2. Peak-load capacity increases (users need not engineer for highest possible load-levels)

3. Utilization and efficiency improvements for systems that are often only 10–20% utilized.

• Reliability improves through the use of multiple redundant sites, which makes cloud computing suitable for business continuity and disaster recovery. Nonetheless, many major cloud computing services have suffered outages, and IT and business managers can at times do little when they are affected.

• Scalability via dynamic ("on-demand") provisioning of resources on a fine-grained, self-service basis near real-time, without users having to engineer for peak loads. Performance is monitored, and consistent and loosely-coupled architectures are constructed using web services as the system interface.

• Security typically improves due to centralization of data, increased security-focused resources, etc., but concerns can persist about loss of control over certain sensitive data, and the lack of security for stored kernels. Security is often as good as or better than under traditional systems, in part because providers are able to devote resources to solving security issues that many customers cannot afford. Providers typically log accesses, but accessing the audit logs themselves can be difficult or impossible. Furthermore, the complexity of security is greatly increased when data is distributed over a wider area and / or number of devices.

• Sustainability comes about through improved resource utilization, more efficient systems, and carbon neutrality. Nonetheless, computers and associated infrastructure are major consumers of energy.

Cloud computing type: Software as a Service

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

This type of cloud computing delivers a single application through the browser to thousands of customers using a multitenant architecture.

On the customer side, it means no upfront investment in servers or software licensing; on the provider side, with just one app to maintain, costs are low compared to conventional hosting.

Software as a service (SaaS, typically pronounced 'sass') is a model of software deployment whereby a provider licenses an application to customers for use as a service on demand. SaaS software vendors may host the application on their own web servers or download the application to the consumer device, disabling it after use or after the on-demand contract expires. The on-demand function may be handled internally to share licenses within a firm or by a third-party application service provider (ASP) sharing licenses between firms

Utility computing

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

This type of cloud computing delivers storage and virtual servers that IT can access on demand.

Early enterprise adopters mainly use utility computing for supplemental, non-mission-critical needs, but one day, they may replace parts of the datacenter. Other providers offer solutions that help IT create virtual data centers from commodity servers.

Utility computing is the packaging of computing resources, such as computation and storage, as a metered service similar to a traditional public utility (such as electricity, water, natural gas, or telephone network). This system has the advantage of a low or no initial cost to acquire hardware; instead, computational resources are essentially rented. Customers with very large computations or a sudden peak in demand can also avoid the delays that would result from physically acquiring and assembling a large number of computers.

Conventional Internet hosting services have the capability to quickly arrange for the rental of individual servers, for example to provision a bank of web servers to accommodate a sudden surge in traffic to a web site.

"Utility computing" has usually envisioned some form of virtualization so that the amount of storage or computing power available is considerably larger than that of a single time-sharing computer. Multiple servers are used on the "back end" to make this possible. These might be a dedicated computer cluster specifically built for the purpose of being rented out, or even an under-utilized supercomputer. The technique of running a single calculation on multiple computers is known as distributed computing.

The term "grid computing" is often used to describe a particular form of distributed computing, where the supporting nodes are geographically distributed or cross administrative domains. To provide utility computing services, a company can "bundle" the resources of members of the public for sale, who might be paid with a portion of the revenue from clients.

One model, common among volunteer computing applications, is for a central server to dispense tasks to participating nodes, on the behest of approved end-users (in the commercial case, the paying customers). Another model, sometimes called the Virtual Organization (VO), is more decentralized, with organizations buying and selling computing resources as needed or as they go idle.

The definition of "utility computing" is sometimes extended to specialized tasks, such as web services.

Web services in the cloud and Platform as a service

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Closely related to SaaS, This form of cloud computing offers APIs that enable developers to exploit functionality over the Internet, rather than delivering full-blown applications. They range from providers offering discrete business services to the full range of APIs.

Another SaaS variation, this form of cloud computing delivers development environments as a service. You build your own applications that run on the provider's infrastructure and are delivered to your users via the Internet from the provider's servers. Like Legos, these services are constrained by the vendor's design and capabilities, so you don't get complete freedom, but you do get predictability and pre-integration.

MSP (managed service providers) and Service commerce platforms

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

One of the oldest forms of cloud computing, a managed service is basically an application exposed to IT rather than to end-users, such as a virus scanning service for e-mail or an application monitoring service (which Mercury, among others, provides).

Service commerce platforms

A hybrid of SaaS and MSP, this cloud computing service offers a service hub that users interact with. They're most common in trading environments, such as expense management systems that allow users to order travel or secretarial services from a common platform that then coordinates the service delivery and pricing within the specifications set by the user. Think of it as an automated service bureau.

Public cloud

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Public cloud or external cloud describes cloud computing in the traditional mainstream sense, whereby resources are dynamically provisioned on a fine-grained, self-service basis over the Internet, via web applications/web services, from an off-site third-party provider who shares resources and bills on a fine-grained utility computing basis.

The main benefits of using a public cloud service are:

• Easy and inexpensive set-up because hardware, application and bandwidth costs are covered by the provider.

• Scalability to meet needs.

• No wasted resources because you pay for what you use.

The term "public cloud" arose to differentiate between the standard model and the private cloud, which is a proprietary network or data center that uses cloud computing technologies, such as virtualization. A private cloud is managed by the organization it serves. A third model, the hybrid cloud, is maintained by both internal and external providers.

Hybrid cloud

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A hybrid cloud environment consisting of multiple internal and/or external providers "will be typical for most enterprises". A hybrid cloud can describe configuration combining a local device, such as a Plug computer with cloud services. It can also describe configurations combining virtual and physical, collocated assets—for example, a mostly virtualized environment that requires physical servers, routers, or other hardware such as a network appliance acting as a firewall or spam filter.

Although cloud computing is often said to be the future of the industry, the hybrid model is more prevalent for a number of reasons. Large enterprises often already have substantial investments in the infrastructure required to provide resources in-house. Furthermore, many organizations would prefer to keep sensitive data under their own control to ensure security.

Private cloud

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Private cloud and internal cloud are neologisms that some vendors have recently used to describe offerings that emulate cloud computing on private networks. These (typically virtualization automation) products claim to "deliver some benefits of cloud computing without the pitfalls", capitalizing on data security, corporate governance, and reliability concerns.

They have been criticized on the basis that users "still have to buy, build, and manage them" and as such do not benefit from lower up-front capital costs and less hands-on management, essentially "The economic model that makes cloud computing such an intriguing concept".

While an analyst predicted in 2008 that private cloud networks would be the future of corporate IT, there is some uncertainty whether they are a reality even within the same firm.

Analysts also claim that within five years a "huge percentage" of small and medium enterprises will get most of their computing resources from external cloud computing providers as they "will not have economies of scale to make it worth staying in the IT business" or be able to afford private clouds. Analysts have reported on Platform's view that private clouds are a stepping stone to external clouds, particularly for the financial services, and that future data centers will look like internal clouds.

Criticism

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Critics of cloud computing cite its seemingly broad and vague definition. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison observes that cloud computing has been defined as "everything that we currently do".

Forrester VP Frank Gillett expresses similar criticism. Many technologies that have been branded as "cloud computing" have existed for a long time before the "cloud" label came into existence. Examples include databases, load balanced on-demand web hosting services, network storage, real time online services, hosted services in general

Clustered hosting

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Clustered hosting is a type of web hosting that spreads the load of hosting across multiple physical machines ("nodes"), increasing availability and decreasing the chances of one service (for example FTP, or email) affecting another - for example web or database (e.g. MySQL). Many large websites run on clustered hosting solutions, for example, large discussion forums will tend to run using multiple front-end webservers with multiple back-end database servers.

Typically, most hosting infrastructures are based on the paradigm of using a single physical machine to host multiple hosted services, including web, database, email, FTP and others. A single physical machine is not only a single point of failure, but also has finite capacity for traffic, that in practice can be troublesome for a busy website or for a website that is experiencing transient bursts in traffic.

By clustering services across multiple hardware machines, and using load balancing you can eliminate single points of failure increasing availability of your website and other web services beyond that of ordinary single server hosting. A single server can require periodic reboots for software upgrades and the like, whereas in a clustered platform you can stagger the restarts such that the service is still available whilst still upgrading all necessary machines in the cluster.

Clustered hosting is similar to cloud hosting, in that the resources of many machines are available for a website to utilize on demand, making scalability a large advantage to a clustered hosting solution.

Implementation of share web hosting

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Shared web hosting can be accomplished in two ways: name-based and IP-based, although some control panels allow a mix of name-based and IP-based on the one server.

Name-based

In name-based virtual hosting, also called shared IP hosting, the virtual hosts serve multiple hostnames on a single machine with a single IP address. When a web browser requests a resource from a web server using HTTP/1.1 it includes the requested hostname as part of the request. The server uses this information to determine which web site to show the user.

IP-based

In IP-based virtual hosting, also called dedicated IP hosting, each virtual host has a different IP address. The web server is configured with multiple physical network interfaces, or virtual network interfaces on the same physical interface. The web server software uses the IP address the client connects to in order to determine which web site to show the user. The primary reason for a site to use a dedicated IP is to be able to use its own SSL certificate rather than a shared certificate.

Disadvantages of name-based virtual hosts

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

• They do not properly support secure websites (HTTPS). All name-based virtual hosts using the same IP address must share the same digital certificate. This is because the SSL/TLS handshake takes place before the hostname is sent to the server. Thus the server doesn't know which encryption key to use when the connection is made. An extension to the TLS protocol, part of RFC 3546 - Transport Layer Security (TLS) Extensions, specifies a way for the client to provide the requested host name as part of the handshake, but it is not yet widely implemented. Some of the shared hosting providers require their customers to get Unique IP in order to properly set up HTTPS.

• If the Domain Name System is malfunctioning, it is harder to use a name-based virtually-hosted website. Ordinarily, in this case, the user could fall back to using the IP address to contact the system. However, the web browser doesn't know what hostname to send to the server, but a name-based virtual host requires it. In this case, the default web host is sent back to the browser for that IP address. Therefore, most of the hosts offer an alternative access method to provide access in such cases.

• They will not work with browsers that do not send the hostname as part of requests. This is true for older HTTP/1.0 browsers that have not retrofitted the host field feature from the HTTP/1.1 protocol. (The "Host" header that distinguishes between various DNS names sharing a single IP address was optional in HTTP/1.0; it is mandatory in HTTP/1.1, issued in 1999 as RFC 2616.) Since nearly every webbrowser that is currently used supports the HTTP/1.1 protocol and thus also virtual hosting, this is not a real issue.

• Improperly configured file permissions with shared file systems might give other (compromised) users or processes system-wide access to these files, such as credential files for database access or modification of existing files.

Reseller web hosting

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Reseller hosting is a form of web hosting wherein the account owner has the ability to use his/her allotted hard drive space and bandwidth to host websites on behalf of third parties. The reseller purchases the host's services wholesale and then sells them to customers for a profit. A certain portion of hard drive and bandwidth is allocated to the reseller account. The reseller may rent a dedicated server from a hosting company, or resell shared hosting services. In the latter case, the reseller is simply given the permission to sell a certain amount of disk space and bandwidth to his own customers without renting a server from a web hosting company he signed for a reseller account with.

The typical web hosting reseller might be a web design firm, web developer or systems integrator who offers web hosting as an add-on service. Reseller hosting is also an inexpensive way for web hosting entrepreneurs to start a company. Most reseller hosting plans allow resellers to create their own service plans and choose their own pricing structure. In many cases, resellers are able to establish their own branding via customized control panels and name servers.

Reseller hosting does not require extensive knowledge of the technical aspects of web hosting. Usually, the data center operator is responsible for maintaining network infrastructure and hardware, and the dedicated server owner configures, secures, and updates the server. A reseller is responsible for interfacing with his/her own customer base, but any hardware, software and connectivity problems are typically forwarded to the server provider from whom the reseller plan was purchased. It should be noted that being a profitable reseller firm usually involves extensive advertising to get customers. While the monthly fees with major hosts are only a few dollars a month, it's a low margin business, and resellers must devote large advertising budgets to compete with established competitors. However, web hosting is one of the biggest online businesses, because every website needs hosting.

Resellers can set up and manage customer accounts via a web interface, usually point and click "Control Panels."

Virtual private server

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A virtual private server (VPS, also referred to as Virtual Dedicated Server or VDS) is a method of splitting a server. Each virtual server can run its own full-fledged operating system, and each server can be independently rebooted.

The practice of partitioning a single server so that it appears as multiple servers has long been common practice in mainframe computers, but has seen a resurgence lately with the development of virtualization software and technologies for other architectures.

The physical server boots normally. It then runs a program that boots each virtual server within a virtualization environment (similar to an emulator). The virtual servers have no direct access to hardware and are usually booted from a disk image.

There are two kinds of virtualizations: software based and hardware based. In a software based virtualization environment, the virtual machines share the same kernel and actually require the main node's resources. This kind of virtualization normally has many benefits in a web hosting environment because of quota incrementing and decrementing in real time with no need of restarting the node. The main examples are Xen, Virtuozzo, Vserver, and OpenVZ (which is the open source and development version of Parallels Virtuozzo Containers).

In a hardware based virtualization, the virtualization mechanism partitions the real hardware resources. In typical implementations, no burst and/or realtime quota modification is possible; the limits are hard and can only be modified by restarting a virtual machine instance. This kind of environment is potentially more secure in the sense that it is less subject to "Quality of Service crosstalk" between VM instances; on the other hand, its security is typically dependent on the correctness of a larger and more complicated Trusted Computing Base. It is more commonly used in enterprise/commercial deployments. Examples include Microsoft Virtual Server, Virtuozzo,VMware ESX Server, and Xen.

Uses of Virtual private server

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Dedicated hosting service

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A dedicated hosting service, dedicated server, or managed hosting service is a type of Internet hosting in which the client leases an entire server not shared with anyone. This is more flexible than shared hosting, as organizations have full control over the server(s), including choice of operating system, hardware, etc. Server administration can usually be provided by the hosting company as an add-on service. In some cases a dedicated server can offer less overhead and a larger return on investment. Dedicated servers are most often housed in data centers, similar to colocation facilities, providing redundant power sources and HVAC systems. In contrast to colocation, the server hardware is owned by the provider and in some cases they will provide support for your operating system or applications.

If you are currently engaged in any facet of ecommerce, even service sectors, a website makes up a great deal of your business. Therefore, it is a safe assumption that you pay for hosting your website in some fashion. If you do not already have a dedicated server, perhaps you should revisit the decision for the best hosting options for your business.

Most web hosting companies set up accounts or on a shared server. You essentially share the total hard drive and bandwidth allowance with many others. This may not be the best hosting option and can present many problems such as security and traffic bottlenecks. On a dedicated server, the server is completely yours, and there are not other websites utilizing the same machine. The server is dedicated completely to you and your business.

Advantages of a Dedicated Server

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Several advantages can make a dedicated server the best hosting choice for you. These include:

Server Security –Dedicated servers increase the security of your website tremendously. There are no other webmasters using the same workspace, and simple mistakes or user error that might occur due to shared machines simply no longer existent.

Storage Space – As the entire server is dedicated to a single customer, there is tremendously more storage space available for website pages, images, and features.

Data Transfer – As with storage space, there is a great deal more bandwidth available for data transfer. Traffic to your site no longer competes with traffic for other websites reducing bottlenecks and slow server response time.

Control Panel – Having your own server offers additional opportunities for control. Sharing a server indicates that you have only limited control of server features and functions, but with a dedicated server, webmasters have greater control and access to the day-to-day functions of the host.

Software Options – Dedicated servers also allow more software and script options. The server has greater storage capacity for this information, and there is no need to align coding or features with other users of the same machine.

Disadvantages of a Dedicated Server

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The sole disadvantage of a dedicated server is the cost. It is only logical that obtaining an entire server versus a piece of a shared server would be more expensive, but the rate often makes webmasters baulk. It is important to consider the fee as related to the total cost of shared server space when determining if a dedicated server is the best hosting option for you business, despite cost. A single credit card safety incident or an exorbitant bill for bandwidth overage should level the playing field almost immediately.

Operating system support

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Availability, price and employee familiarity often determines which operating systems are offered on dedicated servers. Variations of Linux (open source operating systems) are often included at no charge to the customer. Commercial operating systems include Microsoft Windows Server, provided through a special program called Microsoft SPLA. Red Hat Enterprise is a commercial version of Linux offered to hosting providers on a monthly fee basis. The monthly fee provides OS updates through the Red Hat Network using an application called yum. Other operating systems are available from the open source community at no charge. These include CentOS, Fedora Core, Debian, and many other Linux distributions or BSD systems FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD.

Support for any of these operating systems typically depends on the level of management offered with a particular dedicated server plan. Operating system support may include updates to the core system in order to acquire the latest security fixes, patches, and system-wide vulnerability resolutions. Updates to core operating systems include kernel upgrades, service packs, application updates, and security patches that keep server secure and safe. Operating system updates and support relieves the burden of server management from the dedicated server owner.

Bandwidth and connectivity

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Bandwidth refers to the data transfer rate or the amount of data that can be carried from one point to another in a given time period (usually a second) and is often represented in bits (of data) per second (bit/s). For example, visitors to your server, web site, or applications utilize bandwidth as the traffic moves from your server to the Internet and vice versa. Connectivity refers to the “access providers” that supply bandwidth, or data transfer rate, through various connection points across a network or footprint to one or multiple data centers where dedicated servers are housed.

Bandwidth measurements are defined (per telecom standards) as the following:

First – 95th (measured using average bits and speed of transfer)

Second – Unmetered (measured in speed or bits)

Third – Total Transfer (measured in bytes transferred)

95th Method: line speed, billed on the 95th percentile, average or peak usage, refers to the speed in which data flows from the server or device. Line speed is measured in bits per second (or kilobits per second, megabits per second or gigabits per second).

Unmetered Method: The second bandwidth measurement is unmetered service where providers cap or control the “top line” speed for a server. Top line speed in unmetered bandwidth is the total Mbit/s allocated to the server and configured on the switch level. For example, if you purchase 10 Mbit/s unmetered bandwidth, the top line speed would be 10 Mbit/s. 10 Mbit/s would result in the provider controlling the speed transfers take place while providing the ability for the dedicated server owner to not be charged with bandwidth overages. Unmetered bandwidth services usually incur an additional charge.

Total Transfer Method: Some providers will calculate the Total Transfer, the measurement of actual data leaving and arriving, measured in bytes. Measurement between providers varies, though it is either the total traffic in, the total traffic out, whichever is the greater or the sum of the two.

Role of dedicated servers

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

To date, no industry standards have been set to clearly define the management role of dedicated server providers.

What this means is that each provider will use industry standard terms, but each provider will define them differently. For some dedicated server providers, fully managed is defined as having a web based control panel while other providers define it as having dedicated system engineers readily available to handle all server and network related functions of the dedicated server provider.

Dedicated hosting server providers define their level of management based on the services they provide. In comparison, fully managed could equal self managed from provider to provider.

Administrative maintenance of the operating system, often including upgrades, security patches, and sometimes even daemon updates are included. Differing levels of management may include adding users, domains, daemon configuration, or even custom programming.

What is web hosting?

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their own website accessible via the World Wide Web.

Web hosts are companies that provide space on a server they own or lease 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 collocation.

Service scope

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

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. 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 and 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.

Hosting reliability and uptime

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Hosting uptime refers to the percentage of time the host is accessible via the internet. Many providers state that they aim for at least 99.9% uptime (roughly equivalent to 45 minutes of downtime a month, or less), but there may be server restarts and planned (or unplanned) maintenance in any hosting environment, which may or may not be considered part of the official uptime promise.

Many providers tie uptime and accessibility into their own service level agreement (SLA). SLAs sometimes include refunds or reduced costs if performance goals are not met.

Free web hosting service

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Many large companies who are not internet service providers also need a computer permanently connected to the web so they can send email, files, etc. to other sites. They may also use the computer as a website host so they can provide details of their goods and services to anyone interested. Additionally these people may decide to place online orders.

Free web hosting is offered by different companies with limited services, sometimes advertisement-supported web hosting, and is often limited when compared to paid hosting.

A free web hosting service is a web hosting service that is free, usually advertisement-supported. Free web hosts will usually provide a subdomain or a directory. In contrast, paid web hosts will usually provide a second-level domain along with the hosting. Many free hosts do allow use of separately-purchased domains. Rarely, a free host may also operate as a domain name registrar.

Profitting from free webhosting

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The majority of the hosting companies use free hosting to introduce their services, and as an entry point to their more expensive offerings. Generally they recoup their costs in one of a few ways:

• Advertising - Selling online advertising on the customer sites is generally considered a fair trade - the reasoning is that high traffic sites are more expensive to host, but the additional traffic allows for additional ad impressions therefore covering the cost. For the web master, it can be a good trade if the advertising is of good quality and non-competitive. This is one of the main reasons that businesses do not use free hosting for their website. The majority of free hosting companies use this method.

• Referrals - Using a simple form of viral marketing, these providers rely on the users to spread the offer. The ratio of free to paid accounts is known, and by having each free user refer a number of friends, the hosting provider is able to get enough paid accounts to cover the cost.

• Resell Hosting - This is where someone starts up a hosting company, attracts lots of visitors, then sells the hosting company to someone else once it can no longer support itself. Once sold, this individual uses the money to start up multiple hosting ventures and sells each in turn.

• Some hosting companies are using hybrid approaches that mix these tactics.

Methods of giving out web hosting

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A few methods of giving out Free Webhosting to people by Webhosts

• Instant Activation: Due to the risks of illegal, inappropriate, and abusive website, hosts with instant activation usually give very little storage space and monthly bandwidth. Other restrictions will likely also be in effect. The webhosts usually either require the users' web pages to display their banner ads, textlink ads, or popups; or else the users' files to be uploaded through a web-based file manager that display ads to the user uploading files. Hosts with instant activation are often abused, such as link spamming.

• Post for Hosting: Some free hosts require posting in a forum. Forum-based free hosting requires users to either reach a certain amount of posts before getting a free hosting account, or be an active contributor in the forum. Forum-based free hosting often work on a system of points where posts give points to a user and can be used as credits toward getting a hosting account or more resources. Typically, the forum where users have to post contains advertising as the hosts way of making a profit.

• Forum applications: This method is popular, as the hosts can decide which applications to deny and allow. This is common when a popular forum has free hosting as an add-on service, rather than the other way around.

File hosting on webhosts, Co-branding and resellers

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Most free web hosts discourage using their services for file or image hosting only, with no web page, since advertising is displayed on the web page. Because of this, hotlinking is usually disallowed on free hosts.

Some free webhosts will also disallow files over a certain size (for example, 5 MB). However, there are free file hosting services which allow large files as well as hotlinking.

Some services offer co-branding services. These let you brand fixed plans with your own company. Other services, offer WHM or panel reselling. This allows the client to develop his or her own web hosting plans and business.

File hosting service

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A file hosting service, online file storage service, or online media center is an Internet hosting service specifically designed to host static content, typically large files that are not web pages. Typically they allow web and FTP access.

They can be optimized for serving many users (as is implied by the term "hosting") or be optimized for single-user storage (as is implied by the term "storage"). Related services are video sharing, virtual storage and remote backup.

Uses of File hosting service

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

• Software file hosting: Some authors often use file hosting services to serve their software. The inherent problem with free downloads is the huge bandwidth cost. These hosts also offer additional services to the authors such as statistics or other marketing features.

• Personal file storage: Personal file storage services are aimed at private individuals, offering a sort of "network storage" for personal backup, file access, or file distribution. Users can upload their files and share them publicly or keep them password-protected.

• Prior to the advent of personal file storage services, off-site backup services were not typically affordable for individual and small office computer users.

• Sometimes people prefer hosting their files on a publicly accessible HTTP server. In this case, they generally choose paid hosting, and use their hosting for this purpose. Many free hosting providers do not allow the storage of files for non-website-related use.

• Content caching: Content providers who potentially encounter bandwidth congestion issues may use services specialized in distributing cached or static content. It is the case for companies with a major Internet presence.

Storage

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Most online file storage services offer space on a per-gigabyte basis, and sometimes include a bandwidth cost component as well. Usually these will be charged monthly or yearly. Some companies do offer the service for free, relying on advertising revenue.

Some hosting services do not place any limit on how much space your account can consume. Some services require a software download which makes files only available on computers which have that software installed, others allow users to retrieve files through any web browser. With the increased inbox space offered by WebMail services, many users have started using their webmail service as an online drive. Some sites offer free unlimited file storage but have a limit on the file size.

Increasingly, organizations are recognizing the benefits of co-locating their mission-critical equipment within a data centre. Collocation is becoming increasingly popular because of the time and cost savings a company can realize as a result of using shared data centre infrastructure.

Additionally, customers reduce their traffic back-haul costs and free up their internal networks for other uses. Moreover, by outsourcing network traffic to a collocation service provider with greater bandwidth capacity, web site access speeds should improve considerably.

Major types of colocation customers

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

• Web commerce companies, who use the facilities for a safe environment and cost-effective, redundant connections to the Internet

• Major enterprises, who use the facility for disaster avoidance, offsite data backup and business continuity

• Telecommunication companies, who use the facilities to interexchange traffic with other telecommunications companies and access to potential clients

• Most network access point facilities provide Colocation.

One-click hosting

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

One-click hosting generally describes web services that allow internet users to easily upload one or more files from their hard drives (or from a remote location) onto the one-click host's server free of charge.

Most such services simply return a URL which can be given to other people, who can then fetch the file later on. As of 2005 these sites have drastically increased in popularity, and subsequently, many of the smaller, less efficient sites have failed. Many internet forums exist in order to share such links; this type of file sharing has, to a degree, taken over from P2P filesharing services.

The sites make money through advertising or charging for premium services such as increased downloading capacity, removing any wait restrictions the site may have or prolonging how long uploaded files remain on the site. Some sites implement a CAPTCHA to prevent automated downloading.

Shared web hosting service

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A shared web hosting service or virtual hosting service or derive host refers to a web hosting service where many websites reside on one web server connected to the Internet. Each site "sits" on its own partition, or section/place on the server to keep it separate from other sites. This is generally the most economical option for hosting as many people share the overall cost of server maintenance.

The hosting service must include system administration since it is shared by many users; this is a benefit for users who do not want to deal with it, but a hindrance to power users who want more control. In general shared hosting will be inappropriate for users who require extensive software development outside what the hosting provider supports. Almost all applications intended to be on a standard web server work fine with a shared web hosting service. But on the other hand, shared hosting is cheaper than other types of hosting such as dedicated server hosting. Shared hosting usually has usage limits and most hosting providers have extensive reliability features in place.

Shared hosting typically uses a web-based control panel system, such as cPanel, Ensim, DirectAdmin, Plesk, InterWorx, H-Sphere or one of many other control panel products. Most of the large hosting companies use their own custom developed control panel. Control panels and web interfaces can cause controversy however, since web hosting companies sometimes sell the right to use their control panel system to others. Attempting to recreate the functionality of a specific control panel is common, which leads to many lawsuits over patent infringement.

In shared hosting, the provider is generally responsible for managing servers, installing server software, security updates, technical support, and other aspects of the service. Most servers are based on the Linux operating system and LAMP (software bundle), which is driven by the low cost of open source software. But some providers offer Microsoft Windows-based or FreeBSD-based solutions. For example, the Plesk and Ensim control panels are both available for two operating systems, Linux and Windows. Versions for either OS have very similar interfaces and functionality, with the exception of OS-specific differences (for example: ASP.NET, SQL Server and Access support under Windows; MySQL under Linux).

Shared web hosting can also be done privately by sharing the cost of running a server in a collocation centre; this is called cooperative hosting.

Web Host Backup - Incremental versus Full

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

There are typically two classifications of backups: incremental and full.

Incremental Backup

This type of backup is where the backup controller compares the existing backup to the data that you are wanting to backup. If there is an identical match between the two, no additional files will be backed up. But, if you any files have been added or edited, only these files will be updated in the backup, hence the name incremental.

Full Backup

This type of backup writes all files to the backup, regardless of whether the files already exist in the most current backup.

Web Host - Shopping Carts

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Typical shopping carts, as can be found on many ecommerce web sites, are the main methods of allowing visitors to purchase items. In general, these programs are written in either PHP, ASP, or CGI, which are all server side scripting languages. In many cases, installing these programs onto your web space is as easy as a couple of mouse clicks. There are quite a few web site hosts that offer pre-configured shopping carts, which can usually be installed through the control panel.

For new comers to web site development, and in particular, shopping carts, make sure you choose a web site host that offers a good quality shopping cart installation. However, if you have some computer experience and want to configure your own shopping cart yourself, there are scripts around which may suit your requirements.

Server Latency

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

You will see some web site hosts advertising "super fast speeds" and "99.99%" uptime. You can check these claims yourself doing a simple "ping" against their server to see how fast they actually are. A ping sends a small packet of data across the Internet and determines the time it takes to get a response back from the server. You probably want to ping a web site that you know is hosted by the company you are interested in, to test the host's actual performance. If you are using Windows XP, you can ping a web host by performing the following:

1. Click on Start

2. Select Run

3. Type "cmd" and click OK

4. At the command prompt, type “ping www.sitenamehere.com”

5. You can also ping the actual IP address, for example, “ping 127.0.0.1”

Following these steps, the ping will then be executed four times and a small report of average, minimum, and maximum response times will be displayed on the screen. If you are continually getting a "time out" message, even if you can access the web site via browser, then the server could have pinging disabled.

Hosting your web site from your home/office computer

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Hosting your web site from your home/office computer

Typically, a web server is a powerful machine with a stable and reliable operating system and a 24/7 Internet connection. A web server also needs a static I.P. (Internet protocol) address so that the location of the hosted web site/s does not change. In addition to the web server software (which serves web pages), several other software that help in maintenance, enhancing functionality and securing the machine from attacks from hackers need to be installed on the machine.

The need for a good operating system

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The need for a good operating system

Obviously, you need a stable and reliable operating system that can serve web pages quickly and not crash or hang even under heavy traffic. Here are some other hallmarks of a good operating system for a web server:

* In-built security features to protect from hackers and virus attacks.

* Easy of administration through shell environment or GUI-based software.

* Scalability to up-gradations to ensure enhanced stability and security. Also, the process of installation of updates should easy and as smooth as possible.

* In-built necessary server software should be a part of the operating system else, they should be available and installed quickly and smoothly.

* Availability of third-party software - No operating system is perfect and complete. Third party applications can provide additional security, better features and functionality.

With the above points in mind, the Linux operating system fits the bill pretty well - So does Windows, actually, but you do need to be a little more experienced in server administration if you want to run a Windows based web server.

Linux is also cheaper than Windows and has tons of free third-party software and applications that can be smoothly integrated in the operating system to increase functionality and security. Linux, which is an Open Source Software (OSS), works well with other OSS such as Apache (the most popular web server software), MySQL (a good stable database application and server), PHP (server-side scripting language) and has several in-built applications such as FTP (File Transfer Protocol), sendmail (SMTP email server) etc.

The need for a static I.P. (Internet Protocol) address

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The need for a static I.P. (Internet Protocol) address

Each computer connected to the Internet needs to have a unique number assigned to it so that it can be identified and there are no conflicts with other computers. This unique number is the Internet Protocol (I.P.) address. The I.P. address is just a series of four numbers each less than 255 and separated by dots (periods). For example, 214.34.7.90 would be a valid I.P. address.

Since, for us humans, I.P. addresses are not as easy to remember, the "powers that be" created domain names. However, each domain name is "tied up" or "associated" with an I.P. address. The domain name and its corresponding I.P. address are stored on several different computers scattered around the globe. These machines called Domain Name Servers help to resolve the domain name to its I.P. address. In layman's language - when you type a domain name on your browser, it first checks with a Name Server and gets the corresponding I.P. address (something that computers understand better than us) and then loads the web site.

An I.P. address is the address of a computer on the internet - it specifies the location of a server that hosts a web site. It follows that if the I.P. address changes, the web site will not be found if you try to load it on a browser by typing its domain name.

Now, most of us use net connections on our home/office computers from the local Internet Service Provider. These ISPs assigned our computers with a dynamic I.P. address each time we connect. Thus, each time we disconnect and start the connection again, our computers are given a different I.P. address. So if the I.P. address of your home/office computer changes, your web site will not load unless you go and change the information on the Name Server. Obviously you cannot make these changes each time your computer's I.P. address changes. For this reason, to host a web site on your home/office computer you need a "static" I.P. address - an I.P. address that does not change.

The problem is that ISPs generally do not allow you to host a web site on your computer. And they do this by allocating a new I.P. address each time you connect and also blocking required ports. Having said that, you can get a static I.P. addresses by either upgrading your package (to something like a "business package") or shift to an ISP that does provides one. The cost of a static I.P. can be an extra $30 to $50 per month (maybe even more). Check with your Internet Service Provider. This, in my opinion, is just too much when web hosting companies offer feature-rich packages for as low as.

Do I need Web Hosting?

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Do I need Web Hosting?

If you want to be a part of the Internet space as a business company, information resource, directory, or as a person wanting to share data, information and knowledge about various kind of stuff with all people and communities on the Internet, you have to make a website and post it on the Internet.

Web hosting empowers you and anyone with a computer and Internet connection to own a web space. In your web space, you can have information like news, bulletins, documents, data, files (your website) and your own mail services to accept mail, everything needed by you or your business. This web space is your own space where you host your files and e-mails, so that other people on the Internet can view your website or communicate (send and receive e-mails) with you.

The cost of owning a personal server dedicated to a web site and email is out of reach for the average business and especially most of the members of the Internet. Running a website and mail server on your own/office computer that is connected to the Internet requires a lot of technical skills and knowledge.

A web hosting plan offers you a web space to place your files, data, documents, and bulletins for people to access with their web browsers and an e-mail services for you to send and receive e-mail messages. To obtain all these you should become a member and agree to terms and conditions of renting the web space.

The Basic Features of Web Hosts

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Basic Features of Web Hosts

* Server type

Most web hosts have Windows 2000, Unix and Linux servers. If you plan to run a simple website, you will not need to worry about the server the web host provides because most simple websites run off one of these three servers.

* Disk space

The size of your website will determine the amount of disk space you will need.

* Bandwidth

Bandwidth relates to how many visitors you will have on your site each day. Bandwidth is the power it takes for the information you provide on your site to travel to browsers. Many small online businesses will not need a large amount of bandwidth. Unless you are planning on an ecommerce or other comparable site, many web hosts will be handle your bandwidth.

* E-mail accounts

Many hosts will provide you with 10 or more e-mail accounts for your online business. The number of accounts you need may affect which host you choose.

* Support

Another feature you need to consider is the technical or billing support you will receive from the web hosting company. Some have a customer service line, which you can call when you have a problem. Others have e-mail or a ticket system, which you have to wait for a response. Responses are usually within 24 hours with these types of hosts.

Uptime Monitoring Methodology

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Uptime Monitoring Methodology

* We monitor websites of customers who use each host, not that host's own site. This gives a true picture of host's performance from the point of view of its customers.

* Website is marked as down when it cannot be accessed from two distinct geographic and network points in 10 seconds. It is possible for a site to be marked as down when it is actually working but just extremely sluggish. However, this distinction won't matter to this site's visitors.

* Sampling is done at least twice per hour, 24 hours a day.

* We try to monitor multiple sites for each host. Bigger hosts have multiple servers, so it is important to monitor multiple customer sites to get a good representation of host's performance.

* We make sure that each site is actually hosted at its assigned host and we check periodically for a possible move to another host.

* Bandwidth and server usage for monitored sites should be very minimal.

* We don't just check network connectivity by using the ping network tool but we actually request a page from each site to verify whether the web server software is working as well.

* We don't use any third party monitoring service; we run our own custom software.

* Periodically, we run a program verifying that domains are still hosted with their matching hosts.

Uptime of the Site â�� a Key to the Selection of your Best Web Hosting Company

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Uptime of the Site – a Key to the Selection of your Best Web Hosting Company

Web hosting is a company that makes available servers or computers for the website from where it can be viewed. It enables the site of an individual to be accessible by Internet users all over the world. There are several ways in which web hosting can be done. An individual can even do it himself. This allows a person to have a complete control over his site and take advantage of all essential hosting services. One of the most common reasons people, especially small business owners refrain from web hosting is the huge investment that it requires. Also, doing web hosting by oneself is not an easy task. A person needs to have an in-depth knowledge about the technical concepts involved and other such things. So, unless you are sure to complete the task successfully, it is better to hire the best web hosting company possible. However, if you are well-acquainted with all the concepts, an individual can also host a website on his desktop computer. The only disadvantage of doing this is that the accounts and files that have been saved in the computer have a threat of great security risks from hackers. To avoid any such problems, a person needs to install a firewall software in his computer. Apart from all this, web hosting on one’s own also diverts the attention of the owner from the main business that is of major concern to him.

So, if you really are searching for a top web hosting company, the web hosting reviews can be really helpful as a person can analyze well the company that tops the list in offering its services. Decide the budget that you can spend on your web hosting service before selecting a web hosting service. The needs of the site should be determined first. That is to say, the number of pages that your site has, the space that is required by the site, the products that you want to offer on your site and many such features of the website need to be analyzed before choosing a top web hosting service for you.

While selecting a web hosting service, one of the most important features which is to be considered is the uptime each one of them ensures for your site. The more the uptime of the site, the more it will be accessed by the users. A good web hosting service will surely give you a 99.9% uptime for your site. The technical support that is offered by the service provider is also another essential factor that should be kept in mind while selecting a web hosting company. A bad hosting service might let you down at the time when a client is striking a deal on your site. It is at such a time that you actually realize the value of a good web hosting service. So, instead of regretting later it is better to take the right steps from the initial stage only, and select a web hosting service that suits your needs in the best way possible.

What is uptime?

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

What is uptime?

Uptime is the percentage of time that a web site is working. For example, if some host has an uptime average of 99.86%, this means that your site will be down for a total about 1 hour each month. We monitor uptime of customer websites of many web hosts and we display this data on the host's details page. Some hosts also offer "uptime guarantees" but this is not as valuable as it might appear.

How to Find a Linux Web Hosting Provider

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

How to Find a Linux Web Hosting Provider

Web hosting providers come in two basic flavors. There is Linux (a derivative of UNIX) and Windows (a Microsoft product). The market is flooded with web hosting providers, which may make it a bit tough for you to choose the right one for you.

Step 1

Read the web host's advertisements. Generally web hosts will advertise whether they are using a Linux or Windows hosting platform. Many web hosts offer both platforms.

Step 2

Look for CGI and Perl scripts. Linux web hosts provide an abundance of CGI and Perl scripts. CGI and Perl scripts allow your website to gather information from visitors and provide dynamic content.

Step 3

Lurk around in forums. There are many "geek" type forums that discuss the intricacies of Linux vs. Windows web hosting. Read several of the posts. You will find recommendations from users about their experience with several Linux web hosting providers.

Step 4

Compare prices. Linux web hosting is usually cheaper. Since Linux is a free open source software, the web hosting company's costs are lower. Windows hosting companies have to purchase the necessary licenses from Microsoft, which serves to increase their operating costs.

Step 5

Peruse web hosting review sites. Sites like WebHostingReview.com and Cnet.com review the top 10 web hosts. You may or may not choose a Linux web hosting provider from their recommendations, but at least you have an idea as to what to look for when you are contemplating a particular web hosting company's services.

How to Find an Ecommerce Web Hosting Provider

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

How to Find an Ecommerce Web Hosting Provider

Step 1

Decide if you need a dedicated server, or if your ecommerce site would be alright on a shared server. A shared server means you are hosted on the same server as other sites renting space. A dedicated server means your website is the only site using the server. A dedicated server is much faster and more reliable, but is also costly. A shared server is usually acceptable for small to medium size businesses.

Step 2

Do a search of the Internet for "Ecommerce web hosting" to find a long list of companies offering the service. Do a quick rate comparison between some of the companies and select a few of them that look like they are offering the best deals.

Step 3

Look into the web hosting companies on your list further. Pay attention to what they are offering for the quoted price. Make a note of how much space they will give you, the monthly fee for the service and what extra options are offered at what price.

Step 4

Determine if your business needs any of the extras offered by the hosting site and then factor their cost into your total cost. Get a total cost for each host on your list and compare them.

Step 5

Pay attention to the web host providers' downtime and uptime. Most web hosts post their stated up time on their website. If they do not, ask them what it is. Your customers can not access your business if your web host is down. You want a web host that has an uptime of 90% or greater.

Step 6

Do a check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) on each of the companies you are considering. You need to know their physical or mailing address so you can check with the BBB in their hometown.

Step 7

Host your ecommerce site with the company that shows the best value for the money after you have done all of your homework.

How to Set up a Website Hosting Account

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

How to Set up a Website Hosting Account

To display your website on the World Wide Web you must have a website hosting account. The web host maintains servers that store customer files. The files display in a browser when a visitor types your website address. There are many large and small companies that offer website hosting. Before setting up your web hosting account, take the time to understand the various features and shop around to compare service and reliability.

Step 1

Determine your website hosting needs. Items to consider include the size of your website (required disk space), if you have a database, required number of email accounts and if you will sell products online (e-commerce).

Step 2

Compare web-hosting companies. Evaluate server space, reliability (up time), price, email accounts, website traffic reports, customer support (help desk hours of operation) and included extras. Also look at additional services such as domain name registration, SSL certificates, shopping carts, blogs and forums.

Step 3

Open a website hosting account. Select a hosting plan. Web hosts offer several plans to accommodate different hosting needs. Create an account online or by telephone. Compare the payment options because some companies offer a discount if you pay for one year up front instead of monthly.

Step 4

Set up your new hosting account. Go online and log into your hosting account. Follow the web hosting company's instructions to set up and activate your account. It can take up to 24 hours before you are able to upload files to the server.

Step 5

Upload files to your server. Use a file transfer protocol (FTP) program to transfer files to the web host's server. Visit your website to confirm that you have transferred all files and images.

What type of web site are you building?

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

What type of web site are you building?

This is a key question. Are you going to use the web site for an e-commerce business, as a hobby site writing about your interests, will the site be static or interactive, used as a blog or online forum, or a site that will provide information and generate revenuss? If you will be running an e-commerce site you will need to find an online payment system, you might need to have your web host support the secure sockets layer (SSL) encryption, and you should inquire whether they provide any shopping carts like MIVA merchant. If you will be developing custom e-commerce software, it is essential to make sure that you know the web hosting environment to ensure that your software will work on their systems. A blog or a online forums site will most likely require PHP or Perl/CGI scripting and in most cases access to a database system like MySQL, PostgreSQL or Microsoft's SQL Server.

How much storage space would you need?

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

How much storage space would you need?

If you are running a small, static website, you don't require a very large amount of storage space. On the other hand, an extensive information or e-commerce site with thousands of web pages and images or a large online forum would require much more data storage. In many cases, the databases are given their own seperate storage limit and could cause problems since 100 megabytes of data capacity may not always equal 100 megabytes of database capacity.

How much bandwidth would you need?

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

How much bandwidth would you need?

After storage capacity, bandwidth is the next most hyped web hosting feature. If your average webpage (html code + graphics) is 5KB, and you receive an average of 100 hits per day, you can easily see that you are using up (5 x 100) 500 KB of bandwidth a day. Multiply this number by 30 and you have an average monthly figure. It is essential that before you sign up for any web hosting service, you put some thought into how big your web site will be, how popular the category is, and what type of service you will be providing. For example, oneline discussion forums use up a lot more bandwidth than any other type of website because users usually stay on for longer time as they read posts or contribute, and there is a much higher rate of repeat visitors who come back to read new messages, etc. Therefore, your bandwidth needs should be considered prior to signing up for a hosting plan.

What is Bandwidth?

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

What is Bandwidth?

Bandwidth is a measure of the amount of data passing through a network at a given time. Things like huge images on web pages and needless questions posted to Usenet newsgroups waste bandwidth which could be better utilized for transferring information.

In computer networks, bandwidth is often used as a synonym for data transfer rate - the amount of data that can be carried from one point to another in a given time period (usually a second). This kind of bandwidth is usually expressed in bits (of data) per second (bps). Occasionally, it's expressed as bytes per second (Bps). A modem that works at 57,600 bps has twice the bandwidth of a modem that works at 28,800 bps. In general, a link with a high bandwidth is one that may be able to carry enough information to sustain the succession of images in a video presentation.

It should be remembered that a real communications path usually consists of a succession of links, each with its own bandwidth. If one of these is much slower than the rest, it is said to be a bandwidth bottleneck.

Do you need Dedicated IP when hosting your website ?

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Do you need Dedicated IP when hosting your website?

Many of us who is still beginner in web hosting industry didn't really know what is Dedicated IP/Static IP and does it really important to have dedicated IP for your site ?. And is there any difference between having dedicated IP and shared IP. In this article, I will try to explain and elaborate as much as possible so you can have better understanding and decide whether you really need them.

As the IP Address is getting harder and harder to get, most web hosting company doesn't offer dedicated IP to their hosting account. So basically when you host your site with them, you are sharing your IP Address with other web site and one IPaddress is normally shared by hundreds or even milion sites.

Then, the question is , how does it work, how did it knows how to load my site and is there any performance issue when your site IPAddress is shared between other web site?

The answer is that all the web request is handled by Web Server,and the webserver will load the your site based on the host header or virtual host name that your site is configured.

For example if the web server has 5 website and all sharing one IP, then the Network Admin has to configure host header or virtual host that is unique to your site such as www.yourdomain.com to your site.

And there is no performance benefit on using dedicated IP over shared IP. It all depends on your hosting provider bandwidth.

So what is the reason why people want dedicated IP?. The main reason is if you planning to use SSL on your site, then you need dedicated IP.If not then either static IP or shared IP doesn't make any difference.

Web Host Statistics

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Understanding your web site statistics is extremely valuable to the ongoing success of your web site. If you know information regarding the who, what, where, and how about visitors to your web site, this can provide tremendously useful data for understanding your user base. In particular:

Who – With a user’s IP address it is possible to know where person is located in the world.
What – What pages on your web site did the visitor view?
Where – Did the visitor get referred from another site or search engine? Did they have your site bookmarked?
How – How long did the visitor spend looking at your web site.

It is possible to gather all this information and more from the visitor without them even knowing, i.e. cookies do not need to be placed onto the visitor's computer to obtain this information. By using a good statistics program, you will be able to determine how many people have bookmarked your web site, how long the average user’s visits for and which are your most popular pages.

Web Host Statistics Terminology

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In order to get the most from your detailed traffic analysis report, you will need to understand some web statistics terminology. A few of the more common terms are explained below:

Uniques/Unique Visits

This is the number of unique visitors you had over a given period of time. For example, if there was only one person who visited your web site, but they visited 2,000 separate times in a day, the number of unique visits would just be one. The IP address of the visitor provides the information necessary to determine the uniqueness.

Visits

This is the absolute total visits, ignoring uniqueness, that a web site receives over a given period of time. With the example above, the total visits would be 2,000 for the day.

Page Views

A page views occurs each time a web page is loaded.

Hits

For every server request, a hit is counted. Therefore, a web page with 20 images will have multiple (20+) hits per page view.

Direct Address & Bookmarks

This number refers to the user’s who accessed your web site through their bookmarks or typed in your URL manually.

Referrer & Referral URL

This is the web address where the user followed a link to reach your web site.

Web Host Uptime

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Web Host Uptime

The term uptime refers to how often a site is available for web requests. The internet is always awake, which implies your web site needs to be up every minute of the day because you never know when a visitor is going to try and access your page. Therefore, it is essential that you have a web site host with a high uptime percentage.

Advertised Uptime

Most web hosts will advertise, and possibly guarantee, a "99.9%" uptime percentage. You should be very careful of such claims. If a host has a record of a exceptional uptime performance, they will post a history of their uptime performance, monitored by a 3rd party, such as Alertra or InternetSeer.

Also, web site hosts that work on a redundant network (i.e. those that have more than one data line to the internet) will be far more reliable than a web host that only has a single data line.

Monitor Server Uptime

For those of you who have already signed up for a web site host, you can use a 3rd party to regularly monitor your site's uptime and be notified by email if your web site becomes unresponsive. InternetSeer has a free monitoring system that checks your web site every hour. For more close monitoring, both Alertra or InternetSeer have pay for monitoring plans that are very comprehensive.

Web Host Backup

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

How would you feel if one of the following happened to you? Your web server's hard drive crashed. All your files were deleted after a hacker compromised your account. Your web host provider went out of business and you lost all your data.

These disastrous occurrences can happen with no warning, and without discretion. You may lose all your hard work forever, if you are not prepared for the worst. Therefore, it is extremely important to keep regular backups of your data. But do not panic, there are a many backup options for you to choose from, such as backup schedules, manual backups and automated backups.

Web Host Backup - Manual Backup

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The easiest method to backup your web site data is to download every file that exists on your account. You can do this with a simple FTP program by copying your main folder to your local hard drive.

It is a good idea to create a "Web Backup" folder on your computer, with a sub-folder for when each backup was created. With this approach, if your web site host removes your account, or you somehow lose your files, you can find a new host and upload your web site in full. The disadvantage of this backup method is that it can use a lot of your monthly bandwidth, as you are downloading all your data each time you perform a backup.

Web Host Backup - Automated Backup

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Many good web site hosts offer an automated backup solution. They normally follow one of the following backup schedules, with greater expense associated with more frequent backups:

daily
every other day
weekly
monthly backups

Automated backups can be extremely useful as you do not have the worry or hassle of remembering to backup your own data. If your web site is fairly static and does not change too much, a less frequent backup schedule may suit. However, if your content is changing frequently, then you may want to consider a daily backup option.

Web Host Types

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Depending upon your type of web site, you may need a different web host type. For instance, business web server applications, personal web sites and small business e-commerce web sites all require different types of web hosting solutions. A business would more than likely want a dedicated web server, which is managed 24 hours a day 7 days a week, by a staff of highly trained administrators. In contrast, if you operate a casual, personal web site, you may find that a free basic web hosting service is more than adequate for your needs.

When you are looking for a web site host, it is extremely important that one of your first considerations is defining exactly what your requirements are. When you have adequately defined your needs, you will be in a position to choose the right host type for you. In general terms, web host types can be characterized as one of the following:

Minimal Shared Hosting - Free, with very few features
Shared Hosting – One of the most popular choices where your web site is located on a server that hosts many other web sites also.
Dedicated Server Hosting Unmanaged – A server with just your web site hosted, but you have little or no customer support and the server administration is left up to you.
Dedicated Server Hosting Managed – A server with just your web site hosted, customer support is provided and the administration is normally taken care of.

Basic Shared Hosting

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

If you are new to web site design, it does not make a lot of sense to pay a monthly fee for a web hosting service when you hardly know how to create a web site. The choice of a free host is a logical solution for a person who wants to experiment with web site design, or possibly create a low traffic personal web site. A free hosting option will more than likely include a small quantity of storage and bandwidth. The features will also probably be quite limited, and my not include support for PHP, MySQL or multiple email addresses.

The bottom line is that free hosting is ideal if you want to practice your web site design, or possibly even host a web site for family and friends. But, a free hosting solution is not really practicable for a serious web master or business owner.

Shared Hosting

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The most popular type of web hosting on the market is shared hosting. Most small businesses, intermediate to large web sites, and professional web sites only require a small percentage of the resources on offer from a complete web server. If these web sites were to sit on their very own server, it would prove to be very expensive. On this point alone, the concept of shared hosting is extremely attractive.

A webserver’s features available will depend upon the specific hosting plan, however features that may be available include: PHP or ASP, MySQL, multiple email address and a much more storage space and bandwidth compared with a free host. The disadvantage of having a shared host is a reduction in security, due to the many other clients on your server. Also, the total number of email addresses, databases and domains are limited.

Unmanaged Dedicated Servers

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A dedicated web hosting plan may prove to be the best solution for you if you require more bandwidth, storage, or additional features that are not offered by a shared hosting plan. There are typically no limits to the number of databases or email addresses you can create with a dedicated server. The bandwidth available is much greater than for a shared server. If you run out of storage space, you can easily buy an additional hard drive for your server. The main disadvantage is that you must possess a great deal of knowledge regarding web server administration.

In order to be a talented server administrator you would need a large amount of training and computing knowledge. If your budget is a bit tight and you have the time to learn server administration the hard way, then you can look forward to what may become a challenging time ahead. But, if you can afford a managed dedicated host, this may prove to be a better solution for your requirements.

Managed Dedicated Servers

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

If your web site requirements are such that they cannot be met by a shared web hosting solution, but you do not have the knowledge or time to set up your own web server. If you do you know how to customize your web site to meet your requirements. If it is likely you are going to require a large amount of help to get your server box up and running and you will need support if something goes wrong, then a managed dedicated solution provider solution is probably best for you.

The area of managed hosting is an extremely specialized market, providing the option of a wide range of prices depending upon the level of security, reliability and the type of support you need. If you are looking for a managed dedicated server provider, it is a good idea do a few hours of research on the web or obtain a recommendation from a business associate. It is good practice to take your time and not to rush into a long term contract without being fully aware of the web hosting provider.

Web Host Yourself

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

With web servers faster than ever and hosting prices so inexpensive, there are very few reasons to host your own web site these days. Most internet sites use a very a small percentage of a web server's resources, meaning that a large number of web sites can be hosted by a single server with no negative side effects. If, however, you are still thinking about hosting your own web site, you may want to see if you meet most of the requirements below:

You possess a fair degree of technological knowledge.
You have a basic understanding of the issues surrounding server security.
You have broadband internet connection to the server.
You have lots of time to dedicate to various hosting tasks.
You possess extremely good problem solving skills.

If the above description fits your profile, then hosting your own web site may be a realistic solution for your requirements. But, if you do not meet these requirements, then it is probably a good idea to go for a professional web hosting solution.

Web Host Features

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

When you are looking for the best web host solution to meet your needs, you will be come across large lists of features provided by web host companies. Some of these features are not important, however, there are a few features that you should pay close attention to.

Domains

The majority of web hosts will give you the option of either registering a domain name when you sign up or allow you bring your own domain name across with you. Also, check how many domain names can be supported on your account. Later on, if you choose to own another domain name, it would beneficial to add it to an existing plan without any additional costs.

Sub Domains

The sub domain appears between the "http://www" and the domain name. For example, if yourbusiness.com has a sub domain "sub", then the address would be "http://www.sub.yourbusiness.com". Sub domains are no extra burden on a web server provider, but many hosting plans limit the number of sub domains which are allowed per account.

Databases

Databases are used for forums, calendars, customer orders and many other items. If you plan on having several of these items on a server, make sure your plan provides enough databases. The most common database for a web server is MySQL, which is a free open-source database system.

PHP Version

Make sure that the PHP version on your web server is up to date, otherwise PHP scripts may not run properly.

Hot Link Protection

With Hot Link Protection, media files located on your web server cannot be directly linked by other people. If someone tries to link directly to your image, the request will be denied, preventing them from using up your bandwidth. This is very useful for web sites that have a large amount of media files.

Web Hosting - FTP Access

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

There are two basic kinds of File Transfer Protocol (FTP) access to a web site server. The first is password protected FTP, which is a common way for webmasters to manage their web files. Some web hosts may have a web interface which allows uploading of files without the need to use an FTP program, however, not having direct FTP access to your web files can be onerous sometimes.

Another type of FTP access is anonymous FTP. With this type of FTP you can upload files to a publicly accessible directory and users can directly connect to your server with anonymous FTP to access these files. There is no requirement for a password with this type of FTP access.

Another important point to be aware of is whether file transfers over FTP count against your allotted bandwidth allowance.

Web Hosting - Bandwidth

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Bandwidth is a measurement of the amount of data that is sent from your web host's server down to the visitor’s computer. If a lot of people visitor your web site and they all download large files, then you will need lots of bandwidth. It is not uncommon for bad planning to result in a web site being inadvertently shut down in the middle of the month because the site was much more popular than expected. To prevent this from happening, it is essential to carefully monitor bandwidth usage and plan ahead.

How Much Bandwidth?

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

One main difference between a basic and expensive plan for a web host may be the difference in the amount of bandwidth per month. The majority of web hosts will define the bandwidth amount in GB (Gigabytes, where 1 GB = 1,000 MB).

An easy way to calculate the amount of bandwidth you will need in a month is shown below:

Total Bandwidth = visits a day * page views per visit * average page size * 30 (number of days a month)

For example, a site with 500 visits a day, 6 page views per visit, and a page size of 65KB (kilobyte):

500 * 6 * 65KB * 30 = 5,850,000KB = 5,850 MB = 5.85 GB

Therefore, this example web site would require a plan with a minimum of 5.85 GB of bandwidth a month. Bear in mind, it is best to allow for future growth, so it would be a good idea to choose a plan with extra bandwidth. This also helps if there an unusually large amount of visitors in single given month.

Web Hosting - Dedicated Lines

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

There are some web hosting solutions which come with a dedicated connection of some speed. These are more commonly associated with dedicated server plans. In general, these dedicated lines vary in speed from 256kb/s (kilobits per second) up to 100Mb/s (megabits per second). These alternatives are particularly useful for web sites with a steady stream of visitors, with little requirement for burst bandwidth. The term burst bandwidth is used when a web site is sending data at an unusually high rate compared to what it would normally send. With a dedicated line, as opposed to a certain amount of bandwidth per month, your site will not be able to handle any high peaks in bandwidth.

The table below provides a guide as to how much bandwidth (in GB) you would be able to get out of a dedicated line over a one month period, assuming ideal conditions. The Real World amount is probably closer to what you will actually get.

Dedicated Line	Optimal GB/Month	Real World GB/Month
256Kb/s	82 GB	~75 GB
512Kb/s	165 GB	~130 GB
1Mb/s	324 GB	~270 GB
10Mb/s	3,240 GB	~2,700 GB
100Mb/s	32,400 GB	~27,000 GB

Email Aliases

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

An email alias is basically the name associated with a particular email address. For example, Rob works at www.yourbusiness.com and his email alias is rob. Therefore, his email address is rob@yourbusiness.com. If you are a personal web site owner, you may manage with only one email alias. However, large businesses will more than likely need many email aliases, one for each employee. When you are researching web host providers, make sure the plan you are interested in has enough email aliases for your requirements.

Spam Protection

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

There are a huge number of spam spiders that are relentlessly crawling the Internet looking for email addresses to add to their hit list. If a web site posts their email address on their web site, they will undoubtedly receive spam email. To counteract this spam, most web hosts include anti-spam software that protects, to some extent, your inbox. When you are searching for a web host, if they do not have a spam filter or anti-spam software, then you may want to continue your search until you locate a quality web host provider.

Can I Host My Web Site on My Home Computer?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Are you thinking about hosting your web site from your personal computer? If so, here are a few facts you should know.

It is essential that you know how to set up Internet server software on your PC. This software will allow Internet users to see the web sites you place on your PC. Some examples of the software needed are Microsoft’s Peer Web Services, Microsoft’s Internet Information Server or Apache.

You will need to find out if your internet service provider allows you to run web sites on your home computer. You may need an upgraded Internet plan in order to host websites from your home PC.

In order to host a web site from your home PC, the computer must be left on all the time. If you turn your computer off, or if it restarts for any reason, your web site will be down until your computer is up and running again.

You will also find that your web page will load slowly. Home Internet connections are not intended for web site hosting. This means your site will load much slower on your viewer’s computer than if it were hosted by a professional web host provider.

Therefore, if paying additional money for an upgraded connection is not a problem and if you do not mind that your web site’s down time depends on whether your home computer shuts down or reboots, and if a speedy upload time are not concerns of yours, you may be happy enough hosting your web site from your own home computer. However, this is certainly not the case for the majority of people who want to have a web site on the Internet.

What are Nameservers?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Nameservers are special computers accessible on the Internet which describe where a web site is physically located. Nameservers are responsible for a process called resolving. Resolving is a special process where a domain name matching your website is taken and a physical address is determined.

When a visitor goes to your website, the resolving process begins. The visitor enters your domain name in their Internet browser. The browser then searches the nameservers about the location of the server to find out just where your website is located. It then connects to the server and opens your web page. The process is similar to looking through a phone book. For example, when you pick up the phone book to look for the name Fred Smith, it is like the beginning of the resolving process – just like typing a name into the Internet browser. When you find the phone number, you have resolved the process, just like a nameserver helps find the address of a web site.

Strictly speaking, the resolving process is not something you as the web site developer must complete or even need to understand. However, you will need to know some of the basic information. You will need to provide the names of the nameservers when you buy or set up your domain name. Your web host provider will assign your nameservers when you subscribe to their hosting service. Apart from that, let the computer and name server deal with everything else.

Managed or Unmanaged Web Host Plan?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Are you planning to order a dedicated server? If so, you will need to know the difference between managed and unmanaged servers. The one major difference between managed servers and unmanaged servers is who actually manages the server.

Managed servers are hosted and managed by your web hosting company. As a customer, you will be able to look after the basics, like domains and mailboxes, however the web host company remains responsible for all server configurations and maintenance.

Unmanaged servers are actually self managed by the customer, that’s you. Unlike the managed server, you are responsible for configuring and maintaining the server. It will be your responsibility to keep the server’s software up to date. An unmanaged server is less expensive, but it does require Unix knowledge and time to maintain and configure the server.

When looking at the pros and cons of managed versus unmanaged servers, remember the old adage; time is money. Bear in mind, that the increased cost associated with managed servers is due to the service a managed server provides. You can either pay someone else to deal with the management of the server or you can save a little money and do it yourself. However, if you are not familiar with Unix and have little experience, it should be a simple decision to go with a managed server.

Dedicated or Shared Web Hosting Plan?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Two kinds of web hosting services are available: shared and dedicated.

Shared web hosting is just as it sounds. Many web sites are located on a single server. The price is cheaper than a dedicated hosting as it is split up among several web site owners. The negative side is that storage and bandwidth are limited in a shared hosting situation. But, most small to medium size businesses operate their web sites on a shared host effectively and efficiently. If you only expect a few thousand visitors per day or less, shared hosting can be a good choice for your web site.

Dedicated web hosting is just that. A single server is used solely for the purpose of hosting one web site. If anticipate having an extremely popular web site, this option will allow you to host many more visitors than shared web hosting. A dedicated web host is recommended for web sites that need a lot of bandwidth or need high storage capacity. As you are not sharing it with other web sites, it all belongs to you on a dedicated server and nobody else can slow you down.

As you are looking for potential web hosts, there are a number of indicators you can look for to determine whether the host is shared or dedicated. Most times the web host will say whether it is shared or dedicated. In general, if it does not say, it will be shared. The price will also provide an indication as to whether the provider is a shared or dedicated server.

Linux, Unix or Windows Server Software?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The operating system on which you web host server runs is an important piece of information to know as you design your web pages. This is because the server’s operating system determines what scripting languages can run and what databases can be supported.

Web host servers can run on one of three major operating systems. The Linux operating system allows scripts like Perl, PHP, Python and other languages based on Unix. A server operating on

Linux also generally supports MySQL and PostgreSQL databases.

Web servers run on Unix operating systems, like Solaris or FreeBSD, have the same capabilities as servers run on the Linux operating system.

Windows servers provide ASP scripts, utilizing .NET and other Microsoft technologies. Windows operating system also supports Microsoft’s SQL Server database.

In the case of your web site not running any scripts, it does not matter what operating system your web host server uses. When the script does not make a difference, most website builders choose a server with either the Linux or Unix web hosting as they are generally cheaper. However, if you want to use scripts or a database, you should select an operating system which supports those technologies. If you are in doubt about which operating system you should use then contact your web host to determine which choice is best for your needs.

Unix versus Windows

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Web Hosting - Unix versus Windows

In general, if you are not sure about which web site hosting platform to use, it would be a safe bet to go with Unix web hosting. It is the most commonly used platform for web hosting on the internet. You can use a Unix web host regardless of which desktop operating system you are using. Many people design their web site using a Windows or Macintosh computer and subsequently publish them on the Unix web host platform. It provides the most cost effective, and feature rich web presence for you with the ability to add dynamic content and features to your site at a later stage.

Windows web hosting provides a specific set of features that may be required if you are engaging the service of a web developer who is using Microsoft's technology such as ASP.NET or Microsoft SQL Database. If you are using a web developer, it is best to ask for their advice on this.

What is an Email Box?

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EDT

By offering an email address that is personalized by your domain name (for example, sales@mywebsite.com or similar), you are doing two things to help build your business. The first is you are opening communication between you and your customer and making it easier for them to contact you directly. Secondly, you are repeating the name of your website, which is a form of advertising.

In order to get the most from the mailboxes associated with your web hosting account, you need to understand a little about how they work. To check the mail at your domain email box, you will need a POP3 access. This POP3 access is provided by your email program. If you know your email address, the rest of the process should be easy. Just enter your password and get your email. The POP3 email is sent through the server where your domain was purchased.

There is also another way to get email. Some web hosts offer SMTP email and they do not even require the POP3 procedure to get to your email. The web host handles your email and puts it in your inbox and all you have to do is check the email. However, you must remember to check these email addresses, so your web site customers can get in touch with you. After all, you don’t want to miss that business opportunity, do you?

What is a Shopping Cart?

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A web site store without a shopping cart is like owning a regular retail location and telling customers they can look but they can’t buy. Doesn’t make sense, does it?

To enable a shopping cart on your web site, you will need shopping cart software that allows your customers to purchase your merchandise online.

Most web site host providers offer shopping cart scripts as part of their hosting packages. The shopping cart scripts on your website are used to process orders placed by your web store shoppers. The scripts also help you develop a database of shoppers, allowing you to keep track of who bought what, when they bought it and their total costs.

However, the shopping cart script is not always the total solution for your Internet store. If you want to accept payments online you will need to register with a merchant solutions company so you can accept credit cards. A merchant solutions company will set you up to accept credit card payments through your online store. The only other option, if you already own a retail location and are already accepting credit cards there, is to process your internet store orders through your retail credit card process as a “phone order.” You may like to check with your merchant solutions account representative first, to make sure this type of processing is permitted. In order for your internet store to be profitable, you must find a way for your customers to shop and pay easily and conveniently. Most people shop with a credit or debit card these days, and if you do not accept them, you will miss a lot of sales.

What is a SSL Certificate?

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Most people are aware that information sent over the internet can sometimes be read by other people. There are frequent media reports about online identity theft and many of us know someone who has been affected by it. To help keep sensitive information, like credit card numbers, more secure, a special internet protocol was developed.

To help with internet security, the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), was created. You can easily tell a Secure Sockets Layer by its web address prefix, “https.” The SSL makes use of cryptographic encryption of data sent to and from your website. This enables SSL to keep malicious outsiders from decrypting the sensitive information. Your customers feel secure because they know that their information has been transmitted over the internet with appropriate security precautions.

In order to use “https”, you require a SSL certificate. The certificate is actually special data identifying your server and informing internet browsers how to encrypt the data that is sent to it. When you use an SSL certificate, you ensure your e-commerce customers that they are downloading data from your site only. Your SSL certificate is only valid with your web site's domain name. Your SSL certificate also guarantees your internet shoppers that the information that they send via the internet is secure, because only your server knows how to decode it.

Web host providers may include SSL certificates with their hosting packages. Others may require you to buy your SSL certificate separately.

What is a Database?

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EDT

In what ways can a database be useful on your web site? You may have a price list that you would like to publish, or a list of items up for sale along with their product number. If you have a website for a club or organization, it may be helpful to have a list of. In all these situations, a database could be useful.

A database allows you to organize lots of different information for your web site visitors. By searching your database, your online customers can browse your online store to find specific items they are interested in. The database requires a script to make this interactive search possible and the searches performed on your database are called queries. Queries and searches on your website are created with the use of scripts.

If you have some programming experience, it is likely that you will know which scripts need to be created to put together a searchable database. If you are like most people and use a website builder, your site building program likely includes the options of database search or query. Luckily for beginners, many website building programs include the use of scripts to obtain the same results as though they had been custom made for your project.

Many of the popular databases today are generated using MySQL, PostgreSQL and Microsoft’s SQL server. Most website builder programs already have database search scripts written in.

What are Scripting Languages?

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EDT

People who are unfamiliar with web site design, might think “scripts” are the curly fonts you may have included on your web page. However, scripts are more important than that. The sights and sounds you create on your web page are all created with script languages like PHP, Perl, ASP or CGI.

The scripting languges PHP, Perl and ASP are among the most popular. Thanks to programmers and easy to use software, you may be using them daily and not even know it.

Web design beginners are probably using a software program that will save you the time of learning about scripts. You just need to be aware that your web site building software is full of scripts that make the program work how you want it to.

Web pages use scripts for a variety of applications. They allow the use of guest books on web sites. Scripts allow comments to be posted on blogs. Any web site that publishes the day or date and updates it on its own, it is able to do so by using a script. There are many uses for scripts when working with web pages. If you need to have a programmer’s knowledge of them or not depends on the web site software you are using.

How Much Disk Space Do I Need?

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Disk space, or storage size, refers to the amount of hard disk space the hosting company offers for your web pages. All your documents, images, graphics, animations, etc. all must fit into your allotted disk space.

Web hosting companies all offer different amounts of storage space. So, how do you know how much you need? You can get an estimate of required storage space by looking at your local disk. Check how much space your web page requires on your local disc. If you use Windows Explorer, just click on the folder where your sites are located and choose “Properties.” Your web page will take similar amount of storage on the server as it takes on your hard disk.

You should consider future expansion or improvements to your web site, by allowing for some extra storage when signing up for the web hosting service. This way new content and files will fit on the server as well. Use a web host that can offer you increased storage when it is necessary. As a general guide, it is a good idea to buy at least 50% more storage than your initial website requirements.

How Much Bandwidth Do I Need?

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EDT

When you are looking at potential web host providers, one of the terms you will come across is “bandwidth.” It is important to know the bandwidth your web host is offering and it is just as important to know the bandwidth your website will need.

The bandwidth of a web site is the amount of data that web site visitors can download from a web site. You can estimate the amount of bandwidth your website may require by knowing how large your pages will be and how many people you think will view your website on a daily or monthly basis. The easiest way to determine how much bandwidth your web site will need is to ask your web host to help you estimate your need based on that information your page sizes and traffic estimates.

Your web host provider may have a monthly bandwidth limit and if your website goes over this limit you will need to buy more. However, with careful planning you should be able to avoid this happening. Try to avoid a web hosting company that offers too little bandwidth. Typical bandwidth offered by the larger web hosts range from 200 GB to 6,000 GB.

What is an Administrator Control Panel?

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The administrator control panel, or admin panel, is the control center of your web hosting. You will use the admin panel to manage all the components of your server.

You will use the admin panel to set up and manage mail boxes. It also used to assign different domains and subdomains to your server. The admin panel helps you to manage password protection of certain directories on your server. The admin panel is also used to manage databases. The admin panel is also extremely important to importing any SSL certificates you have.

The admin panel also allows you to manage many different properties of your web hosting account.

Both H-Sphere and cPanel admin panels are very popular. Their main advantage is they are user friendly and offer several options that will help you manage and maintain your web site. Both H-Sphere and cPanel are designed to make the administration of web sites very easy. cPanel is designed for use by commercial web hosting services. H-Sphere is generally sold as part of a bundle with VPS and dedicated server packages provided by professional web hosting providers. The H-Sphere program allows the user to configure many common server management tasks, but it does not require a great knowledge of the server’s operating system.

Different Kinds of Web Hosting

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

There are many different kinds of web site hosting setups, which are mainly dependent upon your web site itself and your budget. A description of some of the general kinds of web hosting are presented below:

1. Free Web Hosting

There are free web hosting accounts around. They are suitable for small web sites, however, there is normally a banner advertisement at the top of every page, which can look unprofessional. A free web hosting service may be suitable for you, if you answer yes to all the following questions:

I am not worried about having banner advertisements at the top of every page of my web site.
I am not overly concerned with either the performance or reliability of my web site
I do not expect, or need, customer support
I only have a small web site and am not expecting huge growth

2. Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is the most common type of web hosting service and has the potential to be inexpensive. With shared hosting, you pay a regular fee (for example, monthly or yearly) and in return you get a share on a server. With very low cost plans, you may only get a small amount of disk space and not much bandwidth. Reliability can be an issue if you are sharing the server with lots of other web sites. More costly plans will increase your allocated disk space, the bandwidth available and may increase the reliability.

3. Dedicated Hosting

A dedicated web site host has a complete server dedicated to only your web site. This greatly increases your freedom and you can potentially host many of your own web sites on the single server. Normally dedicated servers are reserved for large ecommerce type web sites or sites that have a very large number of visitors each day. A dedicated web host is very reliable, but is much more expensive than a shared hosting service.

4. Colocated Hosting

This is similar to dedicated hosting except that you own the web site server instead of renting it. The server is located in a datacenter and connected to the internet through a web hosting providers internet connection. The service requires a maintenance and bandwidth fee.

There are a lot of options for web site hosting and it can be confusing to find the best solution to match your specific needs. The first step before selecting a web hosting service is to determine exactly what your own needs are. It may be tempting to go for a service which offers all the bells and whistles, but you may not actually need such a comprehensive service.

Determining Your Needs - Disk Space

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Disk Space

Web pages that are written in html are normally quite small, and are on average between 40 - 50KB for each page. This enables you to store many web pages in a small amount of disk space. If your web site has lots of images you will need more disk space. Any web site that uses a big database will also require lots of space. But if you are not using a large database and do not have lots of images, then it is unlikely that you will need large amounts of disk space.

Disk space terminology is shown below:

1 Byte	1 character
1 kilobyte (KB)	1000 Bytes
1 megabyte (MB)	1000 KB
1 gigabyte (GB)	1000 MB

Disk space is not expensive to buy and many web hosting plans offers large amount of disk space for not much money. It doesn’t hurt to have extra space, but about 20 MB should be sufficient unless you are a huge site.

Determining Your Needs - Bandwidth

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transferred from the web site server where your web site is hosted, to the browser of the person who is viewing your web site. Bandwidth is usually stated as monthly limit in either MB or GB. If you exceed your bandwidth limit, there may be an additional fee, or access to your web site may be restricted. The consequences of going over your limit will be determined by what plan you are on. The amount of bandwidth is directly related to the number of visitors to your web site.

You may want to be careful of web hosting companies that offer unlimited bandwidth. Deals that sound too good to be true should ring alarm bells. Bandwidth is a commodity that the web site hosting company has to pay for, which means that unlimited bandwidth (even if it was possible) would cost unlimited money. The web hosting company is assuming that you will not use that much bandwidth. The moment you do try and use a lot of bandwidth, your web site will probably be shut down.

The majority of web sites use less than 2 GB of bandwidth a month. If you plan to download a lot of software, audio or video, then you may use a lot more bandwidth, maybe 50 GB. For the average site, a low amount of bandwidth is usually enough.

Determining Your Needs - Support

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Support

In terms of the level of customer service support you require from your web site hosting company, there are a number of important questions you need to answer, which include,

Do you want phone support?
Will only email support be okay?
Will you require support 24/7?

If you only have a small website that is not essential to your financial stability then you probably don't need phone support or 24/7 support. Bear in mind that it costs web hosting companies to provide this level of support. If you don’t need this service, then maybe you should consider a plan with a reduced level of support and save a few dollars.

Determining Your Needs - Server Type

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Server Type

If your web site is small, then you probably will not need a particular or special type of server for your web site. The most common types of server are Windows, Linux and Unix. A Windows server for web hosting can be a little more expensive than a Linux server. If your web site needs to run a Microsoft SQL server database, or use Microsoft Active Server pages, then a Windows server is your best choice. If you don’t require SQL or Microsoft Active Server pages, then you will not need a Windows server and probably any type of server will be fine for your web site.

The only difference between Windows and Linux hosting is the language in which your web site is created. Both options can provide the same speed, performance and accessibility. The operating system of your computer does not need to match the type of hosting you select.

Cheap Web Hosting

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

You are sure to come across web hosting deals that are too good to be true. We have all seen them before, super cheap web hosting with an amazing list of features.

There can be web site hosts that offer cheap prices and also excellent performance and service, but you need to be careful and take note of the following:

Pay careful attention to the Terms of Service (TOS) of the web hosting provider and their Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) documents. Some lees scrupulous hosts try to limit the activity of their customers through these two documents, so read them carefully and understand their implications.

There is no such thing as unlimited bandwidth or unlimited space. Both bandwidth and space are commodities that the web hosting company will need to pay for. It is most likely that the web host assumes you will not use very much bandwidth or disk space. If you do try and use a lot of bandwidth or disk space, you may find your web site taken offline.

It is possible that some hosts will reduce the quality of bandwidth and the overall performance in order to save money and in turn offer you a cheap price. A good way to check this is to visit the host's website multiple times in a day to see that it remains fast loading.

As a general rule, Windows hosting is more expensive than Unix hosting.

What level of support does the web host offer? Visit their online documentation and see how comprehensive it is. If you are paying a bargain monthly fee, do not expect instant support. Many hosts offer flash tutorials online which can be an excellent way to learn the features the web host offers.

It always pays to do your own research. Visit Google, check out some web hosting forums and look up feedback on the host you are interested in.

Just because a host is cheap does not mean that you will receive 'cheap' service, but you must be careful.

How to Find a Perfect Web Host

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

First of all, you must understand that there is no perfect web hosting plan out there. It is extremely unlikely that you will be able to find a web site hosting plan that fits every requirement, budget and web site. However, it is possible to find the perfect web host for you.

The first thing you need to do is determine exactly what you need from your web host provider. Are you budget conscience and want a cheap web site host? Do you have a requirement for a web host to have a datacenter near you so that you have easy access to a dedicated or collocated server?

You need to focus on your web site itself. Will you be doing anything that requires large amounts of disk space or bandwidth? Will your company web site be able to stand with one hundred other sites on a shared hosting account, sharing the drive and IP address? The best web hosting plans for you may not have large limits, but may keep their web space and yours at a maintainable level in a catered-to environment.

When you have worked out what your web site will do for you, determine how it will do those things. Do you need ASP hosting on a Windows or modified Linux server? While most business web hosting accounts are strong enough to handle many simultaneous visitors, will your database or cart that accompanied your ecommerce web hosting be able to take that much pressure? Simultaneous activity is one of the weak points in a cheap host and its ability to deliver reliable website hosting service.

Once you have looked at your web site hosting needs and how those needs can be satisfied, you can focus on finding the most affordable web hosting that can also accommodate your requirements. It is not a good idea to find the cheapest host and buy a plan blind, because you will get what you pay for. The best approach is to select your web hosting service based on your own individual needs, and then choose a provider and plan that satisfies those needs.

Standard or Dynamic Web Site Hosting?

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Does your web site include interactive features such as forms, blogs and search functions? If so, you will need to consider a dynamic web hosting package. Dynamic web hosting employs database technology directly on the server which processes the changing information and presents the newly generated webpage to the visitor. Most basic web sites will not require dynamic hosting, but it may be worth considering whether your own website will evolve and may subsequently require dynamic website hosting in the future.

Web Hosting: Definition & Information

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Web hosting

Definition

The business of providing the storage, connectivity, and services necessary to serve files for a website.

Information

A company that provides web hosting services is called a web host, and their detailed offers of storage, connectivity, and services are called web hosting plans.

There are literally thousands of web hosting services, ranging from individuals to worldwide corporations, and many web hosts offer multiple web hosting plans.

Below are basic checklists with some factors to consider when searching for a web host and a web hosting plan. Your requirements may vary.

Checklist For Web Hosts

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Checklist For Web Hosts:

Company - dependability, stability, profitability.
People - honesty, integrity, professionalism.
Location - local, regional, national, worldwide.
Reliability - uptime measured as a percentage.
Redundancy - multiple connections to the Net.
Availability - can handle peak traffic volumes.
Scalability - prepared to accomodate growth.
Hardware - fast servers with quality components.
Monitoring - automatic checking of the network.
Backups - good frequency and easy recovery.
Technical Support - experienced and helpful.
Support Hours - real 24/7 vs. promised 24/7.
Response Time - average in minutes or hours.
Support Methods - free/toll phone, email, IM.
Policies - accepts or rejects offensive sites.
Fine Print - does it contradict the big print?

Checklist For Web Hosting Plans

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Checklist For Web Hosting Plans:

Operating System - Unix, Linux, Windows, etc.
Disk Space - "storage" - often measured in MB.
Additional Space - cost for exceeding the limit.
Data Transfer - "traffic" - often measured in GB.
Additional Transfer - cost for exceeding the limit.
Email - POP3, autoresponders, forwarding.
Databases - storage space and database type.
Scripting Languages - PHP, ASP, JSP, etc.
CGI-Bin - custom scripting or prepared scripts.
FrontPage - special extensions needed for FP.
IP Address - unique number just for your website.
Log Files - the "raw" line-by-line detail of activity.
Statistics - summaries, sometimes with graphics.
Secure Server (SSL) - needed for e-commerce.
Shopping Cart - some hosts offer a default cart.
Control Panel - web-based account management.
Setup Time - automatic, hours, days, or unknown.
Payment Terms - monthly, quarterly, yearly, other.
Price - satisfy your needs, then worry about price.

Why Do You Need Web Site Hosting?

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Web site hosting

Web site hosting is where a company provides server space to users who wish to build and maintain their own web sites on the internet. Web site hosting providers are sometimes called the backbone of the internet, as they are responsible for the continued running of all online web sites.

Why Do You Need a Web Site Host?

There are lots of reasons why you may need a web site host provider. You may operate your own small business and you want to build a strong online presence. To enable you to build your own e-commerce web site, you will need a web site host. A web site host will provide you with the tools and space to build your own business web site on the internet. As well as providing the ability to host your web site, many web site hosting providers can also provide assistance with web site design.

Other Reasons for Web Site Hosting

Even if you do not have your own small business, you may still require a web site host. You may like to build a space online where you can post pictures and footage with family members and friends. There are many inexpensive web site hosting providers that can provide a range of services. There are even many free web site hosting providers which may be able to provide a service which satisfies your requirements.

Web Hosting Customer Service

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

How do assess if you have found a great web hosting company? Customer service is extremely important when you are determining the best web hosting solution for your requirements. It is advisable to examine closely the customer service of each company you are interested in. Many people feel that the site with great customer service will make the best web host.

But how can you determine whether a web hosting company has great customer service? One extremely effective approach is to take each hosting company out for a customer service 'test drive'. Give their customer service center a call with some questions and see what kind of answers you get, or don't get. Write a few emails and see which company does the best job at responding in a prompt and timely fashion whilst still answering your questions.

Don't be afraid to shop around until you find a web host who makes you feel comfortable. You want to be sure that if you do strike a problem, you host will have a responsive customer service department.

Traditional versus Reseller Programs

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

When searching for a web site hosting service that meets your needs, you may have to decide between a traditional web hosting service or a reseller program.

A traditional web hosting service means that the site provides all of its own hardware and maintenance. A reseller site, however, does not operate its own hardware. Reseller hosts register their accounts with another web host provider, and then sell that space to others searching for web site hosting. To find the best web hosting reseller program, make sure you find one who can offer you the same features as a traditional web hosting provider.

Finding the Right Web Host for Your Business

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Finding the right web host for your commercial business can be difficult. There are a few considerations which can make the decision a little clearer.

If you require a more commercially-driven web site, then you will need to find a web host that can provide you with all of the services and features that you will need to run a high performance web site. For example, if you plan on building a commercial website, you will probably need access to the latest software and security features. In this situation, find a web hosting company that can provide you with the latest web hosting software and services for your commercial web site.

Make sure you find out what kind of bandwidth the company offers, what kind of customer support system they have, POP email access, FTP transfer limitations, and other features that you will probably want for your commercial website.

E-Commerce Guide

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

E-Commerce Guide

Electronic commerce, or e-commerce, refers to the process of buying products or services over the internet. One way purchasing online is by using a credit card and the way in which this process works is described below:

The buyer visits the online web store to purchase your service or product. The transaction details are then carried over a secure connection, or SSL, to the web host's server.
The credit card details are encrypted and handled by the Payment Processing Gateway, which manages the transaction.
The movement of funds is processed by the merchant account.
The funds are then debited from the buyers credit card account.
The funds are then deposited into the seller's bank account.

Managing E-commerce

There are different approaches to managing e-commerce transactions on your website. The simplest method is allowing a third party, such as Paypal, to deal with all your e-commerce processing. Another method is by incorporating everything into your web site pages.

To handle everything directly through your own web site, your site will need to be designed to show your merchandise,

You can then incorporate a shopping cart system.
Or, you can make a system of your own, with a customized web site and database.

If you are going to accept credit card transactions through your web site, it is important you have Secure Socket Layer, or SSL, encryption in place. This ensures all transaction details are encrypted as they travel between the buyers PC and the server. When using an SSL protected system, a small lock icon can be seen on your web browser at the bottom right of the screen.

There are two ways of incorporating SSL into your web site.

You can share the SSL area with the hosts.
Or, you can purchase your own SSL certificate. This requires an annual fee and you will need a hosting account and a unique IP address. This method can appear more professional than using a third party such as Paypal.

If you decide to handle e-commerce transactions via your website, rather than allowing a third party to manage them, you will also need to set up a Merchant Account and a processor account.

Glossary of Web Hosting Terms

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Address

A unique which identifies a web site. More commonly known as a URL, which stands for Uniformed Resource Locator.

Archive

Large files for storing important data. They are often compressed to free up disk space.

Bandwidth

Is a measure of the amount of data that can be transferred from one point to another point over the internet during a fixed time period.

Bot

An automated piece of software used to crawl the internet.

Certificate

Digital Identification used in e-commerce for Secure Socket Layer (SSL) transactions. Data contained within includes owners name, issuer, hostname, expiry date and owner's public key.

CGI

Common Gateway Interface. This is the standard protocol for interfacing web servers with external application software. Written in programming language such as Perl, or C++ and usually stored in a special directory, such as CGI-BIN. It is often used to process data from HTML formatted forms.

CGI_BIN

The directory used to store CGI scripts.

Co-location (colo)

This is when a web server is stored in a dedicated facility, such as a data center, that provides high-speed internet connection, security and safety measures, backup and technical support. The client manages both the hardware and the software.

Database

An application that stores information in a structured format. One of the most common databases is a relational database. The most frequently used language for database query retrieval is SQL. MySQL is used with Linux hosts while MS SQL or Access is used with Windows servers.

Dedicated Server

These are similar to the co-location server set up, except that the server is rented from the web hosting provider. Some advantages are a higher level of support and easier upgrades. A dedicated server is necessary for sites that use large amounts of bandwidth and resources.

DNS

Domain Name System. A service used by the internet to map domains with the corresponding IP addresses. The database is replicated and distributed among many servers meaning any changes to a website's IP address will take several days to come into effect.

Domain Name

The name given to a website that has been chosen by the owner. It is translated by DNS into a unique IP address. Domain names are given a hierarchal structure, with the suffix denoting the top level domain, such as .com, .gov, or .org.

Firewall

A software application used to protect a network or system from unauthorized access or attack.

FTP

File Transfer Protocol. An internet protocol system, determining how files should be shared between clients and servers.

Hit

A term used to describe a request from a web browser. The data sent in response to the query is a file in either text or binary form, such as audio, images, video, etc.

Home Page

The main page of a website, which is the first page displayed when visiting a particular domain.

Host

A computer in a network used to provide a specific service. The term generally refers to a machine that stores the data from individual websites and used as a web server.

HTML

Hypertext Mark-up Language. The programming language in which web pages are written. Text and images can be combined on a single page with many formatting options available. One of the main features is hypertext, which allows links between web pages. Clicking on any hypertext link will take the user to another webpage.

IMAP

Internet Message Access Protocol. A method that permits an email program on the client-side to access messages remotely, which are stored on a mail server. The protocol allows creation, deletion, searching and parsing of emails as well as renaming mailboxes, checking for messages, and clearing or setting flags.

Internet Protocol. This is the etiquette and code of behavior used on the internet.

IP Address

Internet Protocol Address. A unique set of numbers that identify devices connected to the internet.

PHP

An Open Source scripting language used in server-side applications. Can be embedded into

HTML coding.

POP

Post Office Protocol. A standard used for email retrieval where all messages are downloaded simultaneously.

Server

A computer, connected to a network that stores web sites and deals with client requests for web pages.

Shopping cart

E-commerce software that allows users to select items from an online store. Items are held in the cart until the customer is ready to go through checkout and purchase the items.

URL

Uniform Resource Locator. The addressing system used on the internet. It contains the type of service, or protocol, followed by the host name, followed by the file extension.

Web Hosting- Two Options

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Web site hosting refers to a service that makes your web site available to your users. In general, most web sites are intended to be viewed by anyone on the Internet, at any time. If you want anyone on the Internet to be able to view your web site at any time, you need to make sure your web site is running on a computer which is connected to the Internet 24 hours per day, 7 days per week (24/7).

To do this you have two options.

Option 1: Hosting the Web Site Yourself

Hosting the web site yourself means that you will need to have the right equipment, including a web server and a permanent connection to the Internet. You would need to ensure that your Internet service provider (ISP) allows this type of usage too. You would also need to have web site administration skills such as managing/configuring a web server, patch management, firewalls, virus protection etc.

Most people don't do their own web site hosting. Even if they have the skills or equipment, it often makes more sense to hand this task to a third party who can monitor the web site 24/7.

Option 2: Find a Hosting Provider to Host your Web Site

This is the most common choice for web site hosting. Using a third party hosting provider allows you to concentrate on developing your web site (or whatever else it is you may do), and leave the hosting tasks up to a company who (presumably) specializes in web site hosting.

A good web site hosting company will provide at least the following services:

* 24/7 support

* 24/7 FTP access (so you can update your web site)

* A number of email accounts (i.e. yourName@yourDomain.com)

* Online control panel for managing your web site

* Online traffic statistics (so you can see how much traffic your web site receives)

* A robust database management system, such as MySQL or MS SQL. This is so you can add your own database if required

If you require specialized server application software such as ColdFusion, SQL Server, or PHP, you will need to check that the hosting provider supports this.

Once you start looking for a web site hosting provider, you will notice there is a very large difference in how much they charge. You will also notice that most web hosts have multiple hosting plans, each at different prices. Any good web host will allow you to upgrade a plan later on if required, so don't feel as though you need to start off on a plan that costs more than you need.

Step 1: Create a list

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Step 1: Create a list

I recommend you create a list of essential features/services that you must have. All items on your list should be items you can't do without. You might also like to create another list which includes your preferred features/services. These are items that would be nice to have, but aren't essential.

On your list, create a column for the features/services, another column for your requirement, then a column for each hosting provider you investigate. Alternatively, if you are investigating many, you might like to have just 1 column for the hosting provider, and simply create a new list for each provider.

Your list/s could look something like this:

Feature/service	My Requirement	Hosting Provider 1	Hosting Provider 2
How much disk space do I need (now and in the future)?
How much bandwidth do I need (now and in the future)?
How much traffic do I need to support?
Website availability - how much downtime am I prepared to accept?
Do I need a domain name?
Do I need email addresses at my domain? How many?
Do I need support for a server-side scripting language? If so, which one/s? (eg. ColdFusion, PHP, .NET etc)
Do I need support for a database? If so, which one/s? (eg. MS Access, SQL Server, mySQL)
Do I need e-commerce facilities (i.e. shopping cart, payment gateway)?
Do I need SSL (for protecting user details such as login info, credit card details etc)?
What are my traffic reporting requirements? (eg. unique visitor sessions, page views, referrer info, client browser info etc)
Any other reporting requirements? (eg. RAM usage, CPU usage, Disk usage, network availability etc). If so, how would I like these reports delivered and how often (eg. via online control panel, monthly via email, hardcopy)
Job/issue tracking. How would I prefer to contact my hosting provider when issues arise (eg, phone, email, online ticket system)
Is location important? (eg, does it need to be a local web hosting provider?)
How much control do I need to have over the hosting of my website. For example, do I need remote access to the server? Do I need to be able to install third party products on the server?
Do I need the hosting company to assign me an account manager?
Will I accept my hosting provider placing third party ads all over my website? (some free web hosts place ads on their customers' websites)
Price. What is my budget?

Step 2: Begin Your Search

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Step 2: Begin Your Search

Once you've created your list/s, you can start searching for a web hosting provider that offers everything on your essential list, and hopefully some on your preferred list. Try as many avenues as you can. For example, search engines, directories, technology sites, local business directories (online and offline), ask friends and colleagues etc.

As you find hosting providers that match your criteria, add them to another list. After a short while, you will probably have a very large list of web hosting companies to choose from. You only want one (presumably), so now need to reduce that list to one.

Assuming all hosting companes on your list offer hosting plans that match your pre-determined criteria, you may have found some that stand out from the rest. Perhaps they offer a feature or service that you could find really useful. Or, maybe they offer a special deal. Or perhaps they just seem more professional than the rest. Whatever it is, you might decide to reduce your list (a little) based on these factors.

If you can't find any suitable hosting providers at this stage, you should go back to step 1 and review your criteria.

Step 3: Due Dilligence

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Step 3: Due Dilligence

At this stage, you should do your "due dilligence". OK, I'm not suggesting you get all legal on me now! In this context, what I mean by due dilligence is that you simply try to uncover things that aren't obvious at first glance. In other words, find out more about these companies and the hosting plans they're offering.

Create a due dilligence checklist. Create a rating column for each hosting provider. The rating could be, say out of 5. This will help you arrive at a score for each hosting provider. The one with the highest score gets your business!

If you find that none of the hosting providers measure up well enough, you'll need to go back to step 2.

Your due dilligence checklist could look something like this:

Item	Description	Rating (Hosting Provider 1)	Rating (Hosting Provider 2)	Rating (Hosting Provider 3)
Service & Support	Does the hosting company offer 24/7 support? What's the agreed turnaround time for support issues? Does the hosting company offer an SLA (Service Level Agreement)? Is it acceptable?
Company Legitimacy	Is this company legitimate? (there are a lot of scammers out there).
Company Stability	Is the company financially stable? How long have they been around? How big are they? Are they growing? Are they about to be acquired by another company? Or have they just been acquired?
Security	What physical security does the company have? What network security does it have? How much redundancy (i.e. what happens if there's a power outage, or a major backbone link becomes unavailable? Do they have diesel generators and other network providers?)
Interviews/Site Visit	If you have a large and complex website, you might prefer to arrange interviews with representatives of the company. You might also like to arrange site-visits. This can give you a great insight into how well this company is going to look after your website.
References/recommendations	Can you find current customers who recommend this company? Try forums and technology review sites. Make sure its an independent source. Also try contacting current customers (any good hosting company should be able to provide referees).
Totals

Step 4: Sign Up

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Step 4: Sign Up

By now, you have (hopefully) found a suitable hosting provider. You can now go ahead and sign up. Typically, this is as simple as completing an online form, providing your credit card details, then following the instructions in the email sent by the hosting provider. If you have a larger, more complex website, you may be assigned an account manager and/or a technical account manager, who will assist you in getting your account set up and website configured. In this case, you may also have technical people at your end to assist you in the process.

Web Hosting Features

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Here are some of the features you may want to consider when looking for a web host:

Disk Space - You want to be sure that you will have sufficient disk space to allow you to save all your necessary files. This is particularly important if you intend to have a large number of databases which use significant amounts of space.

Web Site Statistics - Powerful web site statistics are important so you can quickly and easily monitor your web sites performance and understand what people do when they visit your site.

Spam Protection - Effective protection from spam emails is essential, so that you only receive the emails you want.

Webmail Access - This is an extremely handy feature if you are out of the office and want the ability to access emails wherever you are.

Virus Protection - An essential component of any web host is their ability to efficiently and effectively protect you from viruses.

Control - You need to have a level of control over the features offered by your web site host, ideally via an easy to use control panel.

Data Transfer - It is important that you and your visitors bandwidth requirements are met.

Security - It is imperative that your valuable online assets are completely protected from unauthorized access in state-of-the-art facilities.

Web Hosting - What to Look For

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

There are many benefits that you should look for when searching for a good web hosting provider. Some are listed below:

No Setup Fees

Ideally you want to avoid any setup fees and just pay for the web site hosting.

All-in-One Email and Web

The email and web services should be all-in-one and therefore easy to manage. You do not want the hassle of different services for different parts of your hosting.

Choice

The web site host should have a comprehensive range of plans which suit your needs. They should also have plans which allow you to upgrade, or downgrade, as your requirements change.

Guided Setup

We can not all be experts in web site hosting. A good provider will guide you through the setup procedure and make sure everything is working as it should.

Helpdesk

Things sometimes do go wrong, and it is important to have help at hand when you need it. Look for 24/7 technical and account support.

Security

Your web site host must provide an extremely high level of security, to protect your important online data from unauthorized access.

Reliability

Servers need to be housed in world class facilities that provide maximum reliability.

Payment Options

You should look for flexible payment options to suit your needs, including monthly or annual options.

Small Business Web Hosting

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Sometimes the needs of small business web hosting can be different from individuals. When selecting a web host, you want to make sure they can fulfill all the needs of your small business. Many web host companies offer specialized service based around the requirements of small business. These web hosting providers are fully aware of the problems and pitfalls which commonly arise and will have a range of solutions to make your web hosting experience as easy and simple as possible.

A good web hosting company may provide small business solutions for your basic web hosting needs, ecommerce web hosting and linux web hosting.

Excellent customer service is important. The company needs to have a clear focus on customer needs. Ideally they will provide customer service support via telephone and email.

You may want to look for other services which the web hosting company provides, including domain name registration, SSL certificates for ecommerce site security, integration of shopping carts, web site development and web site design.

What is a Web Host?

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Put simply, a web host is service provider that hosts your web site information on a remote computer which is connected to the internet. This provides people who are looking on the internet a way to access your web site. Typically the computer the web site hosting company uses is just like the one you have at home, with the only difference being that it is set up to serve your web site, and is thus known as a server.

A web host provider will have a fast connection to the internet and they will more than likely host many web sites on many different servers. The web site host is essentially renting out space on their servers so that you can get your web site on the internet for everyone to see.

There are many companies providing web site hosting services, offering a range of plans with different features and different costs. It can be difficult to decipher the various plans on offer and make sense of the options and features on offer. However, all web hosting plans have some basic features:

Server Type - This is the type of computer software that the server is running. The common types are Windows, Linux and Unix.

Disk Space - This is the amount of space available for you to store your files.

Bandwidth - This is a way of describing the amount of web site traffic that is available to you. It is basically the amount of data that is transfered between your hosted web site and browser of the person looking at your web site.

Email - Email accounts are an essential part of any web hosting plan.

An Introduction to Affordable Web Hosting

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

An Introduction to Affordable Web Hosting

Theres a lot of work involved in building your own site and there are a lot of different steps to the process of taking your site from an idea to a living, breathing website. You have to build each of your pages and link them together, testing your site offline as you go. Once your site is fully functional and ready to go, you'll have to get hosting for your new website. There are plenty of free webhosts out there and while these are a good way to get started if you have never had a site before, they are not a permanent solution. If your website is for a business or you just want to reach a large audience, you will need to use paid web hosting instead.

Thankfully, paid does not have to mean expensive and there are affordable web hosting options which can provide the services you need at a price which fits into your budget. To find affordable web hosting which works for you, you should learn a little more about the different types of web hosting to ensure that youre purchasing a hosting package which truly meets your needs and can accommodate your site as it grows.

Shared Hosting

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is the most affordable web hosting solution that is offered by web services around the web. If you are looking to start a fully-functional website quickly, this is the best choice to go with as these affordable web hosting packages have tons of useful features including plenty of disk space for multimedia to be used as web elements as well as adequate bandwidth for handling lots of traffic. Most of the affordable web hosts support PHP, MySQL, and other web technologies needed to make interactive and dynamic websites. Some web hosting providers may offer multiple shared hosting packages that can suit the needs of a larger majority.

Sometimes called virtual hosting or mass hosting, shared hosting is an arrangement where your site shares a server with others. For the webhost, this reduces the expense and the workload of server and site maintenance ” but the sites on a shared hosting server also share the servers resources. For most sites, this really isnt that much of a problem. However, if your site is larger and sees a lot of traffic, your visitors could experience slower performance if other sites on the server are experiencing heavy traffic at the same time. If your site is just starting out, however, shared hosting is a good and affordable web hosting option.

Dedicated Web Hosting

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Dedicated Hosting

Dedicated hosting is more expensive than shared hosting, but is better suited for websites which contain more multimedia content, have high levels of traffic, or websites whose owners want more control over the site. With dedicated web hosting, your site (and only your site) is hosted on its very own server. These plans provide higher security and better performance for your visitors, even during high traffic. If your site has a large audience and a lot of bandwidth-intensive features like multimedia content or is for a large business oriented site, dedicated hosting is usually the way to go.

Reseller Web Hosting

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Reseller Hosting

Reseller hosting has similar features to dedicated hosting, but also allow people to resell hosting services to other customers for extra income. You can set your own brand and further customize the servers to make them more appealing. Depending on the hosting provider, the contracts and agreements vary.

After deciding on a hosting company to host your site, have a look through the different hosting plans they offer. Hosting services are usually bought for a period of years (and the price is usually lower the longer the period you purchase your web hosting service plan for), so find a plan which works for your site. When your site has grown out of its current web hosting package, you can upgrade so that your site can have the room it needs to continue growth.

Web hosting resources

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Web hosting resources

Please let us introduce the term "Web Hosting".

In order to have a web site on the Internet you first need to have a web server. Unfortunately, owning a Web server can be very costly and requires technical expertise that most businesses don't have.

You can think of a web host as the landlord of building. A landlord rents out storefronts to various businesses. Each business decorates and runs their store differently, and doesn't worry about the maintenance of the building. In a similar way a web host rents out space on a web server to various businesses. Each business builds their own web site and never has to worry about the maintenance of their web server.

# F.A.Q. - Frequently Asked Questions about hosting.

# How to choose right hosting for you - What suites you best?

# Web Hosting Stuff - Features the world's biggest directory of web hosting services.

# Professional services - Links to professional web hosting providers.

Why reliable Web Hosting?

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Why Reliable Web Hosting?

People usually wonder “why reliable web hosting?” Critical components as listed below are some of the reasons why:

* Server monitoring and 24x7 security to safeguard your site

* Spam filtering

* Firewall protection to protect the site from unwanted trespass

* Daily site backups

* 99.9% uptime guarantee

Affordable Web Hosting

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Affordable Web Hosting

There are many web hosting companies in business today, so what makes Ajiboye Web Hosting stand apart from them? When comparing web hosting providers, the most important factors to consider are always the reliability of the provider and their reputation in the industry. Ajiboye is a world leader in website hosting, known for dependability, redundancy, and affordability. First and foremost, our priority lies with our ability to help our customers. Our primary focus is always providing reliable technical support and award-winning hosting service for each and every client. Above all, Ajiboye will take care of you and your business. Our reputation allows us to deliver unbeatable service to over 160,000 existing customers worldwide. We truly look forward to welcoming you to the Ajiboye Web Hosting family and hope you will continue to host with us for many years to come!

eCommerce Web Hosting

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

eCommerce Web Hosting

In setting up your eCommerce business, it is crucial to choose the right web hosting provider. You want your online store to welcome your customers, not turn them away, so usability, both for the customer and for you, is a key factor. Also important are dependability and excellent customer service support.

Business Web Hosting

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Business Web Hosting

An affordable business website hosting plan is the perfect type of hosting if you run a small or medium sized business. Starting a small online business is easy because small business web hosting plans are reasonably priced. How? Similar to a shared hosting, the accounts are split into hundreds of accounts running off of one server. And the reasonable price for a business website hosting plan does not mean quality and package options are compromised. This is something of great importance for smaller businesses as every saved expense is highly appreciated. We have compared the best offers for business hosting plans and ranked them in the top list below. Save money and get great hosting at the same time.

Web hosting for small companies

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Web Hosting for Small Companies

A small business needs will be very different from those of larger businesses. They may need less space than that of a larger business and may also not need some of the features that web hosting companies sometimes offer to businesses. By looking at the different features that are available, a small business owner will be able to determine which features they need and what ones they consider unnecessary.

Technical support is something that needs to be considered when the business owner is looking at web hosting companies. Companies lose money when something goes wrong on their website and this can be devastating to small businesses. It’s important to know that web hosts are available and will respond to any concerns quickly. A lot of web hosting companies have a twenty-four hour support line that can be reached if troubles arise. It’s also important to make sure that the technical support that is received is very helpful and useful.

Bundled software should also be considered when deciding on a web hosting company. Deciding on the type of specialized software the small business needs should be decided on before entering into a commitment with any web hosting company. These packages can include things such as a content management system or shopping cart software. Some web hosts provide control panel software and this software contains a component that is called Fantastico. This allows for the user to easily install many different types of software that can be used on the website.

Editing tool and script support can be very important for a small business’ website. Many web hosting companies offer easy to use design and editing tools. For companies that are using FrontPage for their website, it is important to make sure that the web hosting company they decide on supports FrontPage extensions. It’s also important to make sure that the web hosting company is also compatible with other script languages such as PHP, ASP, and Perl, to name just a few.

Small businesses should also consider uptime and speed when researching different web hosting companies. A good web hosting company should guarantee uptimes of ninety-nine percent. Small business owners should also check the information about their data centre. This is because it’s important to know that they have high-speed connections to the Internet backbone.

Due diligence is also important when the small business owner is searching for a web hosting company. The first thing that should be done by the small business owner is to check out the web host’s website. Some things that should be watched for are awards and seals of approval. These are sometimes given out by magazines. It’s also important to look for the Internet Better Business Bureau seal. One can also search the Internet to find reviews of the different web hosting companies. These reviews can often be found on web hosting forums, where other individuals will give a detailed version of their experience with a certain company. One or two bad reviews are okay but one should be wary of a company that only has bad reviews, and no good reviews to balance it out.

Business Web Hosting Industry

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

At Ajiboye our aim has always been to constantly enhance our services by offering the latest technical strategies to stay ahead of our competitors and become a leader in the Business Web Hosting industry. To continue with this trend, we are proud to launch Business Web Hosting with a 100% Uptime Guarantee. A 100% Uptime Guarantee should often be viewed skeptically. Many web hosting companies offer such a guarantee without the technology to truly achieve it. They basically rely on luck and minimal SLA claims in order to offer it. At Ajiboye, we can honestly, and confidently, say that out 100% Uptime Guarantee is a REAL guarantee.

AjiboyeHost

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

AjiboyeHost takes a one-plan-fits-all approach to hosting, and it will certainly fit many. There are the usual ammenities (Perl, PHP, MySQL, SSI, etc.), the script library, commerce features such as a choice of shopping cart and SSL support, and secure email. You also get a free domain registration with a one-year or longer pre-payment. On top of it all, AjiboyeHost has a solid reputation for good service, unlike some other inexpensive providers out there.

Web Hosting Reviews

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Web Hosting Reviews

I find that every now and then users will leave positive or negative reviews on hosts they have tried. Let's attempt to organize this information in a way where it can be accessed easily by anyone as soon as they visit this forum.

I encourage anybody to reply here with a reasonable review, meaning not just "this host is great... sign up here" (because those will be instantly deleted), but rather the pros and cons about the host you are with. I think users will most likely want to know about the average uptime that you've experienced, customer service encounters, what price you are paying for what features like amount of disk space, bandwidth, etc. It would be a good idea to mention whether you are a business, individual, or organization, so other users can identify their web site needs with what you are describing. Perhaps also include whether your host makes frequent back-ups of your web site, if they offer 24/7 live support, and other items worth mentioning.

We appreciate any reviews you may have, but please keep it personalized and don't just list all the packages your host of choice has to offer, because (a) those will also be deleted and (b) that information can be found on their website already.

Beware of File Hosting Middlemen

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A good two-word search on Google for the key words Web Hosting will probably net you hundreds of thousands of hits. Web hosting is a very big industry today, as everyone who wants a web presence in the World Wide Web will need hosting real estate. The usual thing is that the more the competition, the better it is for the consumer. However, you should take that with a grain of salt when it comes to web hosting.

The Web Hosting industry is replete with fly by night web hosting companies, and everyone who wants to be a reseller can be a reseller, which is why there are a million and one hits for web hosting on Google. To be honest, that is not always a bad thing as many well known and popular web hosts are in truth resellers themselves. Their provider may be the same provider of their rival company and so on and so forth. A little investigation of whether your prospective web host actually own their equipment or just lease same as you will probably be beneficial.

The danger is getting your service from the reseller of resellers. Imagine, trying to get help for an issue. You call your web host, who calls his web host, who then calls the actual company that owns the equipment. What is usually a ten minute fix takes you hours, and what is usually a one-day stuff up turns into a week long issue. But then again, direct resellers can also perform poorly so it’s a mixed bag.

The main indicator for reliability is to check their website, get a few referrals from their existing customers and look at the customer base itself. If they have many well known sites signed on, or at least a number of very successful sites, then you should be safe. If they only have a handful of unknown personal and small business sites, you are probably better off continuing your search.

Hosting your Website in house: Yea or Nay?

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

It’s always the question being asked by people building a personal or business website for the first time. “Can I host my website at home?” The answer to that is a resounding yes! Of course you can, why not? There is no law against it and the technology is certainly there to allow you to do it. BUT! The real question that needs to be asked is “Should you do webhosting in-house?” The simple answer to that is you can, but it’s better that you don’t.

You can if your company already has a fast DSL, T-1, or dedicated cable connection and if you already have the infrastructure and manpower, meaning servers (racks and racks of them) and the manpower (network administrators) then you’re all set. It goes without saying that only large multinational companies will have these at hand, so if you’re a small business, or a home business owner, to be perfectly honest, Webhosting is the best option for you.

Webhosting takes away the hassle of owning, maintaining, monitoring, and upgrading equipment. For a monthly, quarterly, or annual fee, you can make sure your website is on, 24/7 while only worrying about content. Why is it cheaper? Economies of scale. Webhosting companies have sophisticated hardware that they can rent out to multiple clients at the same time. Your fees go to maintaining shared or semi-shared equipment that is always monitored, always on, and always redundant. Since many of you are paying for the cost, they earn, while you save. It’s a win-win formula that you should take advantage of.

What is Web Hosting and why do you need it

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Your business needs a website. Just like your business needs a physical address where you can come to work and your employees come to work, your virtual office needs a place to stay, and it is not necessarily the same place as your office although big companies do. Webhosting is the service that gives your website the physical space on a server (a big, fast computer with lots of storage) where your clients or customers connect to when they type in your website address.

Your website – a collection of related and linked web pages about your business and your company in its rawest form can just reside in your computer. To make it available, you need to upload it to a server or have a server of your own. Since it is really not advisable to keep your own server, webhosting is the way to go. You will also need a Domain name, which is entirely different from Web hosting. A Domain Name is a unique text-based address used to locate a set of web pages. It is composed of words, usually related to your business such as ‘Pepsi’ or ‘Sony’, and a top level domain (TLD) like ".com", ".org"; ".edu"; etc. Then you need an account with a Web Hosting company.

Web hosting is just like renting property or renting a PO box. There are many types of web hosting plans and packages (which we will discuss in future posts) that you can choose from to suit your business’ needs.

Finding a good Web Host

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Whether you are a small or medium sized business, a home business owner, or just someone interested in putting up a personal website, you will most definitely be needing the services of a web host. Now, finding a good web host is easier than it sounds. Just try searching for “Web Hosting” on Google and you’ll see what I mean. Even if you are in a hurry to bring your site online, the decision of which hosting company you choose should not be taken lightly, because even though you can move, it will be a major hassle as that would incur downtime for your site. You can do overlapping ones if your site is mainly for display, but for websites that have e-commerce uses, such as online purchasing or online signup, the logistics are a nightmare.

That means that, although pretty difficult, getting the right web host should be first time lucky, or right the first time. How can you do that? Well the first step there would be asking for referrals. Ask around your industry and see which webhost they use and if they’re happy with it. Shop around to see who they host, or at least an example of their clientele. Don’t just look for the cheapest and sign up. Some may cost more because they provide extra services and guarantees such as 99.9% uptime (meaning your website will be available virtually all year round), and data mirroring and backups, so that in the event of a disaster, your website will still be alive and kicking somewhere else in the country or in the world.

Do your homework before committing. It is as important as anything you will do for your business.

Web Hosting Basic â�� Get it Free or Pay for it?

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Free is a word that has helped the internet go BOOM in its early years. There was free software, free games, free programs, and free videos. While there is still some things out there that you can get for free, such as free Web Hosting for example, they are rare and usually have something attached to it like advertising or limited usage and the like.

But of course, different strokes for different folks. You may not need commercial grade hosting, so you can use free hosting. Or you may have a home business that although your site is small, it still needs security features provided by paid hosting. Here are the uses of Free Web Hosting and Commercial Web hosting.

Free Webhosting is good for:

- People who want to create a personal web page for the first time. If you are not even sure you want to keep a page long term, or just experimenting, you don’t want to be paying for it.

- Home and small business owners who just need a web presence – If you fix computers, make curtains, clean clogged drains and plumbing, all you probably need is a web page that tells people what you do, the area where you work, your number and how much your services cost. In this case, you can opt to go the free route.

- Social groups, community groups, hobby groups – Social groups don’t really need much in terms of hosting features. All you need is some space, information about the group and the ability to update it from time to time.

Commercial web hosting is good for:

- Home, Small, and medium sized business owners (and yes industrial sized) in general. You do not want to be known as a company that is too cheap to pay for Web Hosting. It won’t look good to your customers.

- Small and medium businesses who would like to add e-commerce components to their sites. These businesses may want to add order processing, online quotes, etc.

- Personal websites that show off your services, like a photography website to show your portfolio. These do not look good with ads on the side or the bottom.

Assessing the Web Hostâ��s support service

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

One of the basic things you should consider when choosing the right Web Hosting services for you is their level of support. It does not matter if they have a great track record of keeping customers online 23/7, 365 days a year. Reality is that equipment breaks down, same as all man made things. When something goes wrong, such as if a supporting service (say the payment facility) goes down, you will have to call them and you will be probably dealing with their customer support.

Choose a Web Host that has a good range of customer support options, such as providing a live chat option or a phone-in option and not just email support. You may also want to see if they provide anything in the way of help documents. If they don’t have a nice number of FAQ’s and how-to’s on their website, it’s a clue that they may not focus as much on support. If they provide a lot of literature, it means they know their system inside out, and they know their system very well confident as they are to post information about their systems.

If all they provide you with is email support, that may be a red light right there as well. Good, robust Web Hosting businesses will often provide you with at least a live chat (instant messaging is of course free after all) support service, if not an 0800 dial in support.

Some Basic Web Hosting Services

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Some basic options that you may encounter when looking for Web Hosting services are as follows: Shared hosting, Dedicated hosting, and Co-location hosting. Here’s a basic description of each option along with an idea of what website fits what service.

Shared - Shared Hosting is basically that, hosting that you share with many other paying customers. This at first does not sound so good. Why would you want to share your hosting with someone else. Well, you have to realize that for most websites, just a couple of hundred MB of disk space is really needed. One server can easily handle hundreds of sites at the same time without any performance hits so it makes sense to host many sites and split the cost of hosting amongst many. That’s why shared hosting is the cheapest option.

Dedicated – This option lets you rent your own dedicated server from the web hosting company. That’s their server dedicated for your use alone with no other people or websites sharing that with you. This is best for companies that have e-Commerce or interactivity on the site. It’s also best for those who own multiple websites and multiple services. Basically what this does is that you are assured that even when your sites suddenly get lots of traffic, there won’t be any slowdowns that can affect your service.

Co-location – This is basically you buying and maintaining your own servers and locating them in the host’s premises. Why would you want to do this? Well, host sites are outfitted with redundant security and power systems. If power goes down, the host site will have redundant power system to keep your site running. There is also always someone there to check the server for you (if that is part of your deal). You piggy back on their bandwidth which is always constant (more or less) which gives you savings on connectivity. This is best done by companies with a heavy e-Commerce orientation.

Changing web hosts

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Changing your Web Host is one of the most inconvenient things you can do. Why? The logistics part of it is a nightmare especially if you are trying to leave a service that you are dissatisfied with. If you’re not satisfied with the service you get, you won’t probably be satisfied with the way your transfer will go. This is not true all the time, but most of the time that’s the case. Here are a couple of tips to follow to make your transfer a little less frustrating and painful.

The most important thing to do first is to secure a better Web Hosting service. There have been some posts here on how to find the best web host so I won’t repeat them again. Make sure to explain to your new Web Host the issues you are having with the old one, and make sure they have all the facilities available to make what you need a reality. Then you need to make a migration plan, hand in hand with your new webhost.

It’s advisable to have overlapping schedules when it comes to migration, i.e. do not let the old contract run out before the new one kicks in with the new web host. Do a quick test of all the services on the new host’s servers. When you are satisfied with the performance, schedule the migration, but be sure to tell your customer that there might be some downtime. Best do it at midnight or early hours of the morning when there is low traffic. If you have an international client base, just schedule it during the least busy period. With these simple tips, your migration should be hassle and headache free.

Web hosting â�� Finding out what YOU Need

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

If you’ve gone ahead and decided to put your business online, the first thing that you need to know is what do you need in terms of web hosting in order to make your vision of your website a smashing success. To know what you need, you have to know what you want first, and this should be done before you start building your website.

The first obvious question is what kind of web site are you creating. Is it just to display your portfolio? Will it be for your online business? Will it be an online presence of your brick and mortar business, or will it be the main earner. If you plan on providing e-commerce services like online payment system, you should look for a web host that supports SSL encryption. You should also ask if they support forum systems and carts. The second question is how much hosting i.e. storage do you need. Small websites typically use just around 100 megabytes of data, and larger ones range from maybe 10 gigs to a couple of hundred. It’s different for each so make sure you have the option of getting more when you want to. Then there is bandwidth. That’s different from storage. Storage is how many pages you can store, as well as how many pictures and articles you can have. Bandwidth is how many users can go to your site at the same time and not suffer lags. It is important to put some thought into how much you pay for bandwidth. Too low and you may be incurring fees; too much and you risk overpaying. Again, it is important to have a web host that is flexible. Then there’s the web hosting features. You may just need basic HTML which is fine but other may need to run special programs such as PHP/CGI/ASP/Perl etc. It is important to know which standards your web host supports before committing.

Questions to Ask Web Hosting Company?

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

When communicating with a web hosting company, it is important to ask right questions in order to make all the things clear and understandable before issuing a check for them. Here are some of the questions, asking which may be of help for making a right choice of web hosting provider.

- What is the uptime record of your web hosting servers? Uptime record refers to the time, during which web servers remain fully functional, ensuring constant access to the websites, hosted on them. Generally, it is better to choose web hosting providers with no less than 99.8% uptime record.

- Will I be able to change my hosting plan when necessary? You may find it reasonable to start with the lower-cost plan and upgrade later, so it is important to make such upgrade in anytime and preferable with no additional charges except for difference in plans costs.

- Will my website be hosted on Windows-based web server or UNIX-based web servers? As a matter of fact, the majority of web servers run on UNIX, however double-checking is always good to ensure that your website will function properly. If you plan to have an ecommerce web site, UNIX hosting is a must.

- Do you offer automatic backup of the hosted websites? Regular data back-ups are important for ensuring proper site functioning and preventing data losses.

- Are there any website content management systems offered in my hosting plan? Website content management systems make it very easy to build a website in a short period of time. Some hosting providers also offer such CMS solutions within some of their hosting plans. In general it is pretty good to have CMS in your hosting plant, if only you are not planning to invest in some professional content management system.

- Do you offer an affiliate program? Well, this question may be of interest for those, interested in additional sources of income. With affiliate programs you can get commissions for offering hosting services for other people. Some website hosting companies even make it possible for their clients start their own small website hosting business.

- Do you offer technical support? As a matter of fact, live technical support available 24 hours per day and 7 days per week is a very important factor in choosing website hosting provider. This is not only a sign of highly professional hosting services, it is also a reliable source of information to help you with your website. Some hosting providers offer only online technical documentations or FAQs, however talking with live technical professional ensures much more effective and quicker problem solution.

Windows vs UNIX WebsiteHosting

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Now there are two major platforms or operational systems used at the web servers: Windows and UNIX (or Linux, which is a modern type of UNIX OS). When you are choosing a website hosting plan for yourself, first you have to choose which hosting you would like: Windows or UNIX. Do not be in a hurry to vote for Windows just for the reason of using Windows XP or Vista on your desktop. There are several factors to consider before making a final choice.

Hosting Cost

UNIX-based website hosting plans are usually more cost-effective, because UNIX is a free operating system, while in order to use Windows a web hosting company has to buy a lisence from Microsoft. This makes Windows-based hosting plans to be more expensive than those based on UNIX servers.

Stability and Performance

It is a well-known fact that UNIX is more stable platform than Windows. Besides, experts confirm the higher efficiency of UNIX servers, which can manage high loads better than Windows, which needs rebooting regularly. As the result the uptime records for UNIX web servers are higher in comparison to Windows web servers.

Scalability and Functionality

Web sites designed to work on UNIX servers will usually work on Windows servers with the same efficiency. However, not always the websites designed for Windows will work on UNIX servers. As a matter of fact, if your website will be programmed with HTML only, there is no much difference which platform to choose. However, in order to build more enhanced websites, it is necessary to consider the support of particular technologies, you are about to use, by the hosting web server.

If you plan to use PHP programming or MySQL databases for the needs of your website, UNIX server is considered to be a better choice, while Microsoft server will suit better for websites, where such technologies as .NET and VB progamming language from Microsoft are used. In terms of database support, Windows-based web servers usually work with MS SQL databases or Microsoft Access databases. However, these are proprietary software, which can increase the total cost of the hosting plan.

The Pros and Cons of Web Hosting Platforms

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The Pros and Cons of Web Hosting Platforms

The operating system forms the core of a computer as it enables the hardware and software to work in perfect harmony. While there only a few systems used in home-based computers, the spectrum broadens when entering the server arena. This article will weigh the pros and cons on the most widely used server platforms: Windows, Unix and Linux.

Windows

Microsoft Windows is popular in the web hosting environment because it offers a plethora of functionality and a user-friendly interface. Unlike older systems, almost all critical tasks can be done through a point-and-click method rather than writing DOS commands. The Windows platform is usually preferred by those that require ASP (Active Server Pages) technology or MS SQL Server databases.

Pros: Maintaining a Windows server is much easier than any other operating system. The platform is largely supported by software vendors because of its name and domination in the PC sector.

Cons: Versions of Windows Server applications are costly, ranging in the hundreds of dollars per license. These costs are often tacked on to the price of a web hosting service. While the platform has been greatly improved over the years, older versions, some of which are still in use, have a higher vulnerability to security threats.

Unix

Many refer to Unix as the granddaddy of all operating systems. This system has been used as a server platform for decades now. Known for its stability, Unix is a reliable application mainly used for larger and more complex computer systems. The software often comes bundled with server hardware made by vendors such as IBM, HP and Sun Microsystems. These servers are powerful but they are also quite expensive, sometimes climbing into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Those with smaller scale needs typically utilize FreeBSD, a free Unix-like platform that runs on cheaper server hardware.

Pros: The Unix platform offers unparalleled stability and reliability. It creates a rock-solid server that can thrive for years upon years without memory leaks or needing to be restarted. Unix was built with security in mind and is therefore less susceptible to security flaws and threats.

Cons: The Unix platform can make for a very costly option. The system also tends to be more complex and harder to find that Windows solutions.

Linux

The Linux operating system has become a major force as a web hosting platform. Though it shares many characteristics of Unix, Linux is far more cost effective due to being released as open-source software. The platform comes in many different distributions and is compatible with a variety of open-source technologies such as PHP and MySQL.

Pros: As a Unix-like system, Linux provides great stability and performance in the server environment. While it isn’t exactly free, Linux always tends to be more affordable than both Windows and Unix in terms of web hosting. Due to widespread use, the platform has great support from a community of users and software developers.

Cons: Similar to Unix, Linux requires a special set of skills to work with as most configurations must be performed from a command line. Though it is becoming more mainstream, the platform isn’t as largely supported by software vendors as Windows.

What's different about Ajiboye web host reviews?

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

What's different about Ajiboye web host reviews?

Our seasoned web host reviewers actually log in to live hosting accounts and critique the service of each web host provider. This usually includes performing tasks like installing scripts, creating and installing web site files, testing speed and abilities of customer support to solve common hosting problems. Our reviewers then report the hosts' strengths and weaknesses and rate each service right here for the world to see. I hope these reviews help answer the questions you need in making web host choices.

The web host review process

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The web host review process

Web Host Review Process Flow

1. First, I sign up for an account with a web host.

2. Once the service is active, I contact an independent reviewer and negotiate a price for the review. I mentioned that we pay web host reviewers, but they have to meet a our criteria such as having Web hosting industry experience, hands on hosting skills, critical abilities and not having an affiliation with the host being reviewed.

3. Once we agree on the price, I send the login info and the reviewer begins to evaluate the host. Usually, the reviewer looks first at the control panel and tries to assess how it stands up for usability.

4. Then he starts installing CMS scripts and working with files to test functionality and speed.

5. The reviewers can look at any feature or aspect of a host that they want and be as critical as they want. For example, some reviewers look within the fine print of the terms of service, a favorite hiding place for policies that can affect buying decisions and harm consumers.

6. Next, the web host reviewer contacts the host directly without the host knowing that they are being reviewed. I ask all reviewers to do this because hosting support is such a big issue with webmasters. The reviewer reports on all this and gives Ajiboye readers his assessment based on his personal experience–key point here.

7. Each reviewer is required to list specifically what he believes are the pros, cons and bottom line based on what he has seen.

8. Finally the reviewer is required to give his rating of between 1 and 5 stars.

9. If the host has an affiliate program, I usually install their referral code to recoup expenses (signup, paying the reviewer) and hopefully make a profit.

10. Lastly, the web host review is published at Ajiboye where users add their own comments and the web hosting companies respond if they so choose. I publish both positve and negative comments if they follow basic rules of commenting etiquette.

The whole review process from start to finish can take several months, but it’s worth it. I believe that using a methodology like this with standards and guidelines in place, readers can take away something of value that helps them make the right decision as consumers. The best hosts get new customers.

Understanding Website Hosting Basics

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Web hosting or website hosting is one of the basic preconditions necessary to realize one’s presence it the Internet. Though World Wide Web is a virtual place, any website, which technically is nothing but a set of different files, still need some physical place to be located or hosted on. Website hosting provider is a company, which offers their clients some portion of hard drive disk space on the company’s web servers as well as provides constant access to the website through internet protocols, like HTTP or FTP.

Here one natural question may arise - if I have enough space on my own PC hard drive, why do I need to pay someone for web hosting? Well, as a matter of fact, web hosting is not only about a particular amount of disk space for storing your website files. Web servers are pretty complicated systems with both hardware and specific software installed to ensure proper functioning of the website. Along with ensuring constant access to hosted websites, web servers also ensure the connection between a certain folder on the server’s hard drive with a particular domain name, chosen by a website owner.

Besides, there is a whole bunch of additional services and tools, offered by modern website hosting companies, starting from basic tools, like file managers to upload, download, or edit files of your website, and up to sophisticated website content management system, allowing a user to build a professional website even without professional programming skills.

Choosing your website hosting, you will notice a great variety of plans offered by web hosting providers. Along with different price, each plan offers different pack of services: basic web hosting offers only a small disk quote, one domain support and only the very basic features, more complicated website hosting plans include more disk space, database support, multiple domains support and many other features, which may be requested by those, building ecommerce websites, large community portals, web directories, etc.

After you have chosen a website hosting plan and paid for it, the company will send you a password and login to the web server as well as the address to your folder on their web server. Using login information you will be able to upload your website files via ftp protocol. Besides, a website hosting company may also offer you a control panel, accessible through web browser, so that you could perform all the operations on your website in a simple and understandable way. After uploading your files into the appropriate folder, let some time for DNS servers to update their information (generally advised time is about 12-24 hours) and be welcomed to the virtual community of website owners.

Types of Website Hosting

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

After you made up your mind to occupy some internet property, you will face a pretty challenging assignment to choose your website hosting among multiple offers. As a matter of fact, it is important to know the basic facts about the general types of website hosting in order to make a right decision.

Free website hosting. Free website hosting services are offered by different online companies. However, it is pretty difficult to find objective benefits of such website hosting except for one – no payment. With free website hosting you will not be able to register and support your own domain name (your website address will look something like “myfirstwebsite.thebestfreehosting.com”). Besides, free website hosting will likely to use your website for publishing their advertising. Speaking about database support is, actually, not very appropriate with free website hosting. However, this option is nice if everything you want is to have a little fun with creating your website online.

Shared web hosting. This is the most commonly used type of web hosting services, when multiple websites are stored at the same web server. The amount of websites on a single web server may range from a few to thousands of separate websites. Here, a web server looks like a large hotel, where anyone can rent a room to host his website ;-) Such website hosting usually offers a very broad range of hosting plans varying in price and functionality.

Dedicated hosting service. With this type of hosting a user gets his own web server, which however usually remains in the property of website hosting provider. Though it is pretty cool to have your own web server in view of data security and other benefits, but it usually means that you will be also responsible for maintaining its proper functioning by yourself. So, when getting dedicated web server, do not forget to hire a professional system administrator.

Virtual dedicated server or VPS. This is practically the same as the dedicated web server with the only difference is that this server is virtual. Modern software allows creating multiple virtual web servers on a single physical machine. These virtual web servers act as separate web servers, allowing their owners have a full control on the content of the hosted websites.

Home server. Actually, this type is not widely popular type of web hosting. Here, a separate PC in one’s household works as a web server to host one or several websites. In order to make it functioning, the owner of such web server should install specialized software and get a static IP address for his computer. It goes without saying that such computer should run constantly for the hosted websites be available via Internet.

Cloud website hosting. This is the latest fashion in website hosting industry. It offers a powerful, scalable and reliable hosting, which is based on clustered web servers. The obvious benefit of cloud website hosting is that its users pay only for those features that they have used.