If you are looking forward to establishing your own website, you require to host it on a web server. And once the site is duly hosted, people from different parts of the globe can actually have easy access to these web pages. Web hosting can be defined as the renting of space on a web server. This service is a kind of internet hosting, one that contributes in allowing organizations as well as individuals to offer their own site to be accessed on the internet. Web hosts are basically companies which offer the space on a web server that they own to be utilized by the clients. They also provide internet connectivity, usually in some data center. These web hosts can even offer the space for the data center and connectivity to the World Wide Web for servers that they do not actually own to be placed in the data center, known as collocation.

The service of web hosting empowers an individual or business with computer and internet access to own their separate cyberspace. In this space, you can have documents, bulletins, files and news so that other internet users can view the web pages and become frequent visitors or customers of your online business. Just as when one rents a property or commercial space for one’s business, and gets different rooms, floor space and bathrooms to use, similarly, in the web hosting atmosphere, the area is specifically defined as network transfer and disk space. Both the network transfer and the disk space are measured in gigabytes or megabytes that determine the amount of data which can be downloaded by people while accessing one’s website. More the network transfer and disk space, greater the percentage of web hosting environment used.

Basic forms of web hosting

One of the most common forms of web hosting are the small scale file and web page hosting, in which the files can be easily uploaded through the help of a web interface or FTP (File Transfer Protocol). These files are generally delivered to the net as they are or after a little processing. A large number of internet service providers offer this service free of cost to the subscribers. The personal web hosting service is typically advertisement sponsored, cheap and free. On the other hand, the business website hosting sometimes comes at a higher expense.

Some of the primary components in web hosting atmosphere include:

FTP server- FTP serves as the means by which web master can get files transferred to and from a web server. In order to put the image and HTML files on server, you will basically use FTP to upload the files to server.

Web server- It is a simple software which accepts the requests instead of HTTP and then delivers the image files and HTML pages.

Mail server- It includes two parts: the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol and the Post Office Protocol. While POP is the place where emails are received in mailbox, the SMTP is used to receive and send emails between the mail servers. Other main web hosting environment components are database server, web browser, FTP client, page/ website editor, database administration and email client. Cheap web hosting services are available these days but it is recommended that reliability and needs are given first preference while choosing a web host.

A shared web hosting service is a website development service that incorporates a large number of websites on a single online web server. Individual sites by virtue of having their own space on the web server get to maintain a separate identity of their own. The option of shared web hosting services is economically the best option especially for personal websites, start-ups and small businesses as you can save money by sharing the server maintenance cost with a group of website owners. Website owners would only need to bear a monthly minimal fee in this case and shared web hosting is extremely convenient especially for newbies.

You can find a number of shared web hosting service providers on the internet. They are able to offer various options from simple hosting to multilevel web hosting as per the need of the customers.

Areas Of Development

Shared web hosting uses a control panel technique that is purely web based. This includes the Ensim, the cPanel, the Plesk, the Inter Worx, the DirectAdmin, the H-Sphere and many more. There have been a few points of contention here between the control panel service and website interface. This is because the website hosting providers at certain times sell the user rights of the control panel system to other users.

With shared website hosting, the service providers are usually responsible for maintaining, managing and installing server software, providing technical support, security updates and all other related aspects. A majority of web servers works on Linux and LAMP software. Some of the web development providers even offer MS windows associated solutions. All the operating systems hold similar software interfaces and practical functions, but there are exceptions associated with the security and support. Shared web hosting also allows you the option to check on your traffic and related web statistics. If you are planning on generating or are experiencing higher traffic to your website it would be better to switch over to a different hosting plan as shared web hosting would not be suitable for sites with higher traffic.

Execution

Shared web hosting services is developed in two different ways such as name based hosting and IP-based hosting. The name-based hosting and IP hosting carry out the task with the help of virtual hosts. These virtual hosts serve a numbers of websites with the same-shared IP address. Whenever, a website user asks for resources based on a specific link, the server includes the hostname for performing the search. The IP-based web hosting or dedicated IP website hosting includes a unique IP address for every virtual host. The website server is designed with varying, multiple network interfaces or virtual software network interfaces.

The main advantage of shared web hosting service is its cost efficiency. However, name based website virtual hosting has its share of disadvantages. Support and security is not exceptional with shared name-based hosting. An IP-based hosting is believed to be much more reliable and is the considered as the best option, if you are planning on opting for shared web hosting for your website.

A web hosting service is a real need of the hour in today’s fast paced techno savvy world. We often come across a number of free web hosting service providers on the internet. But do all these web hosting providers offer reliable high quality service? The answer to this question sometimes may be a ‘yes’. However, with free services we may miss out on some additional features that one can normally expect from a paid hosting service. This is not really a point of concern, as there is a wide choice of cheap web hosting services all around you. These are not only economical but are also reliable and offer quality services.

How can a person recognize the reliability of a cheap website hosting service? This is a common question that many website owners may pose when they feel the need to look for cheap website hosting services. There are of course many ways through which you can ascertain the proficiency and reliability of an inexpensive hosting service. For this, you may need to dwell on some features that may be included in the web hosting service you select.

There are certain unique features that make a cheap website hosting service a reliable one and these features include:

Authentic servers: Check for the server configuration and quality when you find a cheap website hosting service. If you find an authentic server, you can trust the reliability of the service provider. An authentic reliable server will offer a consistent function through out the membership period and you can find your website on the internet 24 hours a day.

Customer care and support: Ensure that the support and customer care offered by the selected web hosting service is highly efficient. A reliable cheap website hosting service offers 24 hours support and care to their customers. They are readily available to the customers through email, phone or online chat to discuss and solve any technical issues connected with the website.

Sever space: You also need to determine the server space offered by the cheap website hosting providers to determine its quality. If you are developing a website for small business development or personal use, a small amount of server space is enough for you to perform your essential tasks.

Software upgrades: Software upgrades are necessary for the popularity and sustainability of your websites. With latest trends, your website needs to implement latest upgrades to attract regular and higher traffic. Ensure that the cheap service you select offers this additional feature.

If all these features are included in the service offered by the web host, you can be rest assured the service you will receive will be just as efficient as any other paid service. You don’t really have to search through lists of service providers to find a web host which offers economical packages. A simple search on the internet can get you many names; however it is advisable as always to research a product before you go ahead and settle for a service that is most probably going to shape the future of your business.

One of the most difficult and often confusing tasks is to decide on the server platform to be utilized while considering the process of web hosting. There are various choices around you but the popular choices are Linux servers and Windows servers. You can find a whole lot of information on web hosting and the server platform to be chosen on the internet. Although in general, the server you utilize is not a matter of great concern, serious website owners prefer to opt for a hassle-free server for their website hosting needs.

Linux or Windows?

The Windows operating system is a popular and widely used Microsoft developed operating system. On the other hand, Linux is open source, which is freely accessible. This implies that it may be costly to implement and drive a Windows server. However, this is not a point of concern, unless you are going to set up a server for private usage. The price required to run a server will not directly affect the price of the web hosting service plan.

Most of the people believe that, they require a Windows web hosting plan as their computers run on Windows. However, this is a misconception. Web hosting transactions happen through file transfer protocols and control panels. Both Linux and Windows support the FTP mode of transfer.

The difference is that certain file transfer commands may vary slightly in both the applications. This is because the FTP design, in some cases, is designed keeping in mind a single operating system. In this case, the choice needs to be appropriate considering the design pattern of FTP to avoid possible errors.

Most of the website features drive well on both Linux and Windows server platforms such as the PHP, POP3 and MSSQL. If you want to develop a site with ASP, .NET, Access, MSSQL, FrontPage or some other MS proprietary tips then the ideal choice is a Windows package.

With Linux technologies, only limited support is accessible but it includes more features and is highly secure. The broad usage of the operating system makes Windows insecure. Both the server types are equivalent in security features, but you need to ensure the reliability of the hosting company to maintain the security.

In case of presentation, there is no large difference between the Linux and Windows servers. However, Linux performs at a faster rate as compared to Windows. Windows include all the features in a single package but Linux uses extended features. This is the main reason for Windows being slow in its performance.

To conclude, there is no need to waste your time in the search of different server types as both the advanced Linux and Windows servers offer user friendly and reliable service. What you do need to consider is the selection of a reliable website hosting service that can understand your requirements and implement the necessary features as required. Do consider the various factors involved as far as server type is concerned, if you intend to own a server for your website.