What Is Web Hosting?

Web hosting Defined

A simple definition of web hosting is a service that provides, at a minimum, storage space on a server (specialized computer) and bandwidth which allows the data (web pages, images, etc) stored on this server to be transferred to anyone viewing the data.

A more pragmatic definition is that web hosting is a service that provides your web site with a connection to the Internet via a web server and high speed internet connection. Your web content is then accessible from anywhere in the world. Renting space on a web server is much like renting an apartment. The monthly fee provides you with space on a web server but the up-keep of the server is the responsibility of the owner of that server.

Web hosts exist to provide a bundle of services that make publishing on the Internet possible. Web hosts combine many services logically into a single package at a reasonable price. These services typically include:

• Storage space · The physical disk space on a server where your website data (pages, images, scripts, e-mails etc) is stored
• Bandwidth · The Internet traffic and the networking infrastructure needed to deliver the traffic to users of your website
• E-mail accounts · E-mail boxes where you can send and receive e-mail. Often many other e-mail service variations are provided as well
• Technical support · A staff of support technicians to help you with general service usage issues and other problems as they arise
• Scripting support · The ability to run scripts (small programs that perform certain tasks) on the server
• Backup services · A service that makes a copy of your website data in case of accidental deletion or other emergency situation

The above list covers most of the basic features that can be expected from most web hosting firms, however many offer a wide array of services to provide the best user experience possible.

Types of Web Hosting

There are several types of web hosting plans to choose from depending on the size and needs of your website. Below you will find a brief description and a link to more information on each

• Shared Web Hosting - Shared hosting plans allow many clients to share the resources of a single server. This makes these plans economical, and perfect for the small to medium sized website, or those just starting out. Review our shared hosting plans.
• Reseller Web Hosting - These plans are very similar to shared hosting plans, with the exception that a reseller plans allows you to sell hosting space yourself, making it a good choice for businesses interested in offering web hosting services to their clients, without the overhead of running the actual servers. Review our reseller hosting plans)
• Virtual Private Servers - A virtual private server allows one server to host multiple "virtual servers" - allowing clients the access and power of a dedicated server, at a far lower price. Review our VPS plans.
• Dedicated Servers - This is essentially renting an entire web server solely for your own use. This option allows for the greatest flexibility and power, and is best suited to large and/or specialized sites.
• Clustered Servers - By using multiple servers to handle a single site, clustered servers can service the most popular and high-traffic websites.
• Co-Location - With a co-location plan, a client can take advantage of our state of the art hosting facility while using their own hardware, for optimum flexibility.

About Domain Names

If you've made it to our site here then you're familiar, at least in principle, with domain names. A domain name is the text you type into your browser's address bar to access a given website. It is a unique name that identifies the site (i.e. nexcess.net or www.nexcess.net).

The 'nexcess' portion of the above example is the meat of the domain name and it distinguishes what the site is about or the business name of the site. This isn't a hard and fast rule and this portion of the domain can be anything at all as long as it's a string of alphanumeric characters with or without a dash. The '.net' portion of the above example is called the TLD or top level domain. The TLD can denote a location or country (nexcess.ca would normally be a Canadian site) or an association (.edu is used for universities and colleges in the US).

You will need a domain name so that your site is easily accessible on the Internet. Domain names must be registered in order to be used. Many web hosts (including NEXCESS.NET) provide domain registration services that allow you to secure your domain name.