- Anonymous FTP: Anonymous File Transfer Protocol.
Allows the public to log into an FTP server with a common login,
avoiding the need to assign passwords to anyone who wants to
download files from your Web site. This is unnecessary unless
you plan on providing downloadable files to the public.
ASP: Active Server Pages. A commonly used Microsoft
scripting language that enables the use of online databases.
Auto responder: An email address that is set up to
automatically reply to the sender with a previously prepared
response.
Bandwidth (Data Transfer): The amount of data
that you are allowed to transfer (usually monthly). Data = images,
text, audio files, video files and everything else that a server
transfers to a user's web browser. Approximately 40,000 page
views = 1 GB of data transfer. Web sites that get a lot of visitors
(and page views) need larger amounts of data transfer (or bandwidth).
CGI: Common Gateway Interface. A program that translates
data from a web server and then displays that data on a web page
or in an email. CGI scripting can add numerous interactive elements
to a Web site.
CGI-BIN: A directory on a server where CGI
programs are stored. CGI scripting can add numerous interactive
elements to a Web site.
CGI Library: Certain hosts will provide a collection
of pre-made CGI scripts (as a convenience) that can be used to
add numerous interactive elements to your Web site.
Control Panel: An online interface often used to
facilitate Web site management and editing. Control panels often
allow hosting customers to perform basic functions (make changes,
check data, etc.) without contacting customer service.
Database: A collection organized records of
information that can facilitate searching, sorting, and recombination
of data.
Data Transfer (Bandwidth): The amount of data that
you are allowed to transfer (usually monthly). Data = images,
text, audio files, video files and everything else that a server
transfers to a user's web browser. Approximately 40,000 page
views = 1 GB of data transfer. Web sites that get a lot of visitors
(and page views) need larger amounts of data transfer (or bandwidth).
Also, graphics-heavy sites will need more data transfer than
more basic sites.
Dedicated Servers (Dedicated Hosting): The opposite of
Shared Web hosting. Servers that are owned by a Web hosting company
but rented out and used by a single customer. Web sites in need
of a lot of disk space and/or data transfer and/or Web sites
that have very specific software needs may opt to rent a dedicated
server. Shared Web hosting is usually sufficient for most small
and medium sized businesses.
Disk Space (Storage Space): The storage capacity
for images, HTML files, audio files, video files, graphics, etc.
A Web site planning to have a large amount of pages and/or planning
to use a lot of images (or other large files) will need a greater
amount of disk space.
Domain Name: A domain name is the identifying URL
title and address of a Web site, such as www.webhostanalyst.com.
Domain names are attached to a DNS (Domain Naming System), which
is used to translate numeric addresses (IP addresses) into words.
Every Web site has a numeric IP address behind its name.
E-Commerce: Electronic Commerce. The buying/selling
(or exchange) of goods and services through the Internet.
Email Forwarding: When email sent to different email
addresses is automatically sent (forwarded) to another specified
email address. For example, you could have multiple email addresses
(i.e. info@domain.com, support@domain.com, webmaster@domain.com)
that would all be forwarded to one address (i.e. whatever@domain.com)
for easy checking and responding.
Firewall: Software and/or hardware combination that protects
a computer or network from unauthorized access.
FrontPage: Microsoft FrontPage is an HTML editor
often used to create and maintain Web sites.
FrontPage Extensions: A set of programs and scripts that
allow specific features of a Web site created with FrontPage
to perform correctly.
FTP: File Transfer Protocol. The most common method
for uploading files to servers. FTP allows files to be uploaded
from local machines to servers, where the files can be
GB: Gigabyte. 1024 Megabytes.
IMAP: Internet Message Access Protocol. A method allowing
an email program to access remote messages stored on a mail server.
IP Address: Internet Protocol Address. A unique
number identifying all devices connected to the Internet
KB: Kilobyte. 1024 bytes.
Linux: A UNIX-like operating system used by Web servers.
Managed Hosting: A dedicated server complemented with
technical support and maintenance services. This is a step up
from standard dedicated Web hosting, where customers are responsible
for all administrative and maintenance duties.
MB: Megabyte. A million bytes. A thousand kilobytes.
Merchant Account: Enables the processing of credit cards
online.
Microsoft Access: Microsoft's low-end relational database.
Miva Empressa: An XML-based server-side scripting
language. Miva Empresa installs on most Unix and Windows web
servers and enables the server with XML based Miva Script, commerce
processing and database.
Miva Merchant: A dynamic browser based storefront
development and management system that allows merchants to create
and administrate multiple online stores from anywhere in the
world.
MS SQL: Microsoft SQL Server. A relational
database management system. Windows hosting plans often include
MS SQL databases.
MySQL: A popular open-source relational database. UNIX
hosting plans often include MySQL databases.
Payment Gateway: Enables the authorization, processing
and managing of online transactions.
Perl: A programming language that facilitates data
management and processing.
PHP: A scripting language. PHP commands are embedded
within the HTML of a Web page and is useful in the arena of dynamically
generated pages. PHP scripting can add numerous interactive elements
to a Web site.
POP: Post Office Protocol. A protocol used to retrieve
e-mail from a mail server.
POP3 Email Account: POP3 email allows all emails addressed
to your domain to go to one place. If a host allows multiple
POP3 email boxes, you can have multiple (separate) email addresses.
Server: A computer or device on a network
used to store files and maintain network resources. This computer/device
handles requests for Web pages.
Setup Fee: Initial fee charged by a host to create
your hosting account.
Shared Web Hosting: The opposite of Dedicated Web hosting.
Multiple sites hosted on a single server. Multiple Web sites
share the system resources of a single server, with each single
Web site being allotted specific amounts of resources. Shared
Web hosting is the most common (and cheapest) hosting option.
Shopping Cart Software: Software that allows users (customers)
of a Web site to add and delete items into an online "shopping
cart" and then proceed to purchase the item(s). A shopping
cart is an essential component for most e-commerce Web sites,
as it allows users to browse for and purchase products online.
Some Web hosts provide free (usually more basic) shopping carts,
while others provide a shopping cart for an additional fee. Different
shopping cart programs range greatly in usability, functionality
and features, so choose wisely before creating your online store.
SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. A protocol for
sending email.
SQL: Structured Query Language. A database query
and programming language used for accessing, updating, and managing
data in a relational database system.
SSI: Server Side Incudes. Often used by Web developers
in order to facilitate in updating content on Web sites. An SSI
is a variable value that a web server can dynamically add to
an otherwise static Web page. SSI-enabled Web pages will often
be found with .shtml extensions.
SSL: Secure Sockets Layer. Allows encrypted, authenticated
communications over the Web. SSL provides security in online
commerce. URL's starting with "https://" indicate the
utilization of SSL.
Static (Dedicated) IP Address: A unique and unchanging
IP address. The opposite of dynamic IP addressing, in which a
Web site's IP address is different with each connection to the
server. With dynamic IP addressing, several domains can use 1
IP address. With static IP addressing, your Web site gets an
unchanging IP address that is not shared with other sites and
can be called up in place of your usual www.domain.com.
Storage Space (Disk Space): The storage capacity
for images, HTML files, audio files, video files, graphics, etc.
A Web site planning to have a large amount of pages and/or planning
to use a lot of images (or other large files) will need a greater
amount of storage space.
Subdomain: A subdomain is a division of a Web
site, a section set apart with a different sub-domain name. For
example, subdomains of Web site "domain.com" could
be "support.domain.com," "clients.domain.com,"
etc.
Uptime: How often a Web site is accessible
to users on the Internet (often given in a percentage).
UNIX: The most commonly used operating system among
Web servers. Unix is a text-based, multitasking operating system
that is designed to be used by many people at the same time.
Virtual Private Servers: Shared hosting servers in
which each hosting space is alloted its own amount of dedicated
resources. A step above shared Web hosting but a step below dedicated
Web hosting.
Virtual Web Hosting: Also known as shared Web hosting.
Multiple sites hosted on a single server.
WAP: Wireless Application Protocol. A set of protocols
that standardize the way that wireless devices can be used for
Internet access.
Web-based Email: Allows a user to access email from
any computer that has an Internet connection and a Web browser.
Web Statistics: Reports on visitors to your Web site.
Statistics range from basic (how many visitors), to advanced
(referring URL, search phrase, etc.).
Windows Hosting: Hosting on a web server that uses
Microsoft Windows server software as it's operating platform.
Windows hosting plans are useful in the arena of dynamic content
generation and database functionality. Windows is a graphic-based,
multitasking operating system. |
