.com This is a common domain name employed by online business ventures.
Address An alternative to the more commonly used URL (Uniformed Resource Locator), this is the exclusive web identifier designated to each individual website.
Apache Apache is acknowledged by Netcraft survey as the most popular Internet web server available today. It is an open-source HTTP Web server software, meaning that the code is widely available and can also be shared. It rivals Microsoft IIS because it can operate on various systems, including Unix and Windows, although it is more common on the former. The server is full-featured and is boosted by the availability of a variety of add-ons.
Archive An archive is a saved file containing any number of documents and/or data. They can be compressed in order to save storage space.
ASP Active Server Pages are Microsoft’s server-side scripting technology. It is a mixture of HTML and code that can be written in JScript or VBScript. It comes with the ISS web server and can ensure dynamic programming. The extension for ASP files is always .asp.
Backbone The backbone is provided and operated by companies that allow access to the Internet, like AT&T for example. It is the primary high speed network connection to the Internet.
Bandwidth Bandwidth is the range of electrical frequencies that can be transmitted from one device to another or through a specific network in a specific period of time. The measurement unit is usually bps (bits per second).
Bot A bot is an element of software that allows participation in chat rooms and communication on the Internet. It is generally automated.
C/C++ These are the most commonly found programming languages. When employed, they allow newly created server programs to run effectively. It is not limited to web hosting and programming, but has many uses in the world of computing. There are code libraries in operation and a large amount of this code can be churned out in a short period of time.
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) There are a number of versions, including CSS1 and CSS2. A CSS is coding that determines how something appears on the web. It dictates style and appearance.
Certificate Every website is issued digital identification including the following information: hostname, issuer, the name and public key of the owner. There is also an expiry date. The certificate displays this information.
CGI Common Gateway Interface. Any website that processes information should have one. It processes data from HTML forms on interfacing web servers and can often be found in a separate directory, cgi-bin for example. There is no standard language used to write a CGI.
cgi-bin The special directory on any server that is home to the CGI (Common Gateway Interface).
Clustering Clustering is the linkage of one computer to another to create the illusion that it is one machine. This can be done with any number of computers and it increases reliability.
Co-location (colo) A location that provides technical support, emergency power to keep the server online, security and the obligatory high speed Internet connection. In a colo, a client controls the server’s hardware and software.
Cobalt RaQ Cobalt is the brand name. RaQs are server appliances employed by hosting companies because they provide a versatile and uncomplicated interface. They are generally Linux-based and offer various pre-installed programs.
ColdFusion ColdFusion is a server-side scripting language. It was created by Allaire as part of the ColdFusion Studio. It is straightforward and, as a result, is one of the more popular scripting languages.
Control Panel Web hosting control panels allow the owners to effectively manage their account. There are a wide range of options available on a control panel, including email accounts, contact information, viewing hits and usage, monitoring statistics, uploading and maintaining files and so on. The make-up of a control panel is dependent on what type of website one has.
cPanel cPanel is used for turning standalone servers into a fully automated point-and-click hosting platform. Common tasks are replaced by web interfaces and API-based calls. cPanel is designed with multiple levels of administration including admin, reseller, end user, and email-based interfaces. These multiple levels provide security, ease of use, and flexibility for everyone from the server administrator to the email account user.
CPU CPU stands for Central Processing Unit. Every computer needs one in order to function because it is incapable of processing information without it.
Data transfer Data transfer refers to the cumulative size of files transferred to and from one account during a period of a month. If graphics, video files and audio files are used, the total will be higher. The amount of downloads and hits will also affect it.
Database A web server uses a database to store information. It is structured and easy to access. Relational databases are the most popular type used, and SQL is the most popular language, although this varies from host to host.
Dedicated Server A dedicated server is an alternative to a co-location but includes the lease of hardware from a web host, rather than controlling it yourself. However, upgrades are easier to come by, and there is often better support. A dedicated server is necessary if your site has outgrown a shared server to the point of overwhelming it with demand. It allows total control over your software.
DNS DNS stands for Domain Name System. It matches IP addresses with domains on the Internet. The information is held in a database and distributed amongst various DNS servers. As a result, any changes made to a domain’s IP address are not registered immediately.
Domain name A website’s domain name appears as an address. DNS then transfers a user to the IP address that is assigned to it. They are sorted into a hierarchy by the suffix tagged onto the address. Top level domains (TLDs) appear as .com, .gov, .org, .net or .jp. More recent TLDs include .biz, .pro and .museum. These are assigned by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers).
Fantastico This is a commercial script library that automates the installation of web applications to a website. Fantastico scripts are executed from the administration area of a website control panel such as cPanel. Fantastico’s web site claims that they are installed on ten thousand servers, with a million users worldwide.
Firewall Firewalls protect a device or network from unauthorized access from outside parties and can prevent attacks that disable the server. It is located between the Internet and the network that it is employed to protect. A firewall is usually software-based but can also be created by combining certain software and hardware components.
FrontPage Extensions An application designed by Microsoft so that FrontPage Website users can create a tool to employ “web-bots” in order to install functions such as full text Internet searching and hit tracking. They are not limited to Microsoft applications because they are also available for Unix-based systems. However, there are risks involved because of potential security gaps that it is possible to breach.
FTP Referring to File Transfer Protocol, which identifies the process of downloading and uploading files between a FTP server and its clients. Large browsers often have FTP capability and there are programs available, such as WS_FTP.
GIF Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) refers to the Compuserve invented graphic file format that ensures the quality of any image resists degradation when transferred. It employs a method of compression that prevents loss.
Gigabyte (Gb) A Gigabyte is 1024 Megabytes.
Hit A hit is broadly used to define a single visit to a specific website, but can also be defined as a single request put in by a web browser. The web server then responds to transmit data in the form of a text or binary file. The latter encompasses image, video and audio files.
Home Page The web page that one is taken to by a browser when initially requesting a specific website via domain name. It is the main web page that any company or individual owns.
Host The individual computer in any network that is designated the duty of running the web server. It stores the website files and provides a specific service, depending on the nature of the network.
HTML HTML is short for Hypertext Markup Language. Although it is not a programming language, it is the language used to create web pages. They are written in HTML because it allows text to combine with images. Hypertext is a feature of HTML that allows individual elements to link to each other. It organizes information logically without imposing a specific order.
Hyperlink HTML relies on hyperlink tags to link one web page to another. It effectively redirects a user to another part of the website or another website. It is shortened and commonly referred to as a ‘link’.
Image Map An image map is related to hyperlinks in that it allows further web navigation. It is a clickable image that has different areas to take a user elsewhere on the web. Each area redirects to another part of the same site or a different one.
IMAP An Internet Message Access Protocol defines how a client email program can access messages stored on an individual email server. It allows all of the usually email server features. For example, IMAP encompasses the creation and erasing of messages, the reassigning of individual mailboxes, and the retrieval of new messages. It has been widely used since its creation at Stanford in 1986.
InterNIC InterNic is the organization that registers, controls and establishes new domain names.
Intranet A private network that controls communication and Internet access within one particular company. Computers and users must be registered and authorized before accessing the Intranet. The privacy element is the only thing that separates the an Intranet from the Internet. The services and protocols provided by both are identical.
IP IP, meaning Internet Protocol, is the Internet’s most common networking protocol because it allows for the linking of computers via the Internet.
IP Address An Internet Protocol Address is a unique number or code assigned to every device capable of accessing the Internet. It allows identification of the individual device and is composed of a group of numbers between 0 and 255. It appears as 240.99.155.213, for example.
Java Created by Sun Microsystems, Java is a programming language that is secure, platform-independent, object-oriented and compact. It is similar to C++ and was designed specifically for web application. It is used for writing browser applets and independent programs.
JavaScript This is a straightforward programming language that can be used alongside HTML to validate data and create an interactive experience. It is not the same language as Java but is supported by most browsers.
JPEG A JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) is a popular image format widely used on the Internet. The image is compressed to save space, but this form does encourage degradation of the image through loss of data.
JSP Java Server Pages are a combination of Java server-side programs and HTML provided by the technology of Java Servlet. The common extension for such images and pages is .jsp.
Kbps This stands for Kilobits per second. 1Kbps is equal to 1024bps.
Kilobyte (Kb) A Kilobyte is worth 1024 bytes.
LAN A Local Area Network is comprised of a number of devices, including elements such as computers and printers, which are grouped together in a specific and small area. They provide extremely fast connection to the Internet and are usually confined to one building or department.
Linux Developed by Linus Torvalds, Linux is a free operating system that is similar to Unix. It is very popular and is often employed as an operating system by various hosting companies.
Mbps Used to denote Megabits (Mb) per second. 1Mb is equal to 1,048,576 bits.
Megabyte (MB) 1MB is worth 1024 Kilobytes, which in turn is equal to 1,048,576 bytes.
MHz Used to denote Megahertz. 1MHz is equal to 1,000,000 Hertz.
Miva Merchant Miva Merchant is a management system developed for and employed by businesses. It is browser-based and is designed to resemble a storefront.
MPEG MPEG (Motion Picture Experts Group) is a popular video format used on the Internet. It is a form of compressing video files, such as movies, although quality is lost via this method.
MySQL This is the most popular open-source database found in web hosting. It stores relevant information and is widely employed by Unix-based plans.
OC-1, OC-3, OC-12, OC-24, OC-48 Used to denote Optical Carrier transmission speeds and their optimum levels. They are found in fiber optic networks and conform to SONET standard. OC-1 is equal to 51.85 Mbps, and the number next to the OC is the multiple of the base speed. Therefore the higher the number, the faster the transmission.
Operating system The operating system is the heart of a device. It is a group of software programs that serve to allow the running of applications, provide the user interface and control the hardware of the computer. Mac OS, Windows and Unix-based programs are all examples of operating systems.
Perl Perl is a powerful programming language that was published in 1987. It draws on other languages, but its ability to support many platforms means that it is mainly used in CGI programs. Its ability to manipulate and exploit operating systems means it is hugely popular.
PHP PHP is almost exclusively an open-source server-side language. The code can be used in conjunction with HTML and often has file extensions, which are denoted by the suffixs .php or .php3. It is very similar to other languages, such as Java and C.
Plesk The Parallels Plesk Control Panel software package is a commercial web hosting automation program. It allows a server administrator to set up new websites, reseller accounts, e-mail accounts, and DNS entries through a web-based interface. The administrator can create client and site templates, which predetermine resource allocation parameters for the domains and/or clients.
POP Post Office Protocol is a form of email system. However, unlike IMAP, it is very rigid and thus difficult to employ when attempting to meet deadlines. For example, messages can only be downloaded and retrieved at a specifically stipulated time on one particular device.
Port The location of a device’s connection to a network or server. It is usually in the form of a socket.
RAID Used to denote the Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks. RAID is a type of disk that is usually used on servers to combine several actual disks. This in turn increases speed, efficiency and prevents faults occurring. There are several levels that can be combined in order to aid and ensure reliability:Level 0 implements data striping. Files are written to purposely separate drives. However, the failure of one drive will cause data loss at this stage.Level 1 allows data mirroring. The data is copied and placed on two separate hardware or software drives. The data can then be read a lot quicker.Level 2 – sees data split at bit level and sent to multiple drives. This is not used in practice.Level 3 – requires at least 3 drives because the data is striped at byte level across drives and any error correction codes that appear are recorded on a separate drive. This prevents faults but slows down the process.Level 4 – is another version of Level 3 but is quicker because it uses blocks for data striping.Level 5 – is similar to Level 4 but improves performance by striping the error correction codes as well, which is then split across multiple drives.Level 6 – is comparable to Level 5 but has more effective fault tolerance owing to a further parity level.Level 7 – Proprietary RAID design by Storage Computer Corporation. It is faster and more effective because it employs multiple levels of cache and asynchronous I/O transfers.
Raw Logs A raw log is access data that is updated in real-time and can be downloaded and read by a statistics program. The log is comprised of IP address, access date and time, nature of the request, documents accessed, status code, referrer, user and HTTP status code for each individual request. It can identify site visitors and give a more accurate picture of the website than a page of flat statistics.
Server A server is a network device that can access the Internet and deals with client requests.
Setup fee This is the price a host may charge to establish your personal hosting account. It is usually a one-off fee.
Shopping Cart Online businesses set up a shopping cart via software in order for users to buy their products. Browsing and selection of products places each item in the cart, which then can be altered at will. Options include calculating prices (including shipping), add and remove items, modifying quantities and placing an order. Merchants generally have shopping cart facilities on their websites, but you can choose to have a separate one of your own.
SQL Structured Query Language is a limited programming language that is associated with rational databases. It is generally employed for querying and updating the databases. Every database utilizes SQL and there are some available with hosting plans, MySQL for example.
SSH SSH is a Secure Shell created by SSH Communications Security. It provides a secure method of accessing an Internet connection because of its encryption standards.
SSI Used to denote Server-Side Includes. SSI tells the server what information to include on a specific web page, including dynamic information like dates, polls and times, before it is sent to a client. If hosts wish to put less pressure on a server, they will insist on .shtml form.
SSL Used to denote Secure Sockets Layer, which is a Netscape protocol. It is designed to provide encryption for financial and commercial transactions that may be intercepted. The sensitive data needs extra security when traversing the Internet. The most obvious example of this is credit card details. SSL uses https protocol and requires a certificate before you can put it to use.
Static (or dedicated) IP A static IP is a unique IP address that will not be able to change. It will remain in its original form.
T1 T1 is a dedicated telecommunications line. The bandwidth of T1 is 1.5Mps, which is made up of 24 64Kbps channels which can be configured for voice/data transmission. T1 lines are generally used by companies that need an Internet connection but require reliability and speed that other lines cannot offer. They are, however, very expensive.
T3 Like T1, T3 is a dedicated telecommunications line, but the bandwidth is higher at 44 Mbps. T3 lines are generally employed by ISPs to access the backbone.
TCP/IP Used to denote Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, which provides the general standard for other protocol suites on the Internet. TCP runs in conjunction with IP protocol as it is a higher level protocol.
Telnet Telnet is a protocol used to establish a connection with remote systems. It has been extremely popular but is less secure than newer SSH programs.
Terabyte (TB) This is equal to 1024 Gigabytes.
Unix AT&T Bell’s multi-user operating systems that were first available in the 1970s. They were initially to be found in universities before spreading to businesses worldwide. It provides the foundation of Linux and is extremely popular amongst web hosts.
UPS UPS stands for Uninterrupted Power Supply. It does exactly what it implies by keeping the server alive on a battery after any power cut. This allows the system to shut down on its own without any data being lost. It has also been designed to deal with voltage spikes and drops.
URL A Uniform Resource Locator is plainly an Internet address. Its components make up the locator and consist of three stages – type of service (protocol), the host name and finally the file on the host.
WAV WAV is an audio file format but, unlike other transfer files, are huge because of a lack of compression. This does however prevent loss.
ZIP ZIP is used to compress files for transfer or storage. It is extremely secure.