A Beginner’s Guide To Important Web Hosting Terminologies
The web hosting industry uses a lot of jargon and terminologies to describe certain features and benefits of web hosting services. Many site owners are unaware of these terminologies and find the process of finding the best web hosting plan overwhelming. In this article, we will decode some commonly used web hosting jargon to help you understand them and make an informed decision.
01: Web hosting
Let’s start with a basic understanding of web hosting. When you create a website and want to make it available online, you need to store it on a web server. You can either buy a server or rent space on a server from a hosting company.
02: Shared Hosting
There are different types of web hosting services available. Of these, Shared Hosting is one of the most popular types as it is affordable and easy to use. In Shared Web Hosting, your website resides on a web server that is shared between multiple users. The shared host creates a pool of resources that is used by all users based on the needs of their sites.
03: Windows and Linux Hosting
The operating system of the web server plays an important role in the performance of the hosted website. Two of the most common options are Windows and Linux Hosting. In Windows hosting plans, the operating system on the server is Windows. Hence, you can use all applications and tools that are compatible with the Windows environment. On the other hand, in Linux Web Hosting, the server uses the Linux OS.
04: Bandwidth
This is the speed with which data can be transferred to and from the web server. When you buy a web hosting plan, the host offers certain bandwidth with it. This determines how fast your web pages will load.
05: Firewall
A firewall is the first line of defense against online threats. There are many online miscreants trying to gain unauthorized access to websites with malicious intentions. A firewall is configured to identify common threats and thwart them before they can damage the web server or the hosted website.
06: Control Panel
Running and managing a web server is different compared to operating a personal computer or laptop. There are many technical tasks that site owners need to perform while managing their hosting accounts. To make things simpler, there are control panels that offer a simple user interface for technical server and site-related tasks.
07: SSL Certificate
A Secured Sockets Layer or SSL Certificate has become synonymous with website security in recent times. These certificates encrypt the information being exchanged between the web server and the user’s browser. Hence, it protects the information from hackers while in transit.
08: Content Delivery Network
A CDN or Content Delivery Network is a network of servers that offers services to websites. When you opt for a CDN with your hosting plan, your site’s data is replicated across the network. When a user visits your site, the server closest to the user processes the request. This helps in reducing the loading time of the site and frees the server for other tasks.
Summing Up
There are many other terms and jargon that are used in the web hosting industry. When you decide to buy a hosting plan, make sure that you understand all such terms before signing the dotted line. If you are unsure about what a term means, then ask the host to explain it to you in simpler terms. Ensure that you understand what you are buying as your site’s performance depends on it. Good Luck!
