| If you want to have an online presence these days it | | | | floorspace" you are given by your web hosting |
| is impossible to do so without your own website or | | | | company. The hard disk space sits on the computers |
| blog. While many blogging platforms such as are free | | | | of your host, acting as your web server. Depending |
| to use they do limit you in the sense of what you | | | | on the size of your website you might need more or |
| are allowed to do. Therefore it is recommended that | | | | less space. Many people start out with a small |
| you consider web hosting. The biggest issue new | | | | account and then gradually increase it if the need |
| computer users face is a lack of knowledge about | | | | arises. Most users will never even use the amount of |
| the technical terms used by web hosting companies. | | | | disk space given to them by their web host. |
| The "fear" or "insecurity" of the unknown turns many | | | | Bandwidth: The best way to imagine Bandwidth is to |
| users away, which is a shame really because they | | | | compare it to the amount of visitors and traffic you |
| are cutting themselves short. | | | | receive in your home each month. The more traffic |
| To help you understand common web hosting terms | | | | your website has, the more data will be used. If your |
| we have written this article so that you can take | | | | homepage is 40KB in size then each visitor to your |
| advantage of the offers like a pro - even as a total | | | | website will use 40KB of data. This multiplies by the |
| newcomer to the Internet. | | | | total amount of visitors you have on your website |
| Web hosting: Web hosting is like having your own | | | | each month and then some because your own visits |
| online home for your website. Without a host you | | | | count as well. |
| would be hard-pressed to be found online because it | | | | If your allotted usage of Bandwidth is exceeded in |
| is the real estate on which your website (online | | | | any given month you will usually be charged extra by |
| home) is situated on. While you can host a blog or | | | | your hosting company. A good way to monitor your |
| website for free on many online platforms you are | | | | usage is by using the web stats program in your |
| extremely limited in your options. | | | | cPanel admin.cPanel: A cPanel is simply said your |
| If you are a business or entrepreneur you really want | | | | control panel into which you as a webmaster can |
| to have your own self-hosted website because the | | | | login and perform website maintenance tasks. In |
| Internet is massive right now and will only continue to | | | | short it is a UNIX based web hosting interface. |
| grow. You simply can't afford to be missing out on | | | | Web Stats: Your web stats give you important |
| potential sales and customers due to the steady | | | | insights into your website visitor's behavior. While |
| traffic the web provides. | | | | nobody should waste hours each day studying their |
| When you purchase web hosting space, you can | | | | stats, it is certainly useful and recommended to make |
| then upload files and images to your online real | | | | it a habit to check-in at least once a week to see |
| estate, effectively creating a website that will be | | | | what brings visitors to your site and what repels |
| available to millions of people worldwide. | | | | them. |
| Domain name: A domain name is your WWW | | | | By monitoring your stats (from within your cPanel |
| address on the web. While the web host is your real | | | | admin) you can gain clear insights in regards to your |
| estate, your domain name is your address, much like | | | | website which is essential for growing any site. |
| a physical address. But instead of a street name and | | | | FTP: FTP stands for "file transfer protocol." You need |
| number you are given a domain name ( | | | | an FTP client to upload files to your online server |
| Most web hosts provide you with a domain name of | | | | (your host). You can access FTP features from |
| your choice once you register for an account. | | | | within your hosting account's cPanel or else you can |
| Alternatively you can also buy them from a domain | | | | download free or paid FTP software directly to your |
| name registrar. | | | | computer to save time. |
| Database: A database is simply a file which contains | | | | POP 3 Email: A POP 3 email account is a common |
| organized and structured information such as other | | | | by-product of many web hosting packages these |
| files, pictures, music and more. The purpose of a | | | | days. It will allow you to create one or unlimited email |
| database is to allow users access to information in a | | | | addresses depending on your package, which you |
| secure digital way by means of a login. A typical | | | | can then forward to your computer by means of |
| example is a self hosted WordPress blog which | | | | POP 3. Instead of having to read your email online |
| requires a database to function. | | | | after login into your account, you simply read in in |
| The owner would then be able to login to the admin | | | | Outlook Express or a similar program on your |
| section of the blog while readers can browse it with | | | | machine. |
| the help of the Internet without needing to login | | | | The great thing about domain specific emails is the |
| (unless the blog is made private). | | | | professionalism they portray to readers. It sounds |
| MySQL: MySQL is the world's most popular database | | | | much better if you advertise () as your chosen email |
| for open source, meaning everybody can tweak and | | | | than using something like () |
| twiddle with the software however they deem fit. | | | | Hopefully by now you understand a little more about |
| MySQL stands for "Structured Query Language." | | | | the mysteries of common web hosting terms. They |
| These days most good hosts use MySQL databases | | | | really are not that hard to comprehend after you |
| due to their ability to deal with web languages such | | | | familiarize yourself with the terms. The best way to |
| as PHP (which is code to laymen) but provides a | | | | get familiar is to just buy a simple web hosting |
| more dynamic setup. | | | | package and get started. |
| Disk Space: This terminology refers to the "virtual | | | | |