| By :
Dirik Hameed
Understanding how web hosting is put together is often a mystery to most new computer users. However, this complexity is often removed when the core functionality is explained. A website consists of documents that are located on a central computer. When a web address is typed into a browser, the exact address of where these documents are located is returned and the information can then be retrieved. All computers speak to each other by means of an IP address. To locate a website, a computer needs to know which IP address to use. However, instead of entering an IP address, a domain name is entered. This name is then queried against a domain registrar database which provides the website hosting details. This information is called the DNS record and is a necessity in terms of finding web content. In the case of a dot com domain, the dot com domain registrar needs to be queried to ensure that no other duplicate name exists. A DNS record will then be created for the new domain. Your hosting company now supplies you with an IP address which needs to be noted on the DNS record of the registrar. Most hosting companies offer the domain registration as part of their service and will do so on your behalf. A web page can be seen as the basic unit of a website. These documents or pages are stored on a web server which is a very powerful computer that is able to share a large amount of information. This information is displayed in a client's web browser using HTML. All internet browsers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari are able to convert the HTML into readable content. Apache and Microsoft's IIS are two very popular examples of web server software. These are special computer programs that are needed for a computer to host a website. The Apache option is an open source option and is more cost efficient than its Microsoft counterpart. The frequency of access for your website pages will determine your bandwidth usage. Bandwidth can be seen as a measure of the amount of information that is being uploaded by the server each time somebody visits your domain. Most hosting companies offer a fixed amount of bandwidth per month. Specialized packages are offered to companies that need advanced features. Languages such as PHP and ASP.NET are some very popular choices. These websites are often supported with the use of a database which allows content to be displayed dynamically, that is the content is retrieved from a database and then written to the web page. A web developer's services should still be utilized when considering website hosting that requires more than the basic functionality. Many hosting providers give their clients access to a control panel which simplifies site administration. Clients are able to upload and update existing pages directly, but must practice caution as a basic understanding of web practices is often assumed.
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