Hosting involves the storage of websites and other data on a server so that it can be accessed over the internet. This can be a tricky subject that involves a lot of jargon. We are here to help, breaking down 10 of the most common hosting terms for you.
1. Bandwidth
Bandwidth refers to the amount of traffic a website can take, specifically, the amount of data transfer that is used on your account. This includes visitors to your site, emails sent or received, and files uploaded or downloaded.
2. DNS
DNS is an acronym for Domain Name System, a system for naming computers and network services that is organized into a hierarchy of domains (TechNet). In other words, it translates the name of a website, usually spelled out in “real words” into a numeric language read by the servers.
3. Firewall
A firewall is a barrier that is designed to prevent unauthorized communications between computer networks or hosts (Contegix).
4. FTP
FTP is an acronym for File Transfer Protocol, a standard protocol used for transferring files to or from the web server to your local machine (About Tech).
5. ISP
ISP is an acronym for Internet Service Provider and refers to the company that allows you to access internet (About Tech).
6. Load Balancing
Load balancing refers to a method of data distribution over a network so that a single server does not become overloaded (Contegix).
7. Managed Hosting
As a general rule, managed hosting is a form of dedicated hosting where a service provider not only provides hosting but also technical services such as hardware and software setup and configuration, maintenance, hardware replacement, technical support, patching, updating and monitoring. Also available, usually at additional cost, are advanced services like vulnerability scans, DDoS attack mitigation, data backups, load balancing, firewalls, intrusion detection and more. Each managed hosting provider has unique offerings.
8. Server
A server is a computer that delivers information to other computers. This is where your website resides (hub).
9. SSL
SSL is an acronym for Secure Sockets Layer and is a security protocol that allows for the safe handling of confidential information. Commonly used for e-commerce websites (About Tech).
10. Subdomain
A subdomain is an additional domain name that enables you to logically organize your site structure and/or host additional Web sites or parts of a Web site on the same server without the need to pay for registration of additional domain names (Brainwrap).
Informatics offers robust and reliable hosting with round-the-clock security and a team that proactively blocks malicious attacks. Our clustered, multi-server environment gives you the horsepower you need to keep your site operating at peak capacity. Our progressive traffic management offers redundant monitoring systems, auto load balancing and different geographical locations to keep your site running smoothly. Contact Informatics today to learn more about our hosting packages.
