What is hosting server: Brief Guide to Understanding Web Hosting
Did you ask “What is hosting server”? Well, you are at the right place. This post from Grid Hosting is going to cover some very basic concepts related to web hosting. Perhaps, you want to learn the difference between domain and host and types of web hosting and their differences.
Starting your own website is an exciting and thrilling venture, regardless of whether you want to earn or just spread your word in the market. Even watching a five-minute video on YouTube may persuade you, but then comes the difficult phase.
Terms like web hosting, domain name, server, hosting server are hard enough to baffle a newbie. This post serves to explain these relatively new concepts in simple enough words to explain to a novice audience.
We will talk about what is web hosting and how does it work.
What is Hosting Server? Basics
We will soon explain what a hosting server is. But understanding the basics first is essential.
Server
First and foremost we need to understand what server means. It is any computer or device that provides a service to another computer program and its user, also known as the client.
Let’s get to the point again. Now we need to ensure that we know what it means to be a web hosting service provider.
Web Hosting
What do web hosting services providers do? They let the organizations and individuals post a website or web page onto the internet. Businesses that provide the technologies and assistance needed for the website or webpage to be viewed on the internet are web hosting businesses.
The special or dedicated computers that store or host websites are called servers.
When a user wants to visit your website, they will type your website address in their browsers. Hereafter, the computer connects to your server and shows the web pages to the user. Software used to view websites is called a browser.
Yes, still, we do not know the answer to the question, “What is hosting server?” Let’s get to that point now.
Hosting server is a generic term. It is used to refer to a server that hosts or houses websites and related data, applications and services. A hosting server is a remotely accessible Internet server that comes with complete Web server functionality and resources. Remote access differentiates it from in-house servers.
Hosting a server is a crucial part of any web hosting service. Often the hosting service provider builds them and adds all elements essential to making the website work correctly. You may have heard about BlueHost. It is a relevant example of a host server.
What is Domain?
Let’s recall how users view websites. They type the website address in their browser, and the browser requests the website servers to display the website in the browser. What exactly is this website address?
Users have to enter it in the browser to access your website. This address is called a domain. More precisely, we call a domain name.
Yes, the domain name is the address of your website. This is how people find your website on the internet.
Here are three definitions from three authority websites.
Wikipedia
“Domain name is an identification string that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority or control within the Internet.”
Cloudflare
“A domain name is a unique, easy-to-remember address used to access websites, such as ‘google.com’ and ‘facebook.com’. Users can connect to websites using domain names thanks to the DNS system.”
WP Beginner
“Domain name is the address of your website that people type in the browser URL bar to visit your website. In simple terms, if your website was a house, then your domain name will be its address.”
Not confusing domain names with hosting are crucial. That is why we thought it necessary to mention three definitions. Now you must have grasped the difference between domain and host.
The Internet is a chain of connected computers. In this ocean of computers, a unique IP address serves to differentiate every computer from all others. It is just a string of numbers (168.19.6.1).
A numeric IP address of a web server can be used to access the website from the client’s computer. The human mind finds it easy to remember alphabets as compared to strings of numbers. That is why computer scientists invented domain names.
By now we have understood that web hosting and domain names are two different services. Many web hosting companies will help you find the domain and many will even provide the one. A simple Google search is enough to find the best domain and hosting package. Select the package whose hosting and domain price fits your budget.
Who Manages The Domain Names?
Domain registries are responsible for managing the domain names.
They delegate the reservation of domain names to registrars. So if you want to create a website, register a domain name with a registrar. Currently, there are over 300 million registered domain names.
You will find domain names always available in many different extensions. Here are a few of them:
- .org
- .net
- .tv
- .uk
- .com
The extension .com is the most common one.
Finally, we have understood the basics. It is time to choose the best hosting options among many different types.
What is Hosting Server: Different Types of Hosting
Many options are there to help you get your site on the web. Let us understand different hosting types.
1. Shared Hosting
They will store your website and many other websites on the same server. In shared hosting, multiple domains share the same server resources, such as RAM and CPU. So the costs are relatively low as compared to other types.
2. Dedicated Server
Dedicated hosting is the opposite of shared hosting. You enjoy ultimate control over the server since you exclusively rent it. Your website is the only website stored.
You can enjoy full root and admin access, and control everything from security to the operating system you run. But of course, that increases the budget. Dedicated servers are the most expensive servers.
3. VPS Hosting
It is the middle ground between both previous servers. VPS is the abbreviation of Virtual Private Server.
VPS Hosting providers host each website within its own space on the server. However, it still shares a physical server with other users. They provide good customization and storage space but cannot handle sudden traffic surges.
4. Cloud Hosting
It is a buzzword in the technology industry today. Cloud hosting works via a network and allows companies to consume the computing resource like a utility. Users can utilize as many resources as they need without needing to build any computing infrastructure.
Putting It All Together
Which hosting is best is not a good question. A better question would be which hosting is best for you. Try to find the best answer possible.
Hopefully, this post from Grid Hosting helps you with finding out “what is hosting server?”
