WEB HOSTING, DOMAIN NAMES, SSL

What is Web Hosting?

Web Hosting or simply 'Hosting,' is a service provided by a vendor which offers a physical location (a server) for the storage of web pages, files, images, video, and bandwidth. Think of a web hosting company as a landlord. They rent you physical space on their servers allowing your web pages to be viewed on the Internet.The term "web server" is generally used in reference to the computer hardware that provides World Wide Web (www) services on the Internet. A Web server includes the hardware, operating system, server software, TCP/IP protocols and the website content. Web servers process requests from browsers for web pages and serves them up via HTTP protocol.

The term "web server" is generally used in reference to the computer hardware that provides World Wide Web (www) services on the Internet. A Web server includes the hardware, operating system, server software, TCP/IP protocols and the website content. Web servers process requests from browsers for web pages and serves them up via HTTP protocol.

What's in a Domain Name?

Domain names function on the Internet in a manner similar to a physical address in the physical world. Each part of the domain name provides specific information. These pieces of information enable web browsers, such as Apple Safari, to locate the web page. The naming system is closely regulated in order to prevent confusion or duplicate addresses. As demand increased exponentially, a new Internet Protocol version, or IPv6, was created to expand the amounts of domain names available.

A domain name locates an organization or other entity on the Internet. For example, the domain name "www.cirjconcepts.com" locates an Internet address for "cirjconcepts.com" at Internet point 199.0.0.2 and a particular host server named "www."

How do Domains Work?

Domain names work because they provide computer users with a short name that is easy to remember. Users enter web addresses into the URL field at the top of their browser's page from left to right. The domain name itself is read from right to left according to the naming hierarchy discussed below. This link provides directions to the network, which ultimately results in a successful page load at the client end of the transaction.

The common fictitious domain name, www.example.com, is comprised of three essential parts:
* .com - This is the top-level domain.
* .example. - This is a sub-domain.
* www. - This is a sub-domain prefix for the World Wide Web. The original use of this prefix was partly accidental, and pronunciation difficulties raised interest in creating viable alternatives.

Many servers use a three-letter naming convention for top-level domains, and they are separated from sub-domains by a dot. The significance of the top-level domain is the most important for new users to grasp. It identifies the highest part of the naming system used on the Internet. This naming system was originally created to identify countries and organizations as well as categories.

The most common categories are easily recognized by new computer users, and they include:
* .com, .org, .mil, .edu, .net

A significant expansion of the top-level domains occurred, and they now include:
* .biz, .museum, .info, .name

What is SSL?

SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, is the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private and integral.This is what is used when you see https:// rather than http:// and sometimes you see a green bar in your browser.

SSL is required for websites that will accept credit cards directly on their site and for sites that contain personal information that is transported between the browser and the host.

Why is it highly recommended that I use SSL?

There are several reasons why SSL is recommended and sometimes required. Some are listed above. As for Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Google has announced that secure sites using a SSL certificate will start to rank higher in search results. This is part of their overall "user experience" focus as visitors can better trust these sites by seeing https:// (SSL certificate) installed and being used.