Simplified clarification of many website terms.
For more information about the topic, post a question or google for sites that get into the details of each term!
WORLD WIDE WEB (WWW).
This is a PART of the internet. WWW is only a portion of the network of computers that make up the "Net". The internet is made up of computers that pass information from one to another all around the globe.
BROWSER.
This is the program that allows you to see websites. It is a frame that has tools (usally across the top of the window) to allow you to wander to different addresses. Most popular browsers: Internet Explorer, Firefox, AOL, Opera and there are many others. Some of the FREE or low cost internet providers serve up ADS in the browser windows or speed up the downloading of the website pages by eliminating/distorting images. Websites can look drastically different depending on the browser used by your visitor.
ISP
This is the company that allows access to the internet, Internet Service Provider. Most charge a monthly fee.
This is usually NOT your web host unless you are using the free web space provided by your ISP (these are usually personal accounts, less than 20MB).
DOMAIN NAME.
This is the public name the website carries and becomes part of the URL (address) of the website.
The registered domain name for this site is samisite.com
Domain Name extensions.
The most widely know top tier names end in .com and .net but there are many others like:
.biz (commerce) .edu (education) .gov (government) .mil (military) .org (non-profit organizations), etc.
There are domain names with extensions that match countries, purpose, cities, and much more.
DOMAIN REGISTRAR.
This is the company that sells domain names, known as website names in one year increments. Some give discounts if you purchase multiple years in a single billing.
They keep registration information and report it to other computers across the internet network.
The control panel allows you to purchase more time, add features (make the registration information hidden, etc), and point the DNS records to your host. DNS records are Domain Name Server records. These are basically sign posts that point all visitors looking for your website to the proper group of computers.
DOMAIN HOST/WEB HOST.
This company leases space on their computers known as servers.
Clients publish/upload website pages to a specific folder on the host computer. This folder is made public and the world can visit the website. Hosts have control panels which allow the owner of the site to change settings, upload and delete files, and generally maintain the site.
Hosts are not the same!
- Most charge a monthly or annual fee. Some are free with very limited services/ads.
- Some control panels make it very easy to add modifications others are very confusing and layered.
- Some hosts offer forums, chat, phone or other support.
- Some are bare-bones.
- Some allow all types of content, some allow only family content.
- Some offer the world (unlimited.....) while others have strict limits. Limits on host accounts help the host to budget the resources on the server, making the servers run more reliably. Hosts that offer unlimited plans at next to nothing often overbook servers, expecting that most clients will only use x amount of space or bandwidth, etc and when someone expands their site beyond the average it can drag down the server and slow down ALL websites on that shared space.
There are different classes of service depending on the needs of the customer.
- Free: usually advertisement-supported, usually far more limited than shared. There is usually less attention to backups, maintenance and up-time on these servers. Some ISP's offer free website space (usually 10mb) for their customers. This space is best used for personal non-commercial sites.
- Shared: one server holds MANY other sites, sharing the same CPU and RAM Most small business and personal sites are in this category.
- Reseller: Clients can split one hosting account into smaller units and store multiple websites. The client can RESELL that space to other websites or use that space for multiple websites hosted on the same server. Usually has a master control panel for all accounts, and individual control panels for each separate unit. Reseller accounts can be on shard server or VPS.
- Virtual Dedicated Server/Virtual Private Server (VPS): This is a shared server is divided into "virtual servers". Each client feels like they have their own dedicated server. The users may have special access to server settings (such as root access) for their own virtual space.
- Dedicated: the client has own Web server. This is usually LEASED server, not owned by the client.
------ Self-Managed. cheapest dedicated plan with full control over it (root access for Linux/administrator access for Windows). Client is responsible for the security and maintenance of his own dedicated box.
------ Managed. Client has own Web server but not full control (root access for Linux/administrator access for Windows). Client can manage their data via FTP or other remote management tools. Provider/Host is responsible for the security and maintenance of dedicated box.
- Colocation: Client/User owns the server; the hosting company provides physical space. This is most expensive type of the web hosting service but gives most control to owner. Usually the client would have his own personnel do any hardware upgrades or changes at the data center.
- Home server: usually a single machine placed in a home set to host web site(s)
Each class of hosting MAY have different levels of hosting offered, especially in the shared hosting.
Usually hosts offer starter plans for basic websites and ratchet up plans offering more.
Some hosts offer all features to all levels of hosting so only the space and/or bandwidth is bumped up in bigger plans. Others actually add features as your plan goes up.
SERVER.
This is just a computer with a few extra features, mainly that people can visit information stored on it.
Servers host websites and much more. Two most popular types of operating systems: Linux and Windows
Your home/office computer does NOT have to have the same operating system as the server that has your website. In other words you can use Windows or Mac at home and host on a Linux machine. Fully compatible.
WEB PAGES.
These are the content of websites. The HTML, PHP, ASP, etc pages.
These are made with website builders and seen in browser windows.
WEB SITE BUILDER.
Can be online or offline.
Online editors are tied to the specific host that gives you the editor.
Offline editors are programs that are installed on your computer and will allow you to change your hosts, and come in two main types of software:
HTML editors.
These allow direct editing of the web page code. Notepad (on every windows machine) is the most basic HTML editor. Some offer highlighting of code, have code to paste in to the page, etc. Others expect you to write the code from scratch.
HTML generators.
These have a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) interface for the user.
Some HTML generators allow direct editing of the code some do not.
- CSB is an HTML generator that creates the code for you during the publishing process and does not allow editing of the code driectly.
- Dreamweaver is a code generator that allows the user to manually adjust code.
BANDWIDTH.
Bandwidth refers to how much data is transferred to or from the server. Every time you upload files, check the website, visitor loads your website page into their browser window, a movie is viewed, a picture is viewed, etc bytes of data (bandwidth) is being counted. Email being processed on the host server also adds to the bandwidth usage. Most hosts have a limit on how much data can be transfered (bandwidth) per month, depending on the hosting plan.
Heavy usage can make a site go over the allotted bandwidth, especially if large files (movies, sounds, music, etc) are downloaded by visitors or if another site is pulling in content.
PROPAGATION.
There is a lag time between the time you point a website domain name to a particular host and the time it can be seen.
If you have a NEW website: It takes 12 to 72 hours for computers to pass the word around the world. It is done by sending information from computer to computer to computer throughout the internet. Some get the word right away, some get it days later.
If you change hosts: You must repoint your domain to new DNS. Again it will take the usual 12-72 hours to get that message around the world (propagate). In the mean time, some visitors may see the old host, some may see the new host.
Recommendations:
- Do propagation during the slowest active period for your site. If most of the traffic is during the week, propagate during the weekend. If most traffic is during the weekends, propagate during the week.
- Make a small change the new hosted files. For example, add an extra link, or line of text or extra image, etc to home page and contact pages. Then when you visit the site using the normal URL of the site during that 12-72 hour period, you will know WHICH version of the site is being viewed old host or new host!
FEES FOR WEBSITES.
ISP. You pay monthly fee to access the web (AOL, Earthlink, MSN, Verizon, your phone company, etc)
DOMAIN. You pay an annual fee to own a website name. Can buy multiple years in advance.
HOST. You pay a monthly/annual fee to rent space on a server for your web pages.
EXTRAS. Some people choose to pay for monthly/annual services to expand website services, to add forms, tag boards (like on the front of samisite.com), forums, password protection, streaming files, and more.
