A definition of hosting
As its name implies, web hosting is a service, which entails hosting web content. There are various forms and types of hosting, based on the aims and on the functions. In spite of that, they all pertain to hosting files, which, once hosted, are made available throughout the Web. A host is actually a web server that is connected to the Internet and has its own Internet Protocol address, which enables users to have access to it via the Web. The hosting server's configuration and its system resources are subject to the kind of hosting service it will be used for.
What are the various forms of web hosting?
Depending on the goal, the professional web hosting solution may be:
File Storage Hosting - this form of hosting enables the customers to deposit their files on a particular hosting server. With the normal file hosting service, the files that are hosted may only be accessed by the client that's utilizing the service. This web hosting service usually appertains to backups of computers , docs, private files and even other servers. This service may also have given limits in relation to the web storage space and the root-level access. There may also be web traffic quota limitations, but that depends on the actual provider.
Warez Hosting - the so-called warez web hosting service is resembling the previous hosting service form. In spite of that, unlike the file storage hosting solution, the warez hosting solution is used for spreading patented work without the blessing of the copyright holder. In short - it entails the unlawful transmission of files and documents. There are many ways for this to be done, but the 2 principal methods are - via plain HTTP downloading and via P2P connections. The first one entails either a particular web portal, or, most typically, simply a directory on a hosting server that's been made available for everybody to access it and thereby download copyrighted content free of charge. The second approach entails a P2P connection, utilizing the so-called Torrent web servers, through which users share files between each other. There aren't many webspace hosting providers that permit such type of web hosting on their hosting servers, mostly owing to all the legal problems that it presupposes. Commonly such web pages are hosted on personal dedicated web servers that are registered by third-party firms either in the Middle East or in Asia.
Mail Web Hosting - this service is applicable with both shared web space hosting and dedicated servers, based on the user's wish. If you wish to have your own personal SMTP electronic mail server, then you will require either a private virtual server or a dedicated web hosting server that provides the access level needed to perform such a procedure. For traditional e-mail hosting purposes, though, you can utilize an ordinary shared web hosting account, to which you can point the mail exchanger records of your domain. This is not a solution that's widely popular, because the web hosting and the e-mail hosting services are being served by 2 different web servers, usually belonging to separate hosts.
Website Hosting - the most famous and universally used hosting service nowadays. It's used for hosting site files, whose kind is determined by the OS the server is availing of - Linux or Windows. Different types of files request different web server OSs, or else they won't be exhibited appropriately on the World Wide Web. This form of hosting may involve server storage and bandwidth quota limits, root-level access and central processing unit usage restrictions.
Based on the goals and on the objectives, the customer should pick the kind of hosting server that he requires for his work, and, of course, the web site hosting corporation that's going to supply it. There are several sorts of web hosting servers, depending on the specifications and the web hosting solutions that they provide. These are:
Shared Hosting Server - a shared web page hosting server provides a smaller quantity of system resources, which, of course, is manifested in the cost of the service. It can be used for hosting small scale and middle size web pages, which do not demand considerable quotas of web storage and web traffic.
Semi-Dedicated Servers - they operate on the same principle as the shared web site hosting servers. Even so, there are much less users sharing the same server. Because of that, each of them will get a larger quota of the web hosting server's resources like RAM, web space, web traffic and CPU. Excellent for hosting bulky web portals that do not need full server root privileges.
Virtual Servers - the VPS web hosting servers are ideal for medium scale web sites, which do need root-level access to the hosting server's configuration files. Commonly, there are a bunch of Virtual Private Server accounts accommodated on the same physical machine. Even so, each of them is autonomous from the others and has its own OS.
Dedicated Servers Hosting - a fully dedicated web server configured and accessed by you and solely you. It guarantees a vast amount of resources. It also gives full server root access, which renders it an ideal environment for any type of online portal that demands a webspace hosting service.
The sole question that remains is:
Which webspace hosting vendor should I settle on?
As mentioned, there aren't many companies providing warez hosting solutions due to legal entanglements. Such hosting providers are being closed down almost every month. That is why, if you would like to create such a service, you should do it on your very own personal computer. The shared web page hosting solution is the most widespread kind of web hosting service. Because of that, each hosting vendor provides it. Not all of them, though, offer services such as private virtual hosting servers, semi-dedicated web servers and dedicated web hosting servers. Most of the small sized web space hosting suppliers do not have the means required for offering those services. That is the reason why it's invariably best to select a bigger hosting company that can furnish its customers with all the solutions that they request. You can effortlessly ID such hosting companies by the kinds of services that they are making available and by the manner in which they present them to the clients. For instance, certain web hosting providers allow you to commence with a small scale web space hosting plan and subsequently move to a more advanced one, if you deem it compulsory to do so. This is very suitable, because you do not need to migrate web portals between web hosting servers and there is no chance of experiencing service interruptions because of all the predicaments that may appear. Hosting companies like hosting-people offer all sorts of services and have the adequate web server resources and personnel to guarantee that their customers will not suffer any complications when changing services, which is what a top hosting company is actually all about.