Michael Gabriel (237 Posts)

Michael Gabriel L. Sumastre is the owner of TheFinestWriter.com. He is a freelance technology writer, technical writer and tech blogger for hire since 2005. He has written more than a thousand articles related to tech and gadgets, cloud computing, IT management, SEO, SEM and software solutions. He ghostwrites books / e-books and has a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science. He knows how to code. Michael is also an expert in webmastering and loves to ride his sportsbike. He maintains his portfolio and personal blog at TheFinestWriter.com Author's Website: http://www.thefinestwriter.com

Web Hosting: 5 Ways to Define It

Web hosting may mean different things to different people or companies. In this age when a company’s or an individual’s Web site serves as an extension of one’s personality or business, Web hosting has taken a lot of forms. Here are the top 5 ways to define Web hosting.

1. The most direct way to define Web hosting is that it is a service that allows people, companies and other entities to have a Web site that may be accessed on the Internet or the World Wide Web.

Web hosting entails providing space on a particular server. Web hosting companies are typically the one who provide such space, which they lease to interested parties. Web hosting companies can also provide Internet connectivity.

2. Web hosting may also be defined by the type of service it provides.
While traditionally, Web hosting almost always pertains to hosting a Web site or a single Web page, Web hosting may also entail a lot of different services. One such popular service is a file hosting service that may be managed through a Web interface or via File Transfer Protocol or FTP.

3. Web hosting may also be categorized by its providers.
Typically, Internet service providers or ISPs bundle Web hosting services with its Internet connectivity packages to its subscribers. People can also get personal Web hosting free from such sites as Geocities and other Web hosting sites. And still others get their Web hosting services from commercial Web hosting companies like JustHost.com or some other providers.

4. Web hosting may also be differentiated by the platform it uses.
Right now, complex Web sites typically have database support and applications developed for them. A Web host, therefore, can offer Web hosting using PHP, Ruby on Rails, ColdFusion, ASP.NET. It could be an e-commerce site, complete with SSL security.

5. A recent phenomenon, cloud hosting allows customers to access their data and sites on load-balanced servers.
Based on the usage of the servers, rather than a fixed monthly fee, cloud hosting has been seen as a more reliable and cost effective alternative to regular Web hosting.

As one can see, Web hosting may mean a lot of different things as it have evolved to take on a lot of different services and aspects that meets the needs of interested parties. As needs evolve, and because different entities have different needs, so does Web hosting and its various definitions. These five are not the most comprehensive definitions but the most popular meanings that captures the most prevalent forms of Web hosting available today.

No matter how you see Web hosting, there are only two things for sure:

Firstly, Web hosting is a necessary, even a required, part of doing business or living life nowadays.

Secondly, to be successful and to avoid headaches, make sure that you have a reliable and technologically-advanced Web hosting service provider. This is the only way to ensure that you get uninterrupted service that allows you to do the things you need to do when it comes to a Web host.