Hosting 101 Glossary
Add-on Domain: A domain for a separate, fully-functional website added to an existing hosting account. This allows the domain owner to manage several domains from a single account.
AdWords Credit: Google AdWords is Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising program that allows clients to purchase keywords related to their industry and promote their sites in the “sponsored links” section of Google. Many hosting providers include a certain amount of AdWords credit as a promotional item in their hosting packages.
Apache: The most popular Web server for Linux-based hosting packages. Part of the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack.
ASP (Active Server Pages): A simple and powerful programming language from Microsoft. Used to design websites and connect with other Microsoft applications, this language is designed exclusively for Windows.
ASP.NET: The successor to ASP. A server-side framework that’s used to develop interactive websites and applications.
Backup: A spare copy of all the files that make up your website, applications, and media, used to restore your site in the event of a disaster.
Bandwidth: The total maximum transfer rate for data traveling through an Internet or other network connection. Bandwidth does not measure how quickly each piece of data moves, but rather the amount of data that can move through the connection at any given point.
Blog: Short for “weblog.” A personal or professional website used as a journal. Blogs are updated frequently with a variety of media and may be of niche or general interest.
Blog Post: A single entry or post on a blog. Not to be confused with “blog,” which refers to the site as a whole.
CGI (Common Gateway Interface): A protocol used to connect applications with a server (most commonly, a Web server). CGI controls how scripts and applications run on the server, and also dictates what—and how—information is transferred between the server and visitors’ Web browsers.
Cloud: A large network of computers whose resources are pooled to provide more power and storage capacity. The Internet is one type of cloud; the private network of a large corporation is another. Clouds allow for improved efficiency through virtualization and redundancy of information.
CMS (Content Management System): An application that lets users create, publish, and update content (usually to the Web). CMS applications are designed to simplify this process, and are often used to create websites by those who lack practical programming knowledge. Examples include WordPress, Joomla, Drupal and others.
Control Panel: A web-based application or interface hosting companies provide to allow their customers to manage their websites, applications, and hosted services in a single location.
Country Code TLDs (ccTLDs): A Top Level Domain (TLD) reserved for a specific country, state, or territory. For example, the ccTLD of Canada is “.ca”, while the code for Brazil is “.br”.
cPanel: A popular control panel application included with many Linux-based hosting packages.
CPU (Central Processing Unit): The main processing unit of a computer. The “brain” of any computing device, the CPU handles most of the data processing, and its speed affects how quickly programs operate, as well as how many may be executed at one time.
Cybersquatting: The crime of buying or registering a domain name (or names) in order to profit from another company’s intellectual property. Also, buying or registering a domain name (or names) with the intent to force another company or person to purchase it through de facto extortion.
Daemon: Named for the protector spirits of Ancient Greek mythology, daemons are background processes and applications that run at specific times and with specific parameters. Examples include print spoolers, e-mail processors, and other administrative applications that aid the main operating system of the computer.
Data Transfer: The transmission of information from one place to another, usually measured in megabits per second (Mbps) or megabytes per second (Mbps).
Database: An electronic file containing information optimized for thorough organization and speedy retrieval. Generally used to store information for other applications.
DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service): A complex and powerful attack on a system executed by a hacker or other malicious party controlling multiple infected systems. DDoS attacks can involve hundreds of thousands of compromised systems and are not easily stopped due to the difficulty involved in distinguishing legitimate traffic from that generated by the hacker.
Disaster Recovery: A plan for recovering a company’s virtual and physical assets, as well as its data, application, and websites, in the event of a major disaster.
DNS (Domain Name Server): A machine or application in a network that translates human-friendly text names (e.g., example.com) into IP addresseses easily understood by computers (e.g., 123.123.123.123)—and vice-versa—in order to facilitate the transfer of information while retrieving, creating, serving, and storing files.
DNS (Domain Name System): The hierarchical system used to associate human-friendly text names (e.g., example.com) with IP addresses readily understood by computers (e.g., 123.123.123.123). When a user types the address of a website or document into their browser, a DNS query is submitted, and routed from DNS server to DNS server until one that has the matching information is reached, and the information can be served to the requestor (or the search fails). All information on the Internet is associated with such an address, and the DNS system is one of the core components of the modern Web.
Cache (Domain Name Server Cache): Servers that store DNS query results for a specific period of time. These servers improve performance by making address information available more quickly; for example, a DNS cache may hold the address information for a file located deep within the file hierarchy of a specific machine. When queried, the server can provide that information instantly to the Web browser of the person searching for the file, rather than passing along the query through the chain of servers until the file is located by its closest DNS server.
Domain Extension: The suffix at the end of a website address (.com, .net, .biz, etc.). Also known as a Top-Level Domain.
Domain Name Transfer: The transfer of a registered domain name, either between a seller and purchaser, or between domain registrars. In the former example, two parties file the transfer with a registrar in order to make the change of ownership official. In the latter example, a domain does not change ownership, but does have its management transferred to the new registrar.
Domain Parking: Registering a domain name without placing any content on the domain. This can be done to secure intellectual property, redirect those who enter the domain name to an existing website, or simply to create a placeholder while the final website intended to be added to the domain is completed.
Domain Registrar: A corporation, government body, or other entity that oversees domain name registration, transfers, and sales. Domain registrars must themselves be registered with and authorized by IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority) in order to process domain registrations.
eCommerce (or e-commerce): Short for “electronic commerce,” eCommerce is any commercial activity that takes place online. Common applications of eCommerce include shopping cart applications on retail sites or electronic payments to utilities and vendors using a payment system such as PayPal or electronic check.
Email Forwarding: The act of automatically or manually re-sending any messages received to one email address to another address (or addresses). Also, an application or service that provides this function. Often used to ensure mail sent to an old address reaches a new one, or to deliver the same message to a group of individuals (e.g., customer service or sales messages automatically forwarded to an entire team).
EPP Code (Extensible Provisioning Protocol Code): A unique code assigned to each domain name that is used to verify the transfer of domains from one registrar to another. The EPP code must be provided in order to transfer a domain name successfully. Also known as Authorization Code or Domain Secret Code.
Error Log: A utility that tracks and records broken applications, script errors, and other problems on a website and organizes them into reports for the owner’s review.
Expired domain: A domain that has been allowed to lapse without renewal. Expired domains go through multiple stages: renewal (the domain may be renewed by the owner for only the cost of renewal); redemption (a grace period wherein the domain name may be renewed for the renewal fee plus whatever fee the registrar charges for redemption); and auction/deletion (the domain’s content is deleted, and ownership is sold at auction).
Fantastico: An application that automates the installation of a variety of applications, utilities, and other software. Often provided as a free service for website owners by their hosting providers.
Favicon: A custom icon displayed in the far left of a browser address bar (before the URL). Used as a branding tool and visual verification device.
Fedora: A very popular free and open-source version of the Linux operating system. Its commercial variant is Red Hat Linux.
Firewall: A hardware or software system designed to prevent access to a network.
Flush DNS (Flush Domain Name Server): Clearing the stored DNS query information stored on a DNS Cache in order to force the retrieval of updated information. Used when outdated DNS information is preventing access to a website or resource.
FreeBSD: A free, open-source operating system similar to UNIX.
FrontPage: A now-defunct website design and development application from Microsoft, last updated in 2003. FrontPage extensions remain a popular support component for hosting providers, however, because FrontPage is still a popular choice for do-it-yourself Web designers.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol): A protocol used to move files from one location to another across a network. FTP generally requries a client for secure access, but can also be used in a browser. The protocol is used extensively by hosting customers to upload their website files, applications, and media to their Web server.
Gateway: A computer or device that serves as an access node to a network. For most home users, a gateway is provided by their (Internet Service Provider), with the router or high-speed modem/router combo serving as a gateway to the user’s home network, and the provider’s servers acting as a gateway and firewall to the Internet. See Also: Payment Gateway
GB (Gigabyte): One billion bytes (roughly 1,000 3.5″ floppy disks).
Generic TLDs (gTLDs): Top-level domains not associated with a particular country code. Examples include .com, .aero, .biz, and .info.
Google PageRank: A system for ranking Web pages developed by Google. The PageRank score for a particular page is determined by a number of factors, including incoming links, the important of pages linking to the page, and the content of the page itself.
GUI (Graphical User Interface): An interface that uses graphic elements in addition to text to enhance the user experience. Pronounced “gooey.”
Hold Status: A domain can be placed on hold (i.e., suspended) by the registrar, blocking access to any content on the domain (including email and websites). This usually occurs when the renewal fee for the domain has not been paid and the domain has been allowed to expire.
Hosting Provider: A company that provides site owners with a hosting account and varying levels of processing power, bandwidth, and storage space for their site. Hosting providers make their customers’ sites available on the Internet, and many also include a variety of tools, applications, and services related to website design, maintenance, and support.
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language): The basic programming language of the Internet. HTML is used to write Web pages, and its code determines where elements appear on the page. HTML documents usually have a suffix of .htm or .html.
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol): A standardized method for determining how and when data is transferred on the Internet. The basic protocol for the World Wide Web, it determines how browsers and servers interact with one another and respond to requests for information.
HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure): A version of HTTP with enhanced security.
IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority): The organization responsible for overseeing the global application and coordination of the DNS, IP addresses, and other information management systems.
ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers): A corporation that executes IANA’s DNS management services (including management of both gTLDs and ccTLDs) and oversees domain name registrars.
IDE (Idegrated Drive Electronics): A legacy interface between computer hard drives and motherboards. Also known as Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA). Largely superseded by Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) and Solid-State Drives (SSD).
IIS (Internet Information Services): A Web server bundled with Microsoft operating systems and required to host a website or Web-based applications on a Windows system.
IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol): A method for managing and retrieving email from a mail server. Messages on an IMAP server are selectively downloaded or left on the server, in contrast to a POP3 mail server, which delivers messages to the recipient and does not (as a rule) retain copies on the mail server itself.
Intrusion Detection: An application or service that monitors traffic to a Web server or website and identifies potential threats.
IP Address (Internet Protocol Address): The numeric address identifying a computer, device, or resource on the Internet. IP addresses are the points of contact for the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), which is what actually establishes a connection between any IP addresses (e.g., a user’s browser and a Web page on the Internet).
ISP (Internet Service Provider): A company providing Internet connectivity for its customers, most often via high-speed cable, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), or dial-up service.
Java: A programming language developed by Sun Microsystems and used to create interactive applications and multimedia content for the Web.
JDK (Java Development Kit): A software toolkit for developers working in Sun Microsystem’s Java programming language.
Joomla: A free, open-source CMS (Content Management System) used to design websites and interactive applications for the Web. Like WordPress and Drupal, Joomla is designed to help those without practical programming knowledge build a variety of websites.
KB (Kilobyte): One thousand bytes (approximately one paragraph of typewritten 12-point text).
LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP): An acronym for the configuration of a standard Linux-based hosting package. Linux is the operating system, Apache provides Web server functions, and MySQL and PHP provide data and application interface duties, respectively.
Linux: A free and open-source operating system created by Linus Torvalds and based on the UNIX platform. Linux is the most popular operating system for Web hosting providers and plans. Part of the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack.
Load Balancing: The act of distributing processing and communication requests across the various components of a network in order to prevent any one device from becoming overwhelmed. Websites that are popular and generate lots of traffic often rely on multiple Web servers to balance the demand on their collective resources and maintain site availability and performance.
MB (Megabyte): One million bytes (approximately 1,000 KB, or about a minute of MP3 audio).
Merchant Account: An arrangement between a business and a bank that allows the business to accept credit card payments. The bank, merchant, and a third-party payment processor (See: Payment Gateway) collaborate to process and accept the payments.
MIME (Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extensions): A specification for formatting email messages and Web documents to allow the inclusion of multimedia content beyond basic ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) text.
MIVA: A Web-based shopping cart application often included in hosting providers’ eCommerce packages.
Module: A component of a larger program, or an add-on to an existing one. Popular types of modules for Web design and development applications include social media plugins, eCommerce capabilities, and multimedia support add-ons.
MS SQL (Micrososoft Structured Query Language): Microsoft’s database management application. Often supported as part of Windows-based hosting packages.
MX Record (Mail Exchange Record): An entry in a domain name’s database that identifies the mail server assigned to handle email coming into that domain. For domains with multiple mail servers, MX records can be used to assign priority of processing, thus enabling the owner to assign primary and backup mail servers.
MySQL (My Structured Query Language): A popular open-source database management application. Part of the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack.
Name Server: A machine that operates as a translator between human-friendly names and numeric data in order to facilitate communication and file management on the Internet. For example, a domain name server.
One-click Install: Any of a large collection of applications, utilities, and other software designed to be added to a user’s website or web server via their hosting control panel. Most often accessed via an application such as Fantastico or Softaculous.
Operating System: The software environment that loads when a computer is booted and is used to manage all other applications running on the machine (e.g., Windows, Linux, Mac OS, etc.)
Packet: One unit of data being transmitted across the Internet. All packets contain not only their specified content, but the IP address of their intended destination.
Parked Domain: A domain that’s been “parked” using a service provided by hosting companies. This service allows the customer to purchase and secure a given domain name until they are ready to add content to it, repurpose it as a redirect, or sell it. The same as Domain Parking.
Payment Gateway: A third-party company that processes credit card transactions between customers and online merchants electronically.
Perl (Practical Extraction and Reporting Language): A versatile and ubiqutious programming language designed for processing text. It is extremely popular with developers for scripting and miscellaneous development applications due to its straightforward design and the ease with which programs may be written and tested.
PHP Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP): An embedded scripting language used to create dynamic, interactive Web content. Part of the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack.
PHPMyAdmin: A popular utility created with the PHP scripting language, designed to allow administration of MySQL databases over the Web.
Plesk: A hosting control panel application, similar to cPanel, that runs on Windows and Linux and is included as part of many hosting providers’ standard packages.
Plugin: A software module that adds a specific service or feature to a larger program, e.g., social media integration or photo gallery module for a website.
POP3: A protocol used to retrieve email from a mail server. The most popular protocol for email clients, although most also support the more recent IMAP standard as well. Short for Post Office Protocol.
Port: A term used for both a physical interface on a computer (e.g., a USB port, which acts as an interface for peripherals) and the virtual terminus of a network connection that uses the TCP/IP network protocol (e.g., all HTTP traffic uses port 80).
PPC (Pay-Per-Click): Also known as CPC (Cost-Per-Click). An online advertising formula wherein advertisers pay a set fee when an ad is clicked on. Advertisers typically bid on specific keywords, which can drive the cost of each click up or down based on popularity and response. Some networks charge advertisers a set fee.
Processor: The main processing unit of a computer; the brain of the device. A single processor may make up the CPU (Central Processing Unit), or multiple processors may be combined. See Also: CPU.
Protocol: An approved method for transmitting data, which standardizes the error checking, compression, and notification (for both sending and receiving) procedures involved. Typically, protocols are invisible to end users, but the correct protocols must be supported in order for transmission to be successful (e.g., POP3 must be configured correctly on the user’s computer in order to receive mail from a specific POP3 mail server).
Python: A free and open-source programming language known for its clarity.
RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks): A configuration used to duplicate and share data across multiple disk drives in order to increase transfer rates and facilitate faster data recovery in the event of drive failure.
RAM (Random Access Memory): The memory used by a computer’s operating system and active applications to store and process information needed to execute tasks quickly.
RedHat: A very popular commercial version of the Linux operating system, used by many hosting providers in their Linux-based hosting packages. Its open-source variant is Fedora.
Registrant: The person or business registering a domain name.
Registry: A database built into the Windows operating system that stores system and application configuration information.
Ruby on Rails: An open-source programming framework used to design database-driven Web applications.
Script: A list of commands that can be executed without user input. Also known as a macro or batch file.
SCSI (Small Computer System Interface): An interface configuration standard used to connect peripherals with computers. More commonly used with Apple Macs than with PCs, but compatible with both.
Search Engine Marketing: The practice of actively working to position a Web site or other online content within search engine results for maximum positive exposure. Can include SEO (Search Engine Optimization), paid advertisements and campaigns, and more. Often abbreviated SEM.
Second Level Domain: The name of a given website, i.e., the part of the URL that precedes the TLD (e.g., in “www.example.com”, “example” would be the second level domain).
SEO (Search Engine Optimization): The process of working to improve a website’s organic (i.e., non-sponsored) placement in search engine results, with the goal of achieving the highest rank possible.
SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol): A variation of FTP wherein transfers are secured by the use of SSH (Secure Shell) authentication.
Shopping Cart: An eCommerce application designed to let visitors to a website collect and then purchase goods and services electronically.
SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol): A protocol used to send email messages over the Internet. Used in tandem with POP3 or IMAP to create a complete mail system.
Softaculous: An application that automates the installation of a variety of applications, utilities, and other software. Often provided as a free service for website owners by their hosting providers.
SPAM Filter: An application or module that actively scans and analyzes incoming email and removes or blocks suspected SPAM messages. Often included with standard hosting packages.
SpamAssassin: A popular and open-source email management application that incorporates advanced filtering and detection to reduce unsolicited and unwanted messages.
SQL (Structured Query Language): A standardized database query language. Used to create, retrieve, and serve information between databases and applications that use them.
SSH (Secure Shell): A program used to log into remote computers, execute commands remotely, and transfer files from one machine to another. Useful for securing login information and preventing unauthorized access to an account, server, or website.
SSI (Server-Side Includes): An HTML comment used to automate formatting of websites. Also used to execute specific programs and include the results in a specific page (useful for user-specific content and updates).
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer): A protocol designed to transfer private information across the Internet. SSL uses two keys—one public, one private—to provide secure encryption. It is used to secure the transmission of sensitive information, such as a customer’s financial information during an online transaction.
SSL certificate: A cryptographic key installed on a Web server to provide authentication and secured transmission between the server and another server or website. SSL certificates are an essential part of eCommerce, as all financial information must be secured during transmission between customer, seller, payment gateway, and financial institutions.
Subdomain: A domain partitioned from an existing domain. Subdomains may function as discrete websites and have their own content, but remain a part of the primary domain.
TB (Terabyte): One trillion bytes (approximately 1,000 GB, or roughly 1,500 CD-ROM discs).
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol): The basic information transmission protocol used on the Internet.
Terminal Server: A server that gives devices to a local network or the Internet without requiring each device to have a modem or network interface card. Also, a Windows server application that lets remote terminals use the Windows interface without the need for a local copy to be installed.
TLD (Top Level Domain): The suffix at the end of a website address (.com, .net, .biz, etc.). Broken into two main categories: ccTLDs and gTLDs.
Tomcat: A Web server from Apache used to execute Java applets and render websites containing Java content.
Uninterruptible Power Supply: A device that incorporates a powerful battery backup or other redundant power source to prevent loss of power to computers and peripherals. Uninterruptible power supplies may be designed to power the computer long enough for a safe shutdown, or to act as a true replacement for the failed powersource until it is restored.
UNIX: An operating system written in the C language. The Linux operating system is an open-source descendant of UNIX.
Uptime: The availability of a website or resource stored on a Web server. Uptime is usually expressed as an averaged percentage of availability compared to total time, e.g., a host whose servers have 99% uptime will be available for an average of 99 hours out of every 100 hours.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator): The global address of documents, websites, and other information stored on the World Wide Web. It consists of a protocol (e.g., http, ftp) and a resource name (e.g., example.com, example.com/blog), separated by a colon and two forward slashes.
URL Forwarding: The practice of automatically redirecting traffic from one address to another. Useful for parked domains, protecting intellectual property, and dealing with typos (for example, visitors looking for “hamsters.com” but who instead type “hampsters.com” may be directed to the correct website if both are owned by the same person or business and they have set up URL forwarding).
Web Page: A single page of a website.
Web Statistics: The information related to the traffic a website receives, as well as specific information about visitors (e.g., country of origin, browser, operating system, time spent on site, etc.). These statistics are often useful in planning marketing campaigns or site updates, and help establish profile information for a company’s target market.
Webalizer: An application used to gather and analyze Web statistics.
Webmail: A browser-based application used to access an email account. Useful for checking mail from mobile devices or when traveling. Not to be confused with a local mail client, which requires installation.
Webmin: A modular, web-based configuration management application and control panel. Similar to cPanel and Plesk.
Website: A collection of Web pages, accessed via an Internet browser. One website may span several domains.
Website Transfer: The act of moving a hosted website from one hosting provider to another.
Webstack: A standardized Web server configuration that includes an operating system, a Web server application, a database management application, and a programming language. One of the most common is the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack, used by hosting providers around the world.
Whois: An application that identifies the registrant of any second level domain on file with the Verisign corporation. A variant, BetterWhois, also searches the databases of other registrars.
Wiki: An application designed to let users share and build websites and other content quickly and collaboratively. Often employed as user-managed resource libraries and media archives. The term comes from the Hawai’ian word “wikiwiki,” meaning “fast.”
Windows: Microsoft’s flagship operating system. Hosting providers use the Server version of this operating system when building Windows-based servers and hosting packages.
XML (Extensible Markup Language): A programming language similar to HTML, but with content that can be displayed (as with HTML) or stored as pure data for use by other applications.