A
web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows
individuals and organizations to make their website accessible via the World
Wide Web. Web hosts are companies that provide space on a server owned or
leased for use by clients, as well as providing Internet connectivity,
typically in a data center. Web hosts can also provide data center space and
connectivity to the Internet for other servers located in their data center,
called colocation, also known as Housing in Latin America or France.
The
scope of web hosting services varies greatly. The most basic is web page and
small-scale file hosting, where files can be uploaded via File Transfer
Protocol (FTP) or a Web interface. The files are usually delivered to the Web
"as is" or with minimal processing. Many Internet service providers
(ISPs) offer this service free to subscribers. Individuals and organizations may
also obtain Web page hosting from alternative service providers. Personal web
site hosting is typically free, advertisement-sponsored, or inexpensive.
Business web site hosting often has a higher expense depending upon the size
and type of the site.Single page hosting is generally sufficient for personal
web pages.
A
complex site calls for a more comprehensive package that provides database
support and application development platforms (e.g. PHP, Java, Ruby on Rails,
ColdFusion, or ASP.NET). These facilities allow customers to write or install
scripts for applications like forums and content management. Also, Secure
Sockets Layer (SSL) is typically used for e-commerce.The host may also provide
an interface or control panel for managing the Web server and installing
scripts, as well as other modules and service applications like e-mail. Some
hosts specialize in certain software or services (e.g. e-commerce), which are
commonly used by larger companies that outsource network infrastructure.
