What is a web server? II

MS SQL: Microsoft SQL Server. A relational database management system. Windows hosting plans often include MS SQL databases.

MySQL: A popular open-source relational database. UNIX hosting plans often include MySQL databases.

Payment Gateway: Enables the authorization, processing and managing of online transactions.

Perl: A programming language that facilitates data management and processing.

PHP: A scripting language. PHP commands are embedded within the HTML of a Web page and is useful in the arena of dynamically generated pages. PHP scripting can add numerous interactive elements to a Web site.

POP: Post Office Protocol. A protocol used to retrieve e-mail from a mail server.

POP3 Email Account: POP3 email allows all emails addressed to your domain to go to one place. If a host allows multiple POP3 email boxes, you can have multiple (separate) email addresses.

Server: A computer or device on a network used to store files and maintain network resources. This computer/device handles requests for Web pages.

Setup Fee: Initial fee charged by a host to create your hosting account.

Shared Web Hosting: The opposite of Dedicated Web hosting. Multiple sites hosted on a single server. Multiple Web sites share the system resources of a single server, with each single Web site being allotted specific amounts of resources. Shared Web hosting is the most common (and cheapest) hosting option.

Shopping Cart Software: Software that allows users (customers) of a Web site to add and delete items into an online "shopping cart" and then proceed to purchase the item(s). A shopping cart is an essential component for most e-commerce Web sites, as it allows users to browse for and purchase products online. Some Web hosts provide free (usually more basic) shopping carts, while others provide a shopping cart for an additional fee. Different shopping cart programs range greatly in usability, functionality and features, so choose wisely before creating your online store.

SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. A protocol for sending email.

SQL: Structured Query Language. A database query and programming language used for accessing, updating, and managing data in a relational database system.

SSI: Server Side Incudes. Often used by Web developers in order to facilitate in updating content on Web sites. An SSI is a variable value that a web server can dynamically add to an otherwise static Web page. SSI-enabled Web pages will often be found with .shtml extensions.

SSL: Secure Sockets Layer. Allows encrypted, authenticated communications over the Web. SSL provides security in online commerce. URL's starting with "https://" indicate the utilization of SSL.

Static (Dedicated) IP Address: A unique and unchanging IP address. The opposite of dynamic IP addressing, in which a Web site's IP address is different with each connection to the server. With dynamic IP addressing, several domains can use 1 IP address. With static IP addressing, your Web site gets an unchanging IP address that is not shared with other sites and can be called up in place of your usual www.domain.com.

Storage Space (Disk Space): The storage capacity for images, HTML files, audio files, video files, graphics, etc. A Web site planning to have a large amount of pages and/or planning to use a lot of images (or other large files) will need a greater amount of storage space.

Subdomain: A subdomain is a division of a Web site, a section set apart with a different sub-domain name. For example, subdomains of Web site "domain.com" could be "support.domain.com," "clients.domain.com," etc.

Uptime: How often a Web site is accessible to users on the Internet (often given in a percentage).

UNIX: The most commonly used operating system among Web servers. Unix is a text-based, multitasking operating system that is designed to be used by many people at the same time.

Virtual Private Servers: Shared hosting servers in which each hosting space is alloted its own amount of dedicated resources. A step above shared Web hosting but a step below dedicated Web hosting.

Virtual Web Hosting: Also known as shared Web hosting. Multiple sites hosted on a single server.

WAP: Wireless Application Protocol. A set of protocols that standardize the way that wireless devices can be used for Internet access.

Web-based Email: Allows a user to access email from any computer that has an Internet connection and a Web browser.

Web Statistics: Reports on visitors to your Web site. Statistics range from basic (how many visitors), to advanced (referring URL, search phrase, etc.).

Windows Hosting: Hosting on a web server that uses Microsoft Windows server software as it's operating platform. Windows hosting plans are useful in the arena of dynamic content generation and database functionality. Windows is a graphic-based, multitasking operating system.