An explanation of webspace hosting
As its name signifies, web hosting is a solution, which involves hosting online content. There are various forms and kinds of hosting, based on the goals and on the functions. Even so, they all pertain to hosting files, which, once hosted, are made accessible throughout the Internet. A host is actually a server that is connected to the Web and has its own Internet Protocol address, which enables users to get access to it via the Web. The server's architecture and its limitations depend on the type of hosting service it's going to be utilized for.
What are the different forms of hosting?
Depending on the objective, the hosting solution may be:
File Storage Web Hosting - this type of hosting permits the clients to keep their files on a specific web server. With the classic file web hosting solution, the files that are stored may only be accessed by the person that's availing of the service. This web hosting solution mainly is associated with backups of personal computers , documents, personal files and even other web hosting servers. This service may also include given limitations when it comes to the storage space and the root access. There may also be web traffic restrictions, but that depends on the actual web hosting provider.
Warez Hosting - the so-called warez web hosting solution is very similar to the previous web hosting service form. In spite of that, unlike the file storage web hosting solution, the warez web hosting service is used for spreading proprietary materials without the permission of the copyright possessor. In short - it appertains to the prohibited circulation of files and documents. There are numerous methods for this to be completed, but the 2 main methods are - via plain HTTP downloading and through peer-to-peer connections. The first way involves either some web portal, or, most often, simply a directory on a server that's been made available for everybody to access it and thus download proprietary materials for free. The second method involves a P2P connection, using the so-called Torrent servers, through which users swap files between each other. There are just a few website hosting distributors that allow such type of hosting on their web servers, mainly due to all the legal complications that it presupposes. Typically such web pages are hosted on private dedicated servers that are registered by third-party firms either in the Middle East or in Asia.
Mail Web Hosting - this solution is relevant with both shared web site hosting and dedicated servers, depending on the customer's intention. If you want to run your very own private SMTP electronic mail server, then you will require either a VPS or a dedicated web server that offers the level of access needed to accomplish such a procedure. For typical electronic mail web hosting purposes, however, you can create a plain shared web space hosting account, to which you can point the MX records of your domain name. This is not a solution that's very famous, since the site hosting and the email hosting services are being served by 2 different web servers, usually belonging to separate web hosting providers.
Site Hosting - the most widespread and broadly used hosting service nowadays. It's used for hosting web site files, whose sort is determined by the Operating System the hosting server is making use of - Linux or Windows. Different sorts of files demand concrete hosting server OSs, otherwise they won't be displayed correctly on the Web. This type of hosting may contain data storage and bandwidth limitations, root access and CPU usage limits.
Depending on the goals and on the usage, the customer should pick the sort of web hosting server that he needs for his work, and, of course, the web space hosting corporation that's going to supply it. There are several kinds of hosting servers, based on the specifications and the webspace hosting solutions that they provide. These are:
Shared Website Hosting Server - a shared hosting server includes a smaller amount of resources, which, of course, is reflected on the cost of the service. It can be used for hosting small size and medium size online portals, which do not demand vast quotas of server space and traffic.
Semi-Dedicated - they work on the very same principle as the shared site hosting servers. Nevertheless, there are much less clients sharing the same web server. Therefore, each of them will have a bigger quota of the web server's resources like RAM, disk storage, traffic and CPU. Ideal for hosting enormous web portals that do not need root access.
Virtual Servers - the virtual hosting servers are excellent for middle size online portals, which do need root-level access to the web hosting server's config files. Generally, there are a few virtual web hosting server accounts accommodated on the same physical server. Nonetheless, each of them is isolated from the other ones and runs its own OS.
Dedicated Server - a fully dedicated machine configured and accessed by you and only you. It guarantees a tremendous amount of resources. It also includes root-level access, which makes it an ideal environment for any kind of site that needs a site hosting solution.
The only question that remains is:
Which webspace hosting firm should I pick?
As already mentioned, there are very few hosting providers providing warez web hosting solutions due to judicial troubles. Such web hosting companies are being shut down almost every month. That is why, if you desire to run such a service, you should do it on your very own PC. The shared webspace hosting solution is the most widely spread type of web hosting service. That is why, each web hosting supplier provides it. Not all of them, though, offer services such as private virtual web servers, semi-dedicated hosting servers and dedicated web servers. Most of the smaller web hosting vendors do not have the means required for offering those services. Because of that it's invariably best to settle on a bigger host that can furnish its clients with all the services that they require. You can quickly ID such hosts by the sorts of services that they are offering and by the manner in which they introduce them to the customers. For instance, some companies allow you to kick off with a small scale web hosting plan and then upgrade to a more advanced one, if you consider it compulsory to do so. This is very convenient, since you do not have to transmit sites between web hosting servers and there is no chance of facing network outages because of all the problems that may take place. Hosting companies such as Canohost are offering all types of services and have the adequate web hosting server resources and personnel to ensure that their customers will not stumble upon any complications when changing services, which is what a top hosting provider is in fact all about.