What Host?

Internet is the group of million computers connected over a network. It connects from one website to another site using different web hosting packages. In setting up one’s web host, is not just a set-up. This has requirements also to be able to function well. Web hosting consists of different element. Of course it is needed to be able to have a good output. Among of its requirements are as follows. 

• Server type – A server is a program that provides services to other computer programs. It awaits and performs request from its client program. Server is also used as a design for computer models used in running a server application which carries a heavier workload for a particular period of time. Server usually ha s special components to be able to be more suitable in its workload. This includes the CPU, RAM and Hard Drives. There are many server types available depending on the compatibility of your PC’s operating system. Some of these were Windows server, Linux server and Unix server. Some of the web hosting packages offers free servers. Some buys and do the set up. Server can be shared, some may be owned only by one organization.
• Disk Space – Disk space is the allocation or storage where your web site is being stored. This is the amount of space given to a server for a particular website which includes email and database storages. Disk space is commonly known as the Hard Disk Drive. The capacity of a particular hard drive is in gigabytes and terabytes. For a static web site, there’s really no need for a bigger or lager amount of disk space since it doesn’t really have database. But for a complex website, a larger disk space will be needed for the allocation of the data in the database. This feature is one of the major requirements in web hosting. 
• Bandwidth – A bandwidth measures the width of a range of frequencies of a data transfer. It is the one who processes the signal. It is the capacity of the system to transfer data over a connection. This is measured in a bit rate. In web hosting, this is termed as the amount of data transferred from one website to another website in some period of time. Bandwidth is the amount of traffic occurs in the internet. The network connection of a web hosting company may be determine through the bandwidth they can provide, both internal to the data center and external to the internet.
• Email accounts – Email accounts is the location to which the sender should deliver its messages. It goes with different format depending on the mail server. An email consists of a username and a domain name. The domain name is the server name wherein the mail account had been registered.
• Support – Every Web hosting package does have support services. Its primary responsibility is to respond to every end-user’s request for assistance especially with regards to the product and its services.

As we can see, there are thousands and even millions of websites that exist already over the World Wide Web using different web hosting packages. These websites has a corresponding IP addresses. And since not everyone has the capacity to remember unique combination of numbers, thus, the domain names system was developed.

The domain name system or the DNS, as it is called, is a representation of every website being uploaded. The DNS translates the binary code into a more understandable and readable codes. This is for the user to simply remember the website’s name. It is easier to memorize words over numbers. The DNS is a database for all the websites but not using the site name itself. The DNS will convert the site name into digits since it does not understand characters. Every website has a corresponding IP address. These IP addresses is changed by the DNS to locate its corresponding address and will then submit it to the server to be able to be viewed through the internet using the web hosting package. IP addresses are used for communicating with the Internet Protocol Suite. These addresses are the addressing method of data and the packets over the internet world. 

There are four characteristics of DNS.

1.       Distributed. This characteristic allows authorization to multiple administrators.

2.       Consistent. It gives back what was being requested.

3.       Reliable. Avoids any redundant information. Transfer or change them if there’s any.

4.       Autonomous. Can make changes independently.

DNS is a distributed system. It has its own database wherein all the websites registered to every web hosting. But the DNS database keeps only the converted IP names. DNS consists of Root or Server, Resolver and Content. The server is the one who keep tracks of the name of the servers. Every data here are unique and can be located anywhere in the world. The resolver function is to query the name server. Since DNS is a client-server model, the resolver acts as the middleman who bridges the client and the server. And the Content has many functions that include the translation of server name to IP address and mail routing.

What does its connection over web hosting? Simple, the website names are simply the domain names. DNS converts the websites into IP. Every computer covering the internet consists of complex number. Technically, these are the IP (or Internet Protocol) addresses of the websites converted into words for the purpose of those who are not fond of memorizing complex number. And besides, the more words we see are better than the fewer digits.

The DNS is considered also as the Directory of Internet. Every DNS are unique. Each IP address has its own distinctive domain name. Domain names are exclusive but can be accessed globally. Websites are stored here. In managing the DNS records, a domain name server is needed. It is quite expensive since it is played by the web hosting provider. Though it is costly, it will be an assurance that these organizations will provide a good service in terms of correct values of DNS records.