Web Hosting Glossary

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Server
A computer or piece of software which provides some sort of service to other computers, referred to as clients. For example, a DHCP server is a server which provides dynamic IP addresses to client machines on request. The term “server” can be used to describe a wide range of functions, but the core idea is that the server provides a central go-to point for a service, or services, that other machines depend on, even other servers.

Setup Fee
A one-time fee, usually charged in conjunction with the initial hosting fees, which is intended to cover the overhead involved in the establishment of a hosting account.

Shared Hosting
A form of hosting wherein multiple clients, and thus multiple websites, are all hosted on a single server. This is distinct from dedicated hosting, where multiple websites may be present, but where the server itself is under the control and authority of a single client. If dedicated hosting is like buying a mansion, shared hosting is like renting an apartment.

Shared IP
An IP address which is assigned to multiple resources (domain names). Where an IP address is shared, the web server is responsible for determining which resource (web site) assigned to that IP is being requested, and serving that resource to the visitor. Resources on a shared IP must be requested by URL, as this is what tells the web server which of the resources at that IP is being requested.

Shell Accounts
These are accounts which allow an individual to connect to a remote machine, such as a server, by way of a Unix shell, a command line interface with which a user can run commands on the remote machine.

Shopping Cart
This is a kind of software which, in conjunction with a database, allows products to be browsed and ordered online, and usually involves the implementation of a 3rd party payment gateway to complete credit card transactions. If you intend to sell products online, you will most likely use a shopping cart to facilitate this.

Site Monitoring
A service that monitors a web server on a regular basis, usually a cycle of a few minutes, and alerts specified individuals of any problems that are encountered.

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)
This is the protocol used to distribute electronic mail on the Internet. SMTP provides a standard for how the sending and receiving computers should interact.

SPAM
This is slang for junk email, also known as unsolicited email. These are emails that are sent to large numbers of recipients trying to sell them on everything from weight loss products to loans, and are often associated with scams. Spam has become a big problem on the internet, and most ISPs and web hosts are constantly taking measures to reduce the amount of spam that is received by their customers, or passed through their network.

SSH (Secure SHell)
This is secure shell access, a secure way of connecting a client machine and a server. It incorporates, authentication, encryption, and message authentication, and can be used for more than just shell access.

SSI (Server Side Includes)
These are blocks of code, usually HTML, which are stored in independent files, and which can be called into a document, allowing for the centralization of commonly used code, such as for the header and footer used in all pages on a website. This is very convenient, especially for sites which reuse the came code amongst a number of different pages.

SSL (Secured Sockets Layer)
This is a protocol that provides for encryption and authentication of traffic between a web server and a client’s machine. This requires the use of an SSL certificate, which is issued by a SSL authority, such as Verisign or Thawte. This is a necessary tool whenever sensitive information, such as credit card information, is to be transmitted across the internet.

Streaming (Media)
Media streaming is a technique whereby a media file, be it audio or video, is played back on a client’s machine while the file is being downloaded. Advanced streaming services offer options such as providing a media stream that is appropriate for the visitor’s bandwidth, providing a media stream to a large number of visitors at the same time, real-time content, and the like.