Saturday, June 26, 2010

What Is DNS

Domain Name System (DNS) is an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard name service that allows your computer to register and resolve domain names. The DNS makes it possible to assign domain names to organizations independent of the routing of the numerical IP address. In other words, DNS is a system that translates domain names into IP addresses. This is necessary because computers only make use of IP addresses yet we use only human readable names since the names are easier to remember than IP addresses. Without this DNS resolution, the internet would be a very inconvenient place. DNS resolution is therefore a very important task. However, you may sometimes try to connect to a system by name and get a DNS error because the name did not resolve to the proper IP address. There can be several causes for this, such as:

* The DNS server is down.
* IP connectivity gets lost and thus the DNS cannot resolve
* DNS cache poisoning.
* Update and zone issues.
* The DNS server does not have network connectivity to the root servers.

There are a number of ways to find out whether your system is resolving properly. You can use nslookup to verify name resolution. The nslookup command can be used to find various details relating to a particular DNS (Domain Name System) such as IP address, MX records etc.

Go to the command prompt and type in nslookup host_name server_IP_address. Replace the actual host name that you are trying to resolve for host_name and the IP address of the DNS server for server_IP_address then press enter.

This will allow you to verify if an error is on the server, if there is a widespread resolution error, or if the server is possibly down. Nslookup will also display the various types of DNS records, not just primary (A) records, or all records for a domain. You can then ping with the -a switch to also verify if DNS resolution is working fine.

Troubleshoot the dns client since most problems start with failed queries at the client. If a dns server provides incorrect data to queries that it successfully answers, then the most likely causes would be:

* Resource records (RRs) were not dynamically updated in a zone.
* An error was made when manually adding or modifying static resource records in the zone.
* Stale resource records in the DNS server database, left from cached lookups or zone records not updated with current information or removed when they are no longer needed.

If the DNS server does not resolve names for external networks, then the possible causes could be:

* The recursive query times out before it can be completed.
* A remote DNS server fails to respond.
* A remote DNS server provides incorrect data.
* DNS server recursion has been disabled.

Troubleshoot also the connectivity to the root servers. Verify that the DNS server used in a failed query can ping its root servers by IP address. If a ping attempt to one root server fails, it might indicate that an IP address for that root server has changed.

What is a Web Proxy Server?

A Web proxy server is a specialized HTTP server. The primary use of a proxy server is to allow internal clients access to the Internet from behind a firewall. Anyone behind a firewall can now have full Web access past the firewall host with minimum effort and without compromising security.

The proxy server listens for requests from clients within the firewall and forwards these requests to remote internet servers outside the firewall. The proxy server reads responses from the external servers and then sends them to internal client clients.

In the usual case, all the clients within a given subnet use the same proxy server. This makes it possible for the proxy to cache documents efficiently that are requested by a number of clients.

People using a proxy server should feel as if they are getting responses directly from remote servers.

Clients without Domain Name Services (DNS) can still use the Web. The proxy IP address is the only information they need. Organizations using private network address spaces such as the class A net 10.*.*.* can still use the Internet as long as the proxy is visible to both the private internal net and the Internet.

Most proxy servers are implemented on a per-access method basis. Proxy servers can allow or deny internet requests according to the protocol of the requests. For instance a proxy server can allow calls to FTP servers while denying calls to HTTP servers.

When Web Proxy Servers are Useful
You can use a proxy server in a number of ways, including:

* Permitting and restricting client access to the Internet based on the client IP address
* Caching documents for internal documents
* Selectively controlling access to the Internet and subnets based on the submitted URL
* Providing Internet access for companies using private networks
* Converting data to HTML format so it is readable by a browser

An Ordinary Web Transaction Via a Server
Many clients have their own IP address and a direct connection to servers on the Internet. When a normal HTTP request is made by the browser, the HTTP server gets only the path and keyword portion of the requested URL. Other parts of the URL, such as the protocol specifier "http:" and the host name, are clear to the remote HTTP server. The remote server knows that it is an HTTP server, and it knows the host machine that on which it is running. The requested path specifies the document or a CGI program on the local file system of the server, or some other resource available from that server.

When a user enters:

http://mycompany.com/information/ProxyDetails.html

The browser converts it to:

GET /information/ProxyDetails.html

Communication Via a Proxy Server
The proxy server acts as both a server system and a client system. It is a server when accepting HTTP requests from browsers, and acts as a client system when its browser software connects to remote servers to retrieve documents.

The proxy server uses the header fields passed to it by the browser without modification when it connects to the remote server. This means the browser does not lose any functionality when going through a proxy.

A complete proxy server should be able to communicate all the Web protocols, the most important ones being HTTP, FTP, Gopher, and WAIS. Proxies that handle only a single Internet protocol, such as HTTP, are possible, but a Web browser would then require access to other proxy servers to handle the remaining protocols.

When a browser sends a request through a proxy server, the browser always uses HTTP for the transactions with the proxy server. This is true even when the user wants to access a remote server that uses another protocol; for example, FTP.

Instead of specifying only the pathname and search keywords to the proxy server, the browser specifies the full URL. This way the proxy server has all the information necessary to make the actual request to the remote server specified in the request URL, using the protocol specified in the URL.

The browser connects to the server running on mycompany.com and issues the command and waits for a response. In this example, the browser makes a request to the HTTP server and specifies the requested resource relative to that server; there is no protocol nor host name specifier in the URL.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Caching Documents
Caching documents means storing documents locally so users do not have to connect to a remote server to get files. When a local browser requests a file, the server checks its cache to see if it has the document. If the file exists in the cache, the server serves the local copy to the browser. If you cache documents you need to decide:

* Which documents are used frequently enough to justify keeping them locally
* How long you can keep the documents in cache before fetching more recent copies.

Proxy Server-to-Proxy Server Linking
Chaining proxy servers lets you run a proxy server as a local cache on behalf of a department within an organization. The individual departments have control over the server and cache. These departmental proxy servers can connect to a proxy server on a firewall between the Internet and the organization.

Any restrictions for access set for the organization proxy server take precedence over access restrictions set for the departmental proxy servers.

For example, departmental proxy server 1 might be set to allow all URL requests. The organizational proxy server, as corporate policy, might be set to deny all URL requests for certain online publications. A request for one of these publications coming into proxy server 1 would be forwarded to the organizational proxy server. The organizational proxy server would then deny the request.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Who is the best web hosting company? Good question. Do you know how many web host providers there are? Hundreds. Maybe thousands. That is a very competitive market. What does it take to be the best web host provider? Lots of money? Good support? Good technical skills? Business training? A lucky four-leaf clover?

Whether you are completely new to hosting and website or you are just looking to change providers, the question that you should be asking it "who is the best web hosting company for me"? Each web host provider is different and certain providers are better for certain people. What do you need? The best web hosting company will be the one that meets your needs the best.

Lucky for you, there are many good web host providers today and if you properly go through the process of researching a web host, you can find one with great features, speed, reliability, support, and price. Let;s first decide on what you need in a web host provider:

Support

Do you need a lot of support? If you have never set up a web site before, then you may need some help with some of the basic steps. Your web host should be able to tell you how to set things up using their control panel or help you understand new terms. But good support isn't just for the web hosting noobs. Even if you are an experienced webmaster, a mistake may be made, either by yourself or your web host, and it will be a whole lot easier to clean up if you web host's support team is knowledgeable and friendly.

Features

Do you need PHP? Do you need a MS SQL database? Do you need a Windows server or a Linux server? Do you need script installation software like Fantastico? Do you need an SSL Certificate? The web host certainly won't be your "best web host provider" if they don't support the exact features that you need. Be sure to review our description of Basic Web Hosting Options and Advanced Web Hosting Options to find out which features you really need.

Disk Space and Bandwidth

HTML pages are small. You can fit thousands of them into a few Megabytes. But pictures, music and video can be very large. If you plan on hosting any large files, make sure your web host provider will give you enough disk space and bandwidth. Be careful of web hosts who promise unlimited disk space. There is no such thing. It is just a marketing ploy and it may mean that your sites are put on an overcrowded, slow server.

Reviews

Reviews are a very important factor to consider when deciding who is the best web hosting company. Even if they have all the features and bandwidth, you need to find out if their customers are satisfied. You can find out if their servers go down a lot or if they go the extra mile in helping their customers.

Who is the best web hosting company? That is up to you to decide. Figure out what web hosting features you need, use our Web Hosting Wizard to find some hosting plans that meet your needs, and then read our web hosting reviews. With any luck, your hard work will pay off and you will find the web host of your dreams.

Source: www.host-shopper.com

Web host features can be tough to figure out sometimes but it's not rocket science. Do you need PHP or ASP? My SQL or MS SQL? CVS or SVN? Basic web host features are explained on a separate page. Here we tackle some of the more advanced features so you can convince others that you are a web hosting genius. It is also helpful to understand all the web host features so you can choose the best web host and not lose time and money switching hosts later on. Here are the web host features that you should know about:

Scripting Language Support
Web 2.0 is here! No one is going to stand for any static crap anymore! Ok. That's not true. But using a scripting language can help make your site more dynamic and interactive and give your site more value. For example, you can install scripts for polls, forums, blogs, content management systems, shopping carts, surveys, mailing lists, photo galleries, and chat. Many scripts are available for different scripting languages but you will want to make sure your host supports a scripting language if you plan on using a particular script. Scripting languages include Microsoft's .NET, Classic ASP, PHP, CGI, Ruby on Rails, Python, Perl, SSI (Server Side Includes), and JSP.

Databases
Databases allow you to store almost any kind of information such as visitor contact information, blog posts, and e-commerce product data. Many scripts rely on a particular type of database so make sure that your web host supports the type of database that you need. Also make sure that they don't limit the size of your databases if you need to have a large one. Database types include MySQL, PostgreSQL, MS SQL.

SSH/Remote Access
SSH or Shell Access (remote access on Windows) means you can connect to your web server and execute commands via a command prompt or even a user interface. This is occasionally useful but most hosts have a robust control panel so that this feature isn't necessary. If you get a VPS or dedicated server, you will be likely to use this feature often.

Control Panel Software
A control panel lets you manage your web hosting. It lets you do anything from add domains, email accounts, databases and files to viewing server logs, installing scripts, and checking statistics. The most popular control panels include cPanel, DirectAdmin, vDesk, Helm, Plesk, and Virtuozzo Power Panel. Some control panels are more robust than others but they all allow you to do the basics.

Script Installation Software
Script installation software allows you to easily and automatically install different scripts such as blogs, and content management systems and even keep them up to date so that your site doesn't get hacked. The most common is Fantastico but there are others that may update the scripts more often.

CVS/SVN
CVS and SVN are versioning systems so that you can keep track of different versions of your website files. Only advanced developers will really need this feature and very few hosts offer it.
Dedicated SSL Support

If you need to sell things online or accept sensitive information on your website, then you need to secure your site with an SSL Certificate. Few shared hosts support SSL because you also have to have your own unique IP address in order to use it. Most will let you purchase a unique IP address and install an SSL certificate for an additional fee but some hosting plans won't allow a dedicated SSL certificate even if you offer them pot o' gold. Make sure to pick a hosting package that will support a dedicated SSL certificate if you need it. If you need to buy an SSL Certificate, you can compare SSL certificates at SSL Shopper.

Support Options
Support can be very important when it comes to web hosting. Practically all web hosts offer phone and email support (with varying degrees of quality) and some even allow chat support if you aren't near a phone but want to talk to (or scream at) a live person.

Source: www.host-shopper.com

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Web hosting options are more abundant and varied than the spam in your inbox. Consumers love to get a bargain and they often associate more features with a better product. That is why web hosting options are touted and exaggerated by web hosts trying to get you to believe that you are getting more bang for your buck. In reality, there are only a few web hosting options that really matter. We will explain the basic web host features that matter the most so you know what to look for when comparing web hosts.

Web Host Rating
When customers post reviews of web hosts they can give the web host an overall rating. This rating is averaged and displayed when compared hosting plans so you can see which web hosts have the highest rating.

Monthly Price
The Almighty dollar. Many worship it but web hosts offer sacrifices to it. There are web hosts that charge $4 a month and there are web hosts that charge $15 for very similar web hosting options. No one wants to pay more than they have to, but you have to be careful. If you just go for the cheapest web hosting without considering the other web hosting options and support reviews, you may be in for a wild ride as you wait hours on the phone for support or have to pay more later to get a needed feature. All the monthly prices listed on Host Shopper are for those who pay for one year of web hosting in advance.

Setup Fee
Most web hosts do not charge a setup fee but you have to check to make sure so you don’t end up paying more than you thought.

Hosting Plan Type
There are many different types of web hosting. The three most popular types are Shared web hosting, Virtual Private Server (VPS) web hosting, and dedicated web hosting. Shared hosting is the cheapest and most common type of hosting package. Your sites will be stored on the same server as many other people’s sites. A Virtual Private Server (VPS) is like your own virtual server running inside another server. You will share the hardware but not the software. A Dedicated hosting package will give you your own server so you don’t have to worry about sharing software or hardware resources. It is the most expensive but provides the most reliability.

Operating System
There are two main operating system flavors to choose from in web hosting: Windows and Linux. The classic Linux option is what most people choose, not just because of its delicious, grade A flavor or the almost unlimited number of free scripts, but because it is, quite simply, the cheapest. If you need to use PHP, your best bet is Linux. If you need to use ASP, or .NET, be prepared to spend a little more for a juicy Windows server.

Free Domains
You've got to love something if it’s free. Most web hosting plans offer at least one free domain name. Sometimes it is free for as long as you host with them. For others it is just a year. Considering that domain names are usually less than $10 this isn’t the deal of the century but it is nice if you haven't bought a domain name yet.

Gigabytes (GB) of Disk Space
The amount of disk space that comes with a hosting plan is just like the disk space on your home computer. If you have more, you can store more pictures, music, databases, etc. If your website if primarily an information site, you probably won't need more than a few GBs (if that). If you have an image or video uploading site, you'd better get a whole bunch. Be careful of hosts advertising "Unlimited" disk space or monthly bandwidth because that isn't really possible and they could kick you off if you abuse it.

Gigabytes (GB) of Monthly Bandwidth
Monthly bandwidth represents how much data can be served up to people on the Internet each month. If you host big pictures, music, or video, this will get used up much more quickly than if you just have a few pictures and text on your website.

Domains Allowed
In many cases, having more domains/web sites means you can make more money. It is normally very simple for a web host to add additional domains (you actually do it through a control panel) so most web hosts limit the number of domains allowed simply to force people to buy bigger hosting plans. Just make sure the plan you pick a plan that allows as many domains as you think you will need in the next few years.

Email Accounts

Email accounts are added just as easily as domain names and there is no reason that a server can’t support an unlimited amount, but most web hosts limit the number of email accounts. Silly web hosts.

Source: www.host-shopper.com

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Want to learn about Python? What is Python? Python is the web programming language that the Google search engine was made with! Python is used to create dynamic web pages or web applications. Python code is interpreted by the web server which then outputs a web page to the browsers that access it.

Learn about Python's capabilities
Python is available on multiple platforms. It can be used for managing email, connecting to other web sites, processing form information, storing information in a database, creating cookies in a web browser, and much more. It can connect to almost any type of database but it has a strong relationship with its free database buddy, MySQL. Python supports object oriented, imperative, and functional programming models.

Learn about Python's syntax
Syntax is the wording and way that the language has to be used for it to work. Python is very easy to understand so it is a great language for beginners to start learning how to program. Python is a very readable programming language. It often uses English keywords where other programming languages use punctuation. Here are some important things to learn about Python:
Sample Python Code

* Indentation. Rather than using brackets to specify what will be in a block of code (within an if statement, for example), Python uses indentation. This means white space is very important and if you don’t indent your code properly if could do something completely unexpected.
* Variables. Variables hold different types of data. They are loosely typed to allow specific types of data like strings, numbers, arrays, or lists.
* Comments. You can use the pound sign (#) to comment out a line or three quote marks (''' my comment ''') to comment out multiple lines.

Source: www.host-shopper.com

Want to learn about Ruby on Rails? What is Ruby on Rails? It is the hippest web programming language of the decade. It is a free, server-side, web application framework that allows you to create dynamic web pages and web applications very rapidly. Rudy on Rails code is interpreted by the web server which then outputs a web page to the browsers that access it. It is becoming more and more popular as people begin to recognize its power to quickly design and implement web applications. The fundamental Ruby on Rails principles include Convention over Configuration (CoC) and Don't repeat yourself (DRY). These philosophies have shaped Ruby on Rails so it very easy to quickly create new applications.

Learn about Ruby on Rails' capabilities
Ruby on Rails uses the Ruby programming language, and can be used on Windows or Linux variant servers but is particularly loved on Mac OS machines. Ruby on Rails can be used for any typical web programming function such as managing email, connecting to other web sites or servers, processing form information, storing information in a database, creating cookies in a web browser, and much more. It can connect to almost any type of database in the world but most commonly is used in conjunction with MySQL.

Learn about Ruby on Rails' syntax
Syntax is the wording and way that the language has to be used for it to work. Ruby On Rails can take a while to learn if you are used to a typical language like PHP, but after you have some experience with it, you will be able to do most tasks more quickly than with other languages. Here are some important things to learn about Ruby on Rails:
Ruby On Rails directory structure

* Filenames. Ruby on Rails uses a specific directory structure so you always know where certain files should be. The different types of files include controllers, views, models, and helpers.
* Delimiters. Because Ruby on Rails can be embedded with HTML you need to specify what part of the page is Ruby on Rails code and what part is just static HTML. To do this, you use <% and %>. For example:

<%= "Hello World!"; %>

would print "Hello World!" within a paragraph tag so you would browser would see

Hello World!

.

Ruby on Rails uses the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture for organizing application programming. It provides scaffolding which can quickly construct most of the models and views needed for a basic website. You can code Ruby on Rails in any text editor.

Source: www.host-shopper.com

Want to learn about CGI? What is CGI? Despite what some people think, it is not a programming language. It is simply a method or protocol (a very old one) for interfacing external applications with servers. The NCSA describes CGI as follows:

A plain HTML document that the Web daemon retrieves is static, which means it exists in a constant state: a text file that doesn't change. A CGI program, on the other hand, is executed in real-time, so that it can output dynamic information.

For example, let's say that you wanted to "hook up" your Unix database to the World Wide Web, to allow people from all over the world to query it. Basically, you need to create a CGI program that the Web daemon will execute to transmit information to the database engine, and receive the results back again and display them to the client. This is an example of a gateway, and this is where CGI, currently version 1.1, got its origins.

A CGI application can be written in almost any programming language but most commonly Perl is used. Once the program is written it needs to be put in a special folder where external programs, like your web browser, can access it. It will carry out its action, like getting information from a database, and then return information back to your browser.

Learn about CGI's capabilities
CGI is supported on almost any platform, Windows or Linux variants. CGI can be used for managing email, connecting to other web sites or servers, processing form information, storing information in a database, creating cookies in a web browser, and just about anything else.

Learn about CGI's usage
A CGI program can be requested in a web browser using either the GET method or the POST method or something else. Most CGI programs will only work if you put them in a special directory called a cgi-bin in the root of your web site. You can then access the application like this:

http://www.mydomain.com/cgi-bin/sendEmail.cgi

Source:www.host-shopper.com

* How can I compile Perl

To compile Perl you need a C compiler on your machine. If your vendor did not include one with your system, then grab a binary version of gcc from the net,

check,
+ http://www.perl.com/pub/language/info/software.html#binary
+ http://www.perl.com/CPAN/ports/

If you are on a UNIX its probably best to compile Perl yourself from the source code distribution. If you are on Windows or MacOS, you will probably be best with a binary build.

* Perl scripting basics

If you are looking to understand a perl script, then these are common elements you may find,
+ # - comment and this line wont get executed.
+ $ - indicates that this is a variable
+ & - if a word starts with a & it is a call to a sub-routine
+ < - the file is being opened for a read operation + > - the file is being opened for a write operation
+ >> - the file is being opened for an append operation
+ (.) - this puts together two variables
+ @ - if a word start with this character it indicates a single-dimension array
+ % - if a word starting with this character indicates a two-dimensional array.
* Perl versions

Version 4
+ was the fourth major release (March 1991)
+ it's stable but,
+ is old, limited, and no longer maintained;
+ its last patch (4.036) was in 1992

Version 5
+ name for the fifth major release (October 1994)
+ rewrite of the original perl source code from releases 1 through 4
+ has been modularized, object-oriented, tweaked, trimmed, and optimized
+ interface is mostly the same

Version 6
+ rewrite of the current release of Perl by the Topaz project
+ 100% source-compatibility with previous releases
+ written in nominally portable C++

* Reporting Perl bugs

If you are reporting a bug in the perl interpreter or the modules shipped with Perl, email Perl at this address,
+ perlbug@perl.com

If you are posting a bug with a non-standard port, a binary distribution, or a non-standard module then you will need to check the documentation that came with it to determine the correct place to post bugs.

* How to start a cgi script with Perl interpreter

Most web servers require this line at the start of any cgi script that uses a perl interpreter,
+ #!/usr/local/bin/perl (often the Perl 5 location) , or this,
+ #!/usr/bin/perl (often the Perl 4 location)

If this causes an error then asked your web host for it's perl compiler path details.

* Basic Perl Script

To test your ability to store and run a Perl program, enter and execute something like this,


#!/usr/local/bin/perl -w
if ($#ARGV >= 0) { $who = join(' ', @ARGV); }
else { $who = 'World'; }
print "Hello, $who!\n";

this should print "Hello" on your screen.

* How to make your Perl CGI script more efficient

Each time a GCI script runs it will need to be re-compiled by Perl and will often allocate a megabyte or more of system memory, this can be a killer.

There are two popular ways to avoid this overhead.
1. One is running the Apache HTTP server with either of the mod_perl or mod_fastcgi plugin modules.
2. Two running it with the FCGI module (from CPAN) and the mod_fastcgi module (available from http://www.fastcgi.com/) each of your Perl programs becomes a permanent CGI daemon process.

These solutions can both effect your system and how you write your CGI programs, so investigate how them carefully.

Source: www.internet-guide.co.uk

What is Perl

Want to learn about Perl? What is Perl? It is one of the oldest web programming language around. Practically every Linux based server comes with support for it by default. Perl is a server-side, scripting language that can output dynamic web pages or web applications. Perl code, like PHP, is run on the server and then gives HTML back to the web browser.

Learn about Perl's capabilities

Because Perl has been around since 1987, it is available on nearly every platform, Windows or Linux. Perl was originally developed for text manipulation but can now be used for managing email, connecting to other web sites or servers, processing form information, storing information in a database, reading and writing to text files, creating cookies in a web browser, and much more. Perl also support subroutines (blocks of code that can do specific things over and over).
Learn About Perl

Learn about Perl's syntax

Perl borrows a lot of syntax from the C programming language. Syntax is the wording and way that the language has to be used for it to work. Perl is designed to be practical so it can be easy to understand but it can also be complex so a higher-level language such as PHP would be a better choice for you if you are a beginning programmer. Perl uses typed variables that store a particular type of data (text, numbers, arrays, scalar, etc.). Here are some important things to learn about Perl:

* Filename. You can name your Perl files anything you like.
* Variables. Most variables are marked by a leading character which identifies the type of variable:
o $foo # a scalar
o @foo # an array
o %foo # a hash
o FOO # a file handle or constant
o &foo # a subroutine. (The & is optional)
* Comments. You can comment out code using the hash character (#).

You can code Perl in any text editor but it may help to use one that has syntax highlighting or other features. What does Perl code look like? Here is a sample:

$yesterday = parsedate('yesterday');
$printdate = strftime('%a, %b %d', localtime($yesterday));

open (FILE, ">$dir/index.html");
for (@index) {
if (/INSERT HERE/) {
print FILE "$_";
print FILE "$printdate\n";
if (($id % 5) == 0) {print FILE "\n"}
}
else {print FILE "$_"};
} # End for
close FILE;

Source:www.host-shopper.com

Friday, May 28, 2010

Creating a site has never been easier – all you need is an account with a free website builder, such as Weebly and a couple of free minutes. Weebly allows to build a great site in no time at all. It Is So Easy to Create a Basic Web Site with Weebly.

Website builders are an easy way to create a basic web site for free. There are hundreds of website builders, many of which are free. Weebly is one of the most popular free website builders because it is easy to use, has a tons of features, and doesn't come with a binding contract.

Creating a basic website with Weebly is extremely easy – you just select a template and the page elements, enter your text, upload your images and this is it. There are tons of free templates in many categories, so it is quite probable that you will find a web site template to your liking and with some minor modifications you can build a professionally-looking site in less than an hour.

Most of the functionality is drag and drop and no HTML knowledge is required. This means that everybody can make a simple site with Weebly. Well, website builders will hardly make web designers redundant but it is true that thanks to such great website builders, creating a basic web site is a piece of cake even for users with no design background.
Weebly Offers Many Advanced Features Other Free Website Builders Don't Have.

In addition to giving you the chance to create a simple web site very quickly, Weebly offers many advanced features, which go beyond a basic site. For instance, if you know HTML, you can make the changes with the integrated HTML editor. However, if you do this, be careful that you don't spoil the template you have started with.

Some of the other advanced features you will find useful are related to adding multimedia to your site, generating revenue, or adding such advanced features as polls or feed readers.

Unlike many other free website builders, which come as a part of a paid web hosting package, Weebly is really free. You can create your site with it and publish it with them or on your own domain. You can even download the ready site locally and keep a copy of it.

The footer that the site has been created with Weebly can't be removed in the free version but this is a minor issue in comparison to all the benefits Weebly offers. Weebly is really one of the best free website builders and it is worth trying it. Webs is also a good website builder, so if you feel that Weebly is not exactly what you like, you could give Webs a try and see which one you like more.

Source: brighthub.com
Author: ADA

Media Temple is emerging as one of the more popular web hosting companies. Whether you are looking for the best web host for a new website, or are looking to switch your existing website to a new host, Media Temple may be right for you.

Media Temple has quickly become one of the more popular web hosts on the market, competing highly with sites like Go Daddy, Host Gator, and Blue Host. Rather than being a traditional web host, Media Temple sets out to be a unique web host, with MT specific control panels, interfaces, and hosting management. However, are all of these features worth it? A visit to the Media Temple homepage will quickly prove that MT's prices are a bit higher than the industry average for web hosts.

Media Temple offers several hosting plans that are slightly higher priced than traditional web hosts. For example:

Go Daddy
* Unlimited Plan ($6.99/month) * 150GB Space * 1500GB Transfer * 1000 Email Accounts

Media Temple (MT)

* Grid Service Basic ($20.00/month) * 100GB Space * 1TB Transfer * 1000 Email Accounts

From the above comparison, it's quite clear that Go Daddy is much cheaper than Media Temple; not that $13.00 extra a month is a lot to pay, but still, Go Daddy's plan offers more space and more transfer for less than half the price of MT.

Like Go Daddy, MT uses a unique hosting software, rather then the traditional Cpanel interface that most hosts use. This can be an advantage for some, and a disadvantage for others. Cpanel is the most popular web hosting user-end software for good reason. It puts all hosting management tools in one intuitive spot.

Media Temple's unique interface takes some getting used to, but does prove to be effective once learned. Many may prefer MT's smooth navigation over Go Daddy as MT is a bit simpler.

As far as a web host, Media Temple does offer a significant amount of unique features that you won't find anywhere else. They have their own marketing methods, which represent MT as being a premium web hosting company. Some notable features are: Django, MySQL GridContainer, and Ruby on Rails GridContainer.

Media Temple gets a below average rating only because of their high prices. Some may believe that MT is worth the extra money for a quality service, but remember, MT has received it fair share of negative reviews, just like any other web host.


Media Temple Coupons, Promos, and Discounts
Rating Good

As far as Media Temple discounts, you can occasionally find coupons and promos to get MT hosting at a cheaper rate. In some cases, the MT coupons and promos offer a significant discount, narrowing the price gap between Media Temple and other hosting sites like Go Daddy and Hostgator. Media Temple coupons can normally save you up to 20% off, which is a considerable amount.


Media Temple Tech Support and Marketing
Rating Good

MT Grid ServersMedia Temple tech support is fairly good. Things like phone wait times are still common, but every web host has support hold time. Media Temple's support staff is a bit above Go Daddy, and comparable to Hostgator. As far as knowledge, Media Temple support is able to advise you and help you out the majority of the time. As far as marketing, Media Temple is also better at not bugging you or emailing as many offers and marketing bulk letters as Go Daddy.

Media Temple is known for their web response team as well. If you post any problems that you may have with Media Temple on a forum or web hosting site, often times an MT representative will post a reply that may be beneficial. MT support can be bad at times and can be good at times, just like any other web host; but for the most part, MT takes extra care when monitoring their customers satisfaction.

Media Temple Scalability
Rating Good

MT prides themselves on being a scalable web host. In that aspect, they do a great job at flexing to the demands of a website. If the traffic to your website overpowers your current hosting plan, your site will temporarily scale to a higher level hosting plan. If this becomes a trend, and your website grows to higher traffic rates, Media Temple will offer to upgrade your account to a plan with better options.

One thing to note, other web hosts offer plan upgrades as well. Media Temple simply takes a unique approach on website traffic scalability, allowing you to upgrade the minute your website may require higher hosting. All it takes is one phone call to support to upgrade to a higher plan.

Media Temple Review Conclusion
Rating Average

Media Temple (MT) is a quality web host. Their prices are higher, but they make up for that in customer support. There are some other web hosts, such as Hostgator, that provide equal quality tech support to MT and offer more affordable hosting solutions. Upon reviewing several forums and web hosting sites such as Hostjury, the mass customer satisfaction for MT is hot and cold. Being a more expensive, premium web host, MT's customer satisfaction rate could be better. Because MT has such a focused web watch team, you may want to also look out for planted positive reviews.

The recommendation is to go with MT for business sites that get a significant amount of traffic. For basic web hosting and WordPress blogs, MT is not the best solution, as you can get all of the features you need from a more affordable web host. In addition, if you are running a high scale website, you may need to go with an even more expensive plan than the basic $20/month grid service. MT is an above average web host with some unique features, but that doesn't necessarily make it better than a traditional Cpanel web host, in most people's cases.

Source: brighthub.com
author: Nicholas

Wednesday, May 12, 2010


Linux vs Windows web Hosting, does it make a difference?

One of the most confusing decisions someone new to web hosting will have to make is which platform their server should be on. There are a number of different choices out there but the main two are Linux and Windows web servers. There are also a lot of sources of information about hosting, but the majority of them are tainted by the author's biased personal opinion unfortunately confusing the issue. Having just put in some solid hours researching the topic I have come to the conclusion that in general it quite probably does not matter which server you use. For the majority of people it will be far more important to choose a really good web host than to worry about the server-type that they implement.

Microsoft developed and owns the Windows operating system. Linux is open source and generally free. This means it can often be more expensive to set up and run a Windows server. However, this fact doesn't really affect you unless you are actually setting up a server for yourself and if you're reading this article then I'm guessing that it's safe to assume you're not. This article is going to offer information for those trying to decide which hosting company to go with. The cost involved in running a server does not affect the cost of a web-hosting package as much as you may think. Despite the general opinion that Windows servers are more expensive to run, buying a Windows hosting package can often turn out to be just as cheap or even cheaper than an equivalent Linux hosting package.

Some people naturally assume that because their PC runs Windows they need to buy a Windows hosting package. This isn't true. Access to your web account will most likely be through FTP or a control panel and both servers support these methods. The main difference is that some of the FTP commands are slightly different between Linux and Windows and some FTP programs will be designed with one or the other in mind. This means you may occasionally find that when you try and get your FTP program to do something it returns an error message, but it won't happen very often.

Your choice of server platforms should be dictated by the use to which you intend to put it. The majority of web features run fine on both platforms including PHP, mySQL, POP3 etc. If you intend to create your site using ASP, FrontPage, the .NET environment, Windows Streaming Media, Access, MSSQL, or any of the other Microsoft proprietary technologies then you probably need to use a Windows host. There is limited support for a number of these technologies in Linux, but they can be expensive and are usually lacking in features. It is probably worth considering the fact that if you use server specific technologies and then change hosts you'll have a much harder time of it than if you use technologies that can be run on any system. Having it run generic technologies removes the need to focus on specifics and allows you to focus on the quality of service itself.

The reliability and stability of the different platforms have been the topic of many long arguments. The main reason that Windows is seen as being insecure is that it is the most widely used operating system for home PC's. People spend more time looking for flaws in the most common system. With Linux being the most common server type, it has a surprising number of successful hack attempts made on it. In the end the security of both platforms comes down to the competency of the system administrators. If you are security minded then you'll do better to make sure that the hosting company is reputable and highly skilled than to worry about the server they use.

In terms of performance there's not a huge difference between the two servers. Linux reportedly performs faster because Windows (as usual) attempts to offer an 'all in one' package instead of the extendable Linux implementation. You'll generally not notice a difference but if performance is of utmost importance to you then maybe this will influence your decision.

I've come to the conclusion that unless you are specifically using features that are unique to one platform or another your time will be much better spent looking for a really good quality host than a really good quality server. Developers are constantly improving both Linux and Windows so they should be fairly close in terms of features, security, and reliability for a long time. It's the people implementing them that you should be basing your decision on.

Source:www.askwebhosting.com

Colocation - also colocated, collocated, collocation - is the placement of your own server(s) and/or your network equipment in an Internet data center (or colocation facility) along with hundreds of others servers. The Data Center is managed to provide reliable networking, power, connectivity and security services. You can access you machines by going to the facility at any time.

Colocation has several advantages for the customer

# High speed connections via multiple carriers to prevent downtime
# Guaranteed power supply incorporating battery UPS for short term combined with an onsite diesel generator and sub-station for extended outages
# Servers can be installed and online immediately
# Additional servers can be easily added as your needs grow
# All services are monitored by network engineers 24 x 7
# Colocation facility uses electronic access security & security guards to protect your equipment

Colocation Cost

Colocation requires an initial investment for the server, plus ongoing hardware and software maintenance. In addition, each Month, you have to pay for the space (Rack Space) and the bandwidth used by your server(s).

Space used by your server(s)

Your server(s) will be mounted in the rack. A rack is a metal framework that houses electronic equipment and usually contains bays designed to piece of equipment like a server.

The space used by your server(s) is measured in Rack Units (RU or "U-Space"). This is the unit of measurement used for defining the vertical space used. A 'U' is equivalent to 1.75 inches (4.45cm).

# 1U Server= 1.75" of Vertical Rack Space
# 2U = 3.5" of Vertical Rack Space
# 4U = 7.00" of Vertical Rack Space
# A full rack can contains 40 to 42U
# 1/4 Rack=10U (10 servers of 1U)
# Half rack =20 U (20 Servers of 1U)

So, if you have to buy your own server you have to choose a rackmount server (or rack mounted server) it has been designed to live on a rack.

What is Bandwidth ?

Bandwidth is a measure of data transfer. Computer data is fundamentally measured in bits, and bytes. Understanding the units of measure is necessary before you can do anything else. A Byte is simply 8 bits. In the world of computers measurements are conveniently represented by powers of two, while in the real world powers of ten are prevalent. This caused the confusing definition of "Kilobyte" to mean 1024 bytes instead of 1000 bytes as you might expect. Compounding the confusion, a Megabyte" is 1024 Kilobytes, or 1048576 bytes. A Gigabyte is 1024 Megabytes, or 1048576 Kilobytes, or 106954752 bytes. The number of bits or bytes per unit of time is referred to as bandwidth. Thus you see numbers such as 1.5Mbps (1,500,000 bits per second) 28.8Kb/s (28.8 Thousand bits per second) or 3GB/month (Three Gigabytes per month.)

The first lesson of understanding bandwidth is not to confuse Bits and Bytes. If you do, your numbers will be off by a factor of 8, which is usually pretty significant. Many vendors quote numbers in bits, because the result is 8 times larger and makes things look more impressve. Usually a lower-case 'b' indicates bit, and an upper case 'B' indicates byte, but you can't always rely upon that.

The second lesson is to understand that 'K' technically doesn't mean 1000, but everyone usually acts like it does. Minor discrepencies in numbers can usually be accounted for by this assumption. Unless you're talking about huge amounts of data, it's unlikely to make much difference. (less than 10% for even a Terabyte)

How is measured the monthly bandwidth usage

There are different schemes for paying for bandwidth.

I -Real Data transfer ( Burstable Bandwidth)

Your host will provide you a graph ( usually MRTG graph) wich shows average bandwidth incoming and outgoing traffic in real-time. On this graph you will read several data as the Monthly Average Out and the Monthly average In.

To measure the real Monthly Data transfer used you have to use use the following equation:

# Monthly Average Out + Monthly Average In / 8 bits x 60 seconds x 60 minutes x 24 hours x 30.5 days = total bandwidth used for the month.

Note, some host providers counts only the Monthly Average IN or OUT. With them, you can save a lot of money.

Sample of Measure of the real Monthly data transfer

# Mrtg Graphs shows : Monthly average IN + OUT =1024 Kbps = 1 Mbps
# 1024 kbps/8*60*60*24*30.5= 337305600 Kilobytes /1048576= 321 GB.

Find here some conversion:

# 1Mbps = 320GB
# 10Mbps= 3200GB
# 20Mbps =6400GB
# 50Mbps=16000GB
# 100Mbps =32000GB

II -Capped Bandwidth ( also unlimited transfer)

Another common system is capped bandwidth, is simply to pay for the bandwidth that's available. For example, you might get 1 Mbps of bandwidth capped, and you can use all of it or none of it and pay the same amount. The network administrator will program the router to cap your usage at that amount.

III -The 95th percentile

95th Percentile is a method of measuring bandwidth that bases your bill on peak utilization. Your bandwidth is measured from the switch or router and recorded in a log file. At the end of the month, your usage statistics are sorted, and the top 5%, or 37 hours, of data is thrown away, and that next measurement becomes your 'utilization' for the month.

So, if you had a great weekend promoting your site, and used 3mb/sec for two days, you would be billed for the 3mb/sec rate -- potentially much more expensive than your average bandwidth utilization or actual utilization.

Source:www.askwebhosting.com

Friday, April 23, 2010


What Is PHP?

PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) is a server-side scripting language intended to help web developers build dynamic web sites quickly.
How Does PHP Work?

PHP scripts are executed on the server, before the web page is displayed to the user (this is what we mean by "server-side"). The user only sees the end result, which consists of client-side markup and scripts (i.e. HTML, JavaScript, CSS etc). Therefore, the user/browser doesn't actually see any PHP code. If the user views the source code, all they would see is HTML, JavaScript, CSS etc - they wouldn't see any PHP code.

This happens because, whenever the server processes a file with the .php extension, it knows to look for PHP code. When it encounters the PHP code, it processes it. Generally, the same .php file will also have client side code such as HTML. The server knows to process the PHP bits and output the client-side bits. You, as the programmer, determine which pieces of HTML will be displayed and when. You do this using PHP code.

What Can PHP Do?

PHP enables you to build large, complex, and dynamic websites. PHP can also increase your productivity enormously, both in development time and maintenance time.

Using PHP, you can build websites that do things such as:

* Query a database
* Allow users to upload files
* Create/read files on the server (for example, the files that your users upload)
* Have a "member's area" (i.e. via a login page)
* Have a shopping cart
* Present a customized experience (for example, based on users' browsing history)
* Much, much more

What Do I Need to Create PHP Code?

You can create PHP code using the same equipment you use when creating HTML. That is, a computer with the following software:

* Text editor. For example, Notepad (for Windows), Pico (for Linux), or Simpletext (Mac). You could use a special HTML or PHP editor if you like but it's not needed.
* Web Browser. For example, Internet Explorer or Firefox.

What Do I Need to Run PHP?

To run the PHP pages you create, you need a computer with the following software:

* A web server (such as IIS, Apache etc)
* PHP

If you don't have these installed, you have a couple of options (apart from giving up!). The next lesson will point you in the right direction

free hosting services!!!
This time we are discussing free hosting services from the hosting space award, they provide free hosting for layana a new start to create a website, its facilities also feature complete enough similar to paid hosting services, or premium hosting.

to sign up for free hosting services here you only need to fill out the registration form provided for free hosting, content of all data with complete sigup then click the button. selantunya emails please wait for your registration confirmation and how to login to the member's area.
before memndaftar we will give the picture its free hosting facility
Fasility:

* 200MB disk space
* 5 GB taffice
* 2 Domain hosting
* 5 subdomain
* PHP4/5
* free Subdomain
* Free FTP acces
* 5 Email account

click here

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Whois - An Internet utility program that obtains information (such as owner and contact info) about a Domain name or IP number from the database of a domain name registry. If the search result returns "No match", the domain name is probably available, and you can apply to register it. To search for a domain name across all registrars at once, you can use Better Whois.

for example that diagram------

i am sharing with you some web links.. about cheap web hosting...

http://b2evolution.net/web-hosting/budget-web-hosting-low-cost-lamp.php
http://www.top10webhosting.com
http://www.cheapwebhostingseller.com
http://www.webhostingsearch.com/cheap-web-hosting.php
http://www.top10webhosting.com/

Monday, April 12, 2010

Webmaster is also known as the following:

!. Web Developer
2. Web Architect
3. Web Author
4. Web Administrator

The webmaster is a very technical person because he is the person who is critically doing the designing of the website and also very much accountable for the developing, maintaining and marketing of the website. Web communication is the term of which webmasters are the practitioners; the webmasters are the one who are dealing with all the technical aspects of the websites. They have the expertise in HTML. There are many sites some are smaller sites and some are larger sites, on the larger sites the webmasters usually perform the role of the coordinator and they used to coordinate the working of the people. We can say that webmaster is one of the great occupations now days because now the technology has increased the importance of globalization and that is why efficiency and effectiveness has taken place in all the aspects. The webmaster can do the following and these are as follows:

1. Web design

2. Project management
3. Employee supervision

In the past days the work of the webmaster is the coordinator of an email system but later it has changed to the web designer, developer and planner. The vague definition of the webmaster is that he is the person who used to sell the services and different products to the buyers online. The webmaster is also the concerned person related to the user feedbacks and user complaints, so it means that e s very much responsible person and without it one is not able to run the site on the website. Following are the tools through which one is able to develop the website and these are as follows:

1. Index Checker

2. Broken Line
3. IP Location
4. HTML
5. URL Rewrite

There are so many others too responsible for the designing of the internet site other than the above. If you are going to develop the website then it is very essential for you to know all the information regarding the adult webmaster. There are many internet websites which are offering free webmaster tools to help the people develop and design a wonderful internet site which will facilitate the people and the user in the best manner. Toolkit.com provides and offers the best webmaster resources to the responsible people.

The above information is needed for those who are planning to develop the website because to develop the website is not easy without having the authentic information of designing. The webmaster services are of great importance for the owners to generate the revenue so it means that the services which the webmaster gives are very important.

You as the user can also find the adult webmaster content from the internet websites. There are also many providers which are providing the adult webmaster resources. Now as we know that technology is at its boom and now one can find large number of webmaster jobs. The people are trying to start their business with the help of the internet and then generating their revenues with the help of the internet sites and this is not possible without the help of the webmaster software.

The people who are interested in having the software can easily download the webmaster software. It is just the matter of one click that one can get the quality software for the development of the internet site.

Source: www.iseeq.com

MANAGED Hosting:
Managed hosting is the next step up for webmasters from shared. Instead of sharing a server with others you would have one dedicated to you, as a managed customer everything is taken care for you including installation, updates and reboots. Many people out-grow their web hosting plan and as they start getting more and more visitors it is necessary to move to a dedicated server so managed hosting is the perfect solution in order to make the switch as effortless as possible.

UK hosting
Most webmasters do not pay much attention in to where their site is hosted, whether it's in the US or EU people pay little interest in the physical location of a server and focus more on the price. The issue here occurs when you run into difficulties and your site goes down. You may be left feeling miles away from help when your host is US based and closed for the weekend! The US web hosting marker is huge and it's always a good idea to help companies in your own country first especially in times of an economic crisis.

E-COMMERCE Hosting:
If you are selling a product or service online then being E-commerce ready is essential. From taking orders online to processing credit card payments, a good E-commerce host should be able to do all this and more. Setting up an E-commerce site isn′t difficult these days, most hosts include everything you need inside your control panel such as shopping carts, quick start guides and video tutorials.

EMAIL Hosting:
Virtually everyone who uses the internet has access to an email address these days. When you purchase your a domain name you will be able to use your own email address to send and receive email for business or pleasure. A real email address adds instant credibility to your name, if you are running a profitable business then it′s absolutely essential to set up your own email address.

FANTASTICO Hosting:
Each year Fantastico is used to install millions of web apps/scripts including open source software like Wordpress, Joomla and Mambo. Since the apps are all open source the Fantastico suite is free, the only thing you should watch out for is the version of Fantastico that your host is using. Many web hosts get lazy and do not update the software, hosts that do not provide regular updates carelessly open you up to security holes making customers sites valuable to attacks.

LINUX Hosting:
Linux is the most popular operating system which sets the standard for reliability, power and low price. Linux is suitable for Perl or PHP programming and MYSQL database.

ASP Hosting:
ASP.NET is a dynamic scripting language built for the Windows platform, if ASP is required to make your project a success then be sure to pick a Linux hosting plan from your chosen web hosting provider. The name “ASP” is far from a house hold name, very few people have heard of the term but well known sites like MySpace.com and Monster.com rely on ASP.NET every day.

BLOG Hosting:
Blogs are a great way for webmasters to communicate online, thousands of people worldwide use blogging as a means of communicating a message across to the millions of us who use the internet every day. Search engines thrive on blog content and they can deliver hundreds or even thousands of real visitors every day if the content it right.

BUSINESS Hosting:
As a business your online presence can literally make or break you or your company. Online there are thousands of people actively seeking your product or service and if you do not act fast, somebody else may be steeling your business. Business hosting should be secure and reliable, you do not want to wait a long time for your pages to load and if an issue arises you need to be able to speak with someone at any time of the day or night.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

A forum hosting provider puts a special emphasis on supporting the most popular forum applications, along with offering all the other services of a typical hosting company.

Forum-focused hosts usually provide a variety of services to make it easy to install and run an online forum, including forum upgrades and easy installation of add-ons for forum administrators. They also support a wide range of forum scripts, including phpBB, SMF, IPB and vBulletin. Other popular forum scripts include Invision Power Board, Ikonboard, YaBB, XMB, Snitz and Ultimate Bulletin Board.

Remember that some forum scripts are written with PHP while others use Active Server Pages, so the type of forum you prefer will affect your choice of host (Linux-based for PHP, Windows-based for ASP). Depending on the type of forum you want, you might also need a cgi-bin or MySQL, MS SQL or MS Access database.

The type of forum you plan to operate -- personal? hobby? professional -- also enters into the decision of which application and host to choose. That's because different scripts offer different looks and features, some of which might be more appropriate than others for your particular needs.

The right host should be able to offer you good support for your forum needs. Look for a host that features forum tutorials, FAQs and -- of course -- a support forum where customers can get together to exchange information and answer questions from fellow forum administrators.

Depending on how much activity your forum sees, you should also seek out a host that can deliver ample disk space and bandwidth to support your needs. A good forum host should also be able to provide reliable uptime, data backup and 24/7 technical support to make sure that issues with your online forum can be resolved quickly.

What is SimpleScripts?
SimpleScripts is a one-click installation and upgrade utility for the web's most popular applications including Blogs, Photo Galleries, Online Stores, Forums, Wikis, and more.
Intelligent Script Installer
SimpleScripts automatically checks to make sure your web hosting account is compatible and automatically installs scripts for you. No more headaches of downloading software, sending it to your hosting account, running installation and configuration utilities. SimpleScripts works on almost any hosting platform available. Review the System Requirements
Fast and Safe
Tired of waiting days or weeks for security updates and new features to be available to you? With SimpleScripts reliable upgrades are made available within hours of release! What's more, it takes only seconds to install a script or upgrade to the latest version.
Stay Informed
SimpleScripts offers upgrade notifications via email. When a script you have installed has a new version available, SimpleScripts will send you a reminder email to help you keep your website secure and up to date.
Simple Flexibility
Install several folders deep, or on a sub-domain of your hosting account. Do you have a plugin that does not work with the latest version of your software? You can install an earlier version or even try out the latest beta release. If your site has any problems with a recent upgrade, you can also restore your website to pre-upgrade conditions with the click of a button! Now that's Simple.
Cost Efficient
Get started with a SimpleScripts Free account. We know you will love our product so try it out with up to three free installations at no cost to you. Like what you see? You can upgrade to SimpleScripts Unlimited for just $15/year and enjoy unlimited installations, upgrades, and security patches all year long! Click below to get started.

VoIP terms

Analog
An analog system is considered to be the traditional telephone system, and it works by converting sounds or video signals into electrical vibrations so they can be transmitted or reproduced.
Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA)
An ATA adapter will allow you to use your existing, traditional analog handset/phone even though you have a VoIP connection. The ATA converts the VoIP signal into a standard telephone signal.
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)
A high-speed broadband Internet connection utilizing copper wire to transmit data over the phone lines between ADSL modems. It has a faster download speed than upload speed, which makes it different from DSL connections. DSL providers often advertise speed of their service using a combination of two bandwidth numbers; for example, "1.5 Mbps / 128 Kbps" the first number being the download speed and the second being upload speed. Speeds vary according to the quality of lines, distance to the local hub etc.
Audio Menu
A verbal recording that provides audio prompts over the phone. Audio menus are commonly used with PBX systems as the menu option allowing the caller to navigate through to the correct party replacing a traditional live receptionist.
Bandwidth
The amount of time it takes a specific volume of data to be sent from one computer to another utilizing a certain connection. The higher the bandwidth, the faster data is accessible. Bandwidth is measured in bits per second. An easy way to think of bandwidth is to envision a tube of water. The larger the tube, the more water you can fit through it at a time. Broadband therefor is the term for high bandwidth services.
Broadband
The general term for any Internet connection that transmits and receives data at a rate of 100kbps or higher. Broadband can be utilized via DSL, Cable, Fiber, Wireless and many other types of networking schema.
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
A type of broadband internet connection that transmits data though the copper wire of the phone system. However, it bypasses circuit-switching, therefore making it faster than dial-up connections.
E911
The added benefit of E911 is that it transfers your telephone number and your location to the emergency services in your area. Since Voip allows you to move your location and have phone numbers from all around the world it is important to make sure your provider knows your location. This will ensure that in the case of an emergency the response teams can locate you.
Ethernet
Used in the majority of computer network connections, it is a digital networking system that involves a process known as packet switching, in which client requests are routed to their correct destination in the network. Most ethernet sockets use an RJ-45 adapter which resembles a typical phone jack however it is larger in size.
Internet Fax
The ability to receive a virtual fax via your email address. The sender sends the fax like normal to a designated phone number and the fax is then emailed to your inbox.
Internet Protocol Address (IP Address)
Address of a computer that is connected to the Internet. Addresses are alloted in sets such as 255.255.255.255. The numbers act as a directory listing that tells routers where to send data. DNS servers throughout the world help to rout the traffic through the internet.
Internet Service Provider (ISP)
A company that provides Internet access to consumers, allowing them to connect their computers to the Internet. These services can include dial-up connections, DSL, Cable, Fiber, Wireless and many other technologies.
Internet Telephony
Any means of transmitting human voice via the intenet. This includes phone to phone, voip to phone, pc to phone etc.
Modem
A modem is the equipment that converts digital signals into analog signals so data can be transferred across telephone lines and decoded on the other end.
Packet
Packets consist of data to be transmitted. Data is broken down from one side into packets, transferred and then decoded on the other end.
PBX or Private Branch Exchange
A PBX system is defined as a telephone exchange system that services a specific office or business. It is the inter-office switchboard that allows internal phone transfers, voicemail, etc.
Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)
Traditional phone system that uses a copper wire network to carry analog voice data. Also called a landline network.
RJ-11 or Registered Jack-11
The designation used for the 6 prong connection used in standard telephones that connects the phone wireing to the jack on the phone or wall.
RJ-45 or Registered Jack-45
The designation used for the 8 prong connection used for data transmition using twisted pair cables. This is the most common form of ethernet cableing system used for computer networks.
Router
This is used to connect computers in an Ethernet network. Routers manage the IP addresses and filter traffic to ensure it is sent and received properly.
Simultaneous Ring
Ringing multiple phones when one number is dialed. Many providers allow you to set multiple phone numbers inlcuding your cell phone to ring when your voip line is called. Whichever line you pick up the call will forward to and you can talk like normal. This feature is amazing if you have a cell plan that gives you free calling to specific lines.
Softphone
Refers to any VoIP service that is software based (using your computer as a telephone). Most softphone solutions will support a gui interface that allows you to use your computer to dial numbers and acts like a real telephone.
T-1
The digital standard for high capacity transmittion of telephony and data communications. It can provide a 1.544 Mbps link that is divisible into 24 64 kbps channels. This is used to provide connectivity between routers, private networks and the internet.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP)
System of converting phone calls from analog signals to a digital file and transmitting it through the internet.

Adobe DreamWeaver: is a web development application originally created by Allaire Systems, which was acquired approximately 1998 by Macromedia and is now owned by Adobe Systems, which acquired Macromedia in 2005. Dreamweaver is available for both Mac and Windows operating systems. Recent versions have incorporated support for web technologies such as CSS, JavaScript, and various server-side scripting languages and frameworks including ASP.NET, ColdFusion, JavaServer Pages, and PHP.

Anonymous FTP: Anonymous File Transfer Protocol. Allows the public to log into an FTP server with a common login, avoiding the need to assign passwords to anyone who wants to download files from your Web site. This is unnecessary unless you plan on providing downloadable files to the public.

ASP: Active Server Pages. A commonly used Microsoft scripting language that enables the use of online databases.

ASP Hosting: ASP hosting lets your Website take advantage of Microsoft's Active Server Pages (ASP) technology, which uses server-side scripting with HTML to generate dynamic Webpages.

Auto responder: An email address that is set up to automatically reply to the sender with a previously prepared response.

Bandwidth (Data Transfer): The amount of data that you are allowed to transfer (usually monthly). Data = images, text, audio files, video files and everything else that a server transfers to a user's web browser. Approximately 40,000 page views = 1 GB of data transfer. Web sites that get a lot of visitors (and page views) need larger amounts of data transfer (or bandwidth).

CGI: Common Gateway Interface. A program that translates data from a web server and then displays that data on a web page or in an email. CGI scripting can add numerous interactive elements to a Web site.

CGI-BIN: A directory on a server where CGI programs are stored. CGI scripting can add numerous interactive elements to a Web site.

CGI Library: Certain hosts will provide a collection of pre-made CGI scripts (as a convenience) that can be used to add numerous interactive elements to your Web site.

Control Panel: An online interface often used to facilitate Web site management and editing. Control panels often allow hosting customers to perform basic functions (make changes, check data, etc.) without contacting customer service.

Database: A collection organized records of information that can facilitate searching, sorting, and recombination of data.

Data Transfer (Bandwidth): The amount of data that you are allowed to transfer (usually monthly). Data = images, text, audio files, video files and everything else that a server transfers to a user's web browser. Approximately 40,000 page views = 1 GB of data transfer. Web sites that get a lot of visitors (and page views) need larger amounts of data transfer (or bandwidth). Also, graphics-heavy sites will need more data transfer than more basic sites.

Dedicated Servers (Dedicated Hosting): The opposite of Shared Web hosting. Servers that are owned by a Web hosting company but rented out and used by a single customer. Web sites in need of a lot of disk space and/or data transfer and/or Web sites that have very specific software needs may opt to rent a dedicated server. Shared Web hosting is usually sufficient for most small and medium sized businesses.

Disk Space (Storage 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 disk space.

Domain Name: Domain name is an easy-to-remember address that can be translated by DNS into server's IP address. Domain names are hierarchical. Domain's suffix indicates which TLD (top level domain) it belongs to, for example .com, .gov, .org, .net, or .jp. Recently ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) added several new TLDs, like .biz, .pro., and .museum.

E-Commerce: Electronic Commerce; the buying/selling (or exchange) of goods and services through the Internet.

Email Forwarding: When email sent to different email addresses is automatically sent (forwarded) to another specified email address. For example, you could have multiple email addresses (i.e. info@domain.com, support@domain.com, webmaster@domain.com) that would all be forwarded to one address (i.e. whatever@domain.com) for easy checking and responding.

Firewall: Software and/or hardware combination that protects a computer or network from unauthorized access.

FrontPage: Microsoft FrontPage is an HTML editor often used to create and maintain Web sites.

FrontPage Extensions: A set of programs and scripts that allow specific features of a Web site created with FrontPage to perform correctly.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP): is the simplest way to transfer files between
computers over the internet. It is an application protocol that uses TCP/IP protocols and is typically used to upload web pages to a server or to download software from a site to a user’s own computer.

GB: Gigabyte. 1024 Megabytes.

IMAP: Internet Message Access Protocol. A method allowing an email program to access remote messages stored on a mail server.

IP Address: Internet Protocol Address. A unique number identifying all devices connected to the Internet

KB: Kilobyte. 1024 bytes.

Linux: A UNIX-like operating system used by Web servers.

Managed Hosting: A dedicated server complemented with technical support and maintenance services. This is a step up from standard dedicated Web hosting, where customers are responsible for all administrative and maintenance duties.

MB: Megabyte. A million bytes. A thousand kilobytes.

Microsoft Access: Microsoft's low-end relational database.

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.

PHP Hosting: PHP hosting lets your Website take advantage of all the features of the open-source PHP scripting language. PHP scripts are embedded in HTML and are executed by the host's servers to generate dynamic content on your 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). This is often monitored through the use of commercially available website monitoring software.

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.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Joomla! is an open source content management system platform for publishing content on the World Wide Web and intranets as well as a Model–view–controller (MVC) Web application framework. It is written in PHP, stores data in MySQL and includes features such as page caching, RSS feeds, printable versions of pages, news flashes, blogs, polls, search, and support for language internationalization. Joomla is used by over 0.2% of the top 10,000 most popular websites on the internet.
Deployment: Joomla can be installed manually from source code on a system running a web server which supports PHP applications. Manual installation usually requires more time and experience than other alternatives such as installing Joomla from a package management system or using a TurnKey Joomla appliance which pre-integrates Joomla and its dependencies as a ready-to-use system
ou can have running, professional website in couple of hours. There are numerous web hosting companies who provide a control panel which automates the deployment of a basic Joomla web site. Several noteworthy hosting companies that include Joomla deployment are GoDaddy.com, Siteground.com, Web.com, DreamHost.com, HostGator.com, BlueHost.com and hundreds of others.
Criticism : In keeping with the stated vision of "Software that is free, secure and of high-quality," any third-party extensions submitted to the official Joomla! Extension Directory (JED) web page, which was already packed with over 3800+ extensions listed as of December 15, 2009, must now also conform to the GPLv2 license for free distribution.

* Joomla! 1.5.x will work with any number of domain names in one installation, but showing different content for each one requires the use of third party extensions or modifications to the core or server configuration. However, each page can be configured to use a different template and/or can be made accessible via different domains using the "external link" menu option in Joomla! which appears as a different site to the user.
* Bi-directional language templates that make use of Joomla!'s comprehensive bi-directional language support, other than those included with the standard install, are less common, and many don't allow for easy switching between LTR and RTL language formats. Most other templates can be easily modified via Joomla!'s built-in template editor.
* Access control granularity beyond Joomla! 1.5.x's nine built-in user groups currently requires the use of third-party extensions, although this is planned for Joomla! 1.6.
* Article organization beyond Joomla! 1.5.x's current Section/Category hierarchy requires the use of third party extensions, however flexible category structure support is planned for Joomla 1.6
* All "pages" (views) in Joomla! are referenced in the system by a unique ID number assigned by way of its "menu item" (link). So, for any page to function properly as part of the framework, it must have at least one menu item associated with it, whether that menu item is visible or not. This may be initially confusing to some newcomers.