Have you ever wondered why you need to purchase a hosting plan and a domain name? I am going to try to explain what each is and what are the different options commonly available.

The domain name that you purchase gives you the right to tell the Internet’s Domain Name service where to find the computer that contains your web page. The domain name server provides a method to connect a name to an IP address. The IP address is like a street address; this address is much like your mailbox. A hosting service is how your web page gets delivered to a customer’s browser.

When a customer enters your domain name into their browser; the browser looks up the IP address for the domain name service. It then uses the IP address to connect to the server hosting the web page.

There are several options for hosting available today

Shared Hosting is a good option for a site that will not have a large amount of traffic. The server containing your website will have many other websites. It is the most economical option for most people. Most providers provide multiple levels of services, usually increasing the performance as the price increases. Shared hosting usually requires little technical knowledge to configure and use. Most of the interactions with the server for management of your site is through a control panel. Although many providers advertise unlimited services. At a certain point, you will find that the shared hosting will not be able to keep up with your needs. Most people will be perfectly fine on a shared hosting solution.

Virtual Private Server (VPS) is the next option for a site that requires more bandwidth but doesn’t need dedicated equipment. It is a very economical option. However, it does require a fair amount of technical experience to set up and manage. It does also require that the person managing the server have knowledge of the latest security patches and threats. A proactive approach to security is necessary with this setup. It is possible to setup the system to use a control panel but not required.

Private Server is renting physical hardware in a data center that is connected to the internet usually through a very high-speed connection. It is the most expensive option for businesses with demanding requirements.

If you are thinking of building a new website or application. Please consider Blazedog Web Design. Blazedog Web Design located in Greeneville, Tennesee and can work with you anywhere in the world.