What are web hosting services and why are they important?

To some extent, one could essentially say that a web host is simply one of the many different types of Internet services currently available, making it possible for individuals and businesses to have an online presence. However, the level of service provided can vary significantly. In its simplest form, we would be looking at hosting things as a single web page and unsurprisingly this would only require a very basic level of processing. In fact, many Internet service providers offer this type of web hosting service to their subscribers for free. However, this solution is not well suited to hosting commercial websites, which can be quite expensive in comparison. Hosting a single web page is usually ideal for personal use, but if you need a full hosted website, you will need to look for a more advanced type of package. It should include database support and also a platform to enhance applications, like Java and PHP, for example. Without these features, clients won't be able to write scripts for things like content management; website forums, etc. Depending on your needs, you may also need a control panel to install scripts and administer the web server. Lastly, you will almost certainly need other modules such as email. It is worth bearing in mind that some web hosting services only host specific services, such as e-commerce, and although they can be used by anyone, they are mostly favored by those who prefer to outsource some of their network infrastructure. The reliability of a web host is generally determined by the amount of downtime experienced. In other words, over the course of a year, how often will your site be down due to web hosting issues? How long a system has been online is not a reliable indicator. Remember, many Internet-based businesses depend on a permanent connection to the Internet. In this type of scenario, one could use their computer to host a website. This is a cheap option after all, but the obvious downside is that cheap or free options are always limited, and all of them lack many of the features you might expect from a paid web host. Shared web hosting service If you went for shared web hosting, your website would share a server with a number of other websites. The advantages of this type of approach would be that several different sites can share a common pool of resources, including available CPU; RAM, etc. Reseller web hosting Some people buy a web hosting package and then rent it out to a "third party", essentially making them web hosting. In this case, most aspects of the service would be identical to those offered by the parent hosting company, although some resellers prefer to maintain control over certain aspects such as mechanical and / or technical support. Home server As the term implies, a home server is essentially a single hosting machine installed in the home. The number of sites that can be hosted will inevitably depend on a number of factors and, for the most part, the typical home server can be used with any consumer broadband Internet connection. With so many free web hosting options available today, many people are reluctant to consider using a paid hosting service. However, as said, paid hosting services are not free because they offer so many more features, many of which are vital for businesses. These days, it's more important than ever to fully understand what your exact requirements are before making a decision. Currently Linux-based hosting is the most common type, but clients of course have other options as well, including PHP and Perl.