What You Need to Know About Web Hosting for Your Business

No one would argue that, in today's world, you need a website if you have a business. Twenty-first century consumers don't use yellow pages to find what they are looking for, they use websites. So, whether you are a small local company or a large multi-national, you need a presence on the web.

Building a website and maintaining it is much easier today than it was even a few years ago. But, whether you do the work yourself or hire it out, you need to know the basics.

Following are discussions of a few of the concepts you need to understand.

Domain Names

Domain names identify Internet provider (IP) addresses. They are used as part of a web address or URL to identify particular web pages. For example, in the URL http://www.yahoo.com the domain name is yahoo.com.

You can set up a website with your own domain name and get exclusive use of that domain name for two years. Your first step is to find a domain name that has not already been claimed. Go to an online Internet register, enter the name you would like to register, and search to see if the domain name is available. If it's not, enter a new name and search again. Once you find a domain name that is available, register it and pay the fee. That's all it takes to have your own domain name.

Web Hosting

When you set up a web site you need a place to keep it, which is what web hosting is about. Web hosts are companies that provide data center space and Internet connectivity for web sites. Like any good host, a web host provider gives your web page a base of operation. You can choose from many different web hosting services and plans, some of which are free. Many include domain registration, site setup, and site-building tools. When looking for a provider of web hosts consider the amount of space you will get, the technical support the company offers, and the monthly cost. You may want to choose a web hosting service that specializes in your type or size of business.

Web Page Operating Systems

Web host provides run different operating systems. Linux and Windows are the most common and available operating systems. Linux is very inexpensive to install and start up. Windows is popular because it has a great deal of support. Some people prefer Linux, while others like Windows. When you choose a host, look for one that can give you the features you want at a competitive price, rather than choosing based on the operating system.

Web Administrator

Web administrators keep web sites up and running. Security is a very important part of a web administrator's job, because without security a website is easy prey for hackers. As threats to Internet security get more sophisticated, so must web security.

A web administrator may also maintain the content of your web site and analyze your traffic and log files.

Your business website will take time and skills. Only you can decide if it's in the best interest of your business to do the work yourself or to hire it out.

To learn more about subjects like web hosting please visit the web site at: http://www.gossimer.com/

For more information and informative related articles and links about this subject matter and content, please visit Majon's Computers | Hosting | Web Design directory: http://www.majon.com/directory/computers-hosting-web-design. Also visit our Shopping Directory Marketplace for more related sites.

About the Author

+Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2011 (Sun Feb 27 2011) Majon International. Majon International is one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing and internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business resource internet marketing web site at: http://www.majon.com