|
Introduction
& Domains
What
is Web Hosting?
You spent hours, upon hours, creating the perfect site. What's next?
The main purpose of this site is give you an understanding of how
web hosting works, the different types and options available and
the ability for you to search for the right hosting provider. This
tutorial will try to explain the different hosting types, options
and a give a couple recommendations.
Short Internet
History
I want to spend a little time on the history of the Internet, since
this is one of the question I am most frequently asked. Many people
argue exactly what year the Internet was started. On September 2,
1969, Professor Leonard Kleinrock installed the first Interface
Messaging Processor (Imp) in his lab at UCLA (which makes the Internet
30 years old!).
Then the Internet
was know as the ARPAnet (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network).
It was designed to link university computers together to create
one large system. In 1983, The ARPAnet's protocols were replaced
by TCP/IP. TCP/IP is still the current protocol for the Internet.
Next came the conception/invention of the World Wide Web (WWW) in
1991.
Many people
believe the Internet and the World Wide Web are the same, they are
not. The Internet is all the computers, routers, switches, cabling
that are interconnect to one another. The WWW is a facility of the
Internet. The WWW consists of all the web sites and pages that are
linked to other web pages around the world.
How the Domain
Names Actually Work
Before we talk about registering a domain name, let talk about how
domain names work. An example of a unique domain name would be microsoft.com.
When you register a domain name , it is added to a large database
of domain names. In this database, your domain name, contact information,
hosting providers name server information, etc. are stored.
When a visitor
enters your domain name in a browser, it is referenced in this database
and then directed to your hosting providers domain name servers
(DNS). The DNS server then direct your request to the computer that
contains your site.
It's like calling
the operator for a phone number (This would represent the large
domain name database). The operator connects you to the phone number
(which represents the DNS server) and then you are transferred to
the support department's extension (which represents your web site).
To Be or
Not to Be
The first step, is to determine whether you want a unique domain
name for your site. I recommend that all business sites have a unique
domain name. This gives your site a professional look, at a small
expense. When choosing a domain name, you want the domain name to
reflect your site. Before you register your domain name, come up
with several variations to your original name. Most likely, the
domain you want is taken.
A domain name
may contain letters, numbers and the dash (-) symbol. Popular domain
names, in the US, end in either .com, .net, .org, .edu or .gov.
Here is a chart to determine which suffix is right for your site:
|
Domain
Suffixes
|
| .com |
This
is the general commercial site. If your site does not fall into
any of the categories below, .com is for you |
| .net |
This
suffix usually is reserved for network/Internet service providers,
but there is not set policy on this. |
| .org |
This
suffix is for Organizations, e.g. The Red Cross, Nonprofit Organizations,
etc. |
| .edu |
This
suffix is for education institution sites. You must prove you
status to register any .edu domain names |
| .gov |
This
is only for use by government agencies. It's no likely you qualify
for this suffix. |
You will need
a hosting company's DNS server's address and name to register your
new domain name. There are a couple of ways to register a domain
name.
- Talk to a
couple potential hosting providers and ask for permission to use
their DNS servers (see below).
- You can also
wait until you have a hosting provider, but I do not recommend
this. The domain you want may already be registered and if not,
it will be taken soon!
- Register
your domain name with companies like www.register365.ie . You
do not need a hosting provider, or DNS server Information, to
register with them.
If you choose
option 1 or 2 from above, head to the www.register365.ie . The current
cost of registration is IE£29.95 for each domain, per year.
Once you register your domain name, it should be updated to the
database in about 24-48hrs.
Why must
I talk to a hosting company before I register my domain name?
It is out of common courtesy. When you type www.yoursite.com in
your browser, a query is made the domain name database (operator),
then the hosting providers DNS server (phone number).
If you were
to use a company's DNS servers, without their knowledge, the could
be unprepared for the increase in Internet traffic and their network
would get bogged down with requests. Just imagine if every one started
calling your phone number, you may miss an important call!
|
