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  1. #1

    Which Hosting Services Do I Need?

    I found a list of services offered by various Hosting Companies and I do not know which services I will need because I don't know what the services are.

    Can someone tell me what each (or any) of the services below are and when (or for what) I might need to use them?

    CGI Forms
    Real Server
    NT Servers
    Chat Software
    Credit Card Processing
    Traffic Analysis Reports
    DNS Parking
    EMail Forwarding
    Email List Processing
    Redundant Internet
    Resellable Space
    CGI Access
    UNIX Servers
    Database Support
    Message Board Software
    Access Traffic Logs
    Unique DNS Hosting
    Email Auto Responder
    Email POP SMTP Processing
    Shell Telnet Access
    VPN Support

    If you only know what a couple of them are please relay the information to me...every little bit helps. Thanks.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Posts
    348
    You might want to try searching the forum a bit, as that's a pretty hefty list, but I'll take a stab at a couple for you.

    Traffic Analysis Reports: Analyze who is visiting your website, when and where they're coming from. Gives you a good indication of how people use your site.

    Email: POP is incoming mail server/SMTP is the outgoing mail. You'll need those to be able to send/receive mail. They're pretty standard with most hosting accounts. Most will also offer webmail access, which will allow you to view your mail online.

    Auto Responder: Generally an automated message that is sent from your mail account (that you would set up).

    Message Board Software: Could include software such as XMB or phpbb, which is the software that powers forums such as this one. Many are freely available online for download, but if you don't know much about installing them, could be helpful to have simple installation through a control panel like CPanel.


    Good luck.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Athens/Greece
    Posts
    110
    adding info to what jtru just said...

    NT or UNIX servers are the operating systems their servers use

    CrediCard processing is useful when u want to make payment transactions through your site (like the one u ll make when u gonna pay your future host )

    Message Board Software when u wanna have a forum (like this one)

    Chat Software, web chat on line from your visitors through ur website

    Databases, useful when u wanna do all the above

    Shell telnet access, when u r experience enough to login the server from a command line and maybe debug a script or do other useful things , u dont need it if u r a newbie

    good luck
    always chasing the west wind

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Troy, Missouri USA
    Posts
    1,299
    You might try looking them up on the Internet, there are many good information sites.

    http://www.cnet.com/Resources/Info/Glossary/
    http://whatis.techtarget.com/
    http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/Teaching.../Glossary.html

    You can go to http://google.com and search for: Internet glossary You could also search for the terms you listed...

    Good Luck...
    Sitekeeper
    Google

  5. #5
    To be perfectly honest, you probably don't need most features you don't understand. They can be handy for when making a site more complex, especially if expanding. But for most basic websites, the features will remain unused.

  6. #6

    Re: Which Hosting Services Do I Need?

    Here you go:


    CGI Forms--CGI is an interface to other programs written in computer languages, perl, C, etc. Used here this probably indicates that the provider is providing some ready to use programs such as formmail (a popular script which allows visitors to a site to send an email from your website).

    Real Server--This is a web server computer set up with the Real Software to allow video and audio to be streamed from your website; that is you could run video and audio from your site with the Real format.


    NT Servers--This is a web hosting server which is running Microsoft's Operating System on it.

    Unix Servers--This is the other type of web hosting server which is running either Linux, FreeBSD, or some other Unix type Operating System on it.

    Chat Software--This is a computer program which allows you to run a chat (like AOL instant messenger) on your web site.

    Credit Card Processing--If you are selling something on your website this allows you to take a credit card as payment and have the money transferred to you.

    Traffic Analysis Reports--This allows you to see how many people are visiting your site and what pages they are looking at.

    DNS Parking--Allows you to put a domain name with the web hosting company but not put up a web site yet. It kind of holds the domain name until you are ready to use it.

    EMail Forwarding--Allows you to receive email at one email address and send to another address (think call forwarding on your telephone).

    Email List Processing--Allows you to set up a list of email for all of your friends; and when you want to send everyone something you click on the list rather than typing in each of their emails.

    Redundant Internet--Probably means that the web hosting provider has more than one internet connection so if one connection goes down another will take over.

    Resellable Space--Allows you to buy so much disk space on the server and sell the unused space to someone else.

    CGI Access--This allows you access to a place on the web server to run computer programs you write.

    Database Support--Allows you to access a database from your website. This is useful if you are selling something (because you have all your products in the database) or are running some other computer programss which require a database to run on a web site.

    Message Board Software--Allows you to run something like this forum you are asking your question in.

    Access Traffic Logs--This allows you to look at all visitors who are visiting your site and what pages they are looking at.

    Unique DNS Hosting--Not sure exactly what this is but probably means either you have a specific address on the internet assigned to you or you can have your own name servers.

    Email Auto Responder--This is an automated message which is sent to someone when they send you an email message. For example, when someone sends you an email they get an automated reply such as "thank you for your inquiry, we will get back to you in 24 hours."

    Email POP SMTP Processing--This is basic email capability so you can send and receive email messages.

    Shell Telnet Access--Allows you to log into your web hosting account via a terminal--that is you can go through your account in a text based way (like using DOS).

    VPN Support--Generally allows you to hook up several computers together over the internet and run a computer system.



    I hope this helps. Most of this stuff you won't use. What you need to look for right now is something which has enough disk space for you, enough email accounts and the ability to grow when you do need more. If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact me.
    Richard
    Multiple Domain Hosting | See our Ad in PC Magazine
    Windows Reseller Hosting @ www.e3servers.com

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