Web hosting is nothing but a service that allows its customers to have a space on the World Wide Web to showcase their websites on its computer servers which are connected to the internet all the time. Servers are actually very powerful computers with extremely large hard drives. The space in these servers is rented out to websites on the internet.
On the internet, every server has a unique Internet Protocol (IP) address. This address is numerical. If a server is thought to be a building where apartments are being rented out, it will be easier to understand how it works. Each unit which is rented out to individual websites is the same as each rented out an apartment in the building. Each unit that is rented out also has a unique address. Thus, when a person wants to start a website, he needs to buy a unique address (the web address) from a server. In other words, this address is called domain name.
There are many kinds of web hosting services available. Most of the packages offered by web hosting companies give the buyer certain capacities as a user. For instance, some companies offer web hosting in Dubai which uses scripts that allow forms, guest books, interactive functions, bulletin boards, etc. for website owners with professional purposes. Commercial packages include bundle business tools such as credit card processing and point of sales packages.
The scope of activities web hosting companies does also differ according to the package a user chooses. Small scale file hosting and the web page is the most basic. In it, a user can upload files via FTP or file transfer protocol. Some internet service providers are known to this service without any charge. Web hosting for personal use is usually free, inexpensive, and advertisement sponsored. Others for the business purposes usually have a high expense involved.
Free web hosting is no doubt convenient but it comes with some drawbacks. Usually, the server will be running banner advertisements and pop up's on the website. If the website owner wants them to be removed, an alternative pay plan must be chosen. Another consideration that website owners opting for free service from web hosting companies have to put up with is that the website address that they have been allocated with will be an extension of the server's address for e.g. subfolder name after the domain name of the free web hosting service provider. In view of the various constraints hosting companies put on website owners who go for free space, it is better to pay a sum of money for buying a domain name.
For people who are planning to start a website, it is important to keep in mind a few more things because the price is not the only factor. Sky Host does not restrict to use scripting languages and certain functions. Some companies offering web hosting services have policies that put restrictions on the use of scripting languages, certain content, certain functions, and uses. Reading the Privacy Policy and understanding how personal information will be used is also important before registering.