Web hosting is basically a way for individuals and companies to store digital media (websites etc.) on the Internet for others to access. Anything that is stored or accessible on the Internet will require some form of storage; sometimes this is even supplied free of charge but is normally part of an overall package. Companies that supply hosting are able to save files to their system on what is called a server and it is this that other people access when they want to view the web site.

A large number of companies even supply free hosting to individuals, not generally companies, where they are able to have websites and blogs without any charge. Free web hosting will not allow a huge mount of storage space so for those people that require sub-domains, upgraded email facilities and increased storage that a paid service is needed. There is a huge range of services available and often comparison sites are the best place to search as prices do vary considerably and you must really know in advance what type of service you need.

In the early days you may be quite happy to have your files on a server which is shared by many others while you try their hosting services. Once you are comfortable with the service level then it might be worth upgrading to a dedicated server. With web hosting you get your own web space, but you do need to have a registered domain before you can use it, then you are allocated with enough storage to keep all your files for online publication. The word ‘files’ is a generic term that can mean anything from video to audio tracks but be aware that basic packages do not give the most storage if you are intending to upload large files; however, as storage costs come down, companies are increasing this amount of space.

Another advantage to having your own domain is that email addresses will include your own domain name and not that of those free provides like Google, Yahoo and MSN to name a few of the thousands of providers whose services can be used. Such e-mail addresses are very important, especially if you’re truly serious in business as they provide you with a level of credibility that free email addresses never can. If you have a busy site with lots of visitors, downloads or video etc. then you need to have a hosting package with sufficient bandwidth; this is the amount of data that can be transmitted.

Insufficient bandwidth will cause problems as visitors will be unable to see your site if it has been used up and you have a few more days before it is re-set for the following month, so you may need to use another web host. This point becomes more important when you have a site that provides large video, audio and image files to its visitors as all of these use up the bandwidth you have been allocated as part of your package. Although it is possible for a person to use their own PC as a host, there are many security dangers associated with this so using a dedicated web hosting company is preferable.

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