Web Hosting: How does my Web Site get on the Internet

For many companies having a strong web presence is essential to their ongoing marketing and sales goals. How does that web site make its way to the millions of people browsing the web each day? The answer to that is the small army of web hosting providers who work every day to keep your web site on the internet.

The first web hosting providers were usually your local Internet service provider (ISP.) These were thousands of companies around the country who provided us with the ability to dial into the internet. These early web host companies had both the internet connections and the know how to run web servers so that companies web sites could be online. Web hosting was a natural extension of services for early ISP’s. The web hosting services were typically simple HTML sites. They lacked advanced databases and interaction.

As web hosting needs began to become more advanced specialized web hosting companies began to fill those needs. Advanced web programming languages like Cold Fusion, ASP and PHP began to drive the internet. Today most web hosting is accomplished by these specialized web hosting companies.

Most commercial web sites begin as a desire by a business to further reach its customers and suppliers for increased sales or decreased costs. These companies then hire professional web developers to create a site which fulfills these needs. After the site is created it is then given to a web host company to host the site and make it available to the entire internet.

Web host companies have several important tools which enable them to put web sites on the internet. The first and most important tool is a strong and reliable connection to the internet. This connection often consists of a fiber optic feed to a reliable internet service provider. It is over this fiber optic connection that the web host company is able to communicate with every computer on the internet.

The second most important tool web hosting companies utilize is the web server. This is a highly specialized computer which has the job of storing web sites and, when requested by customers and vendors, displays the web site. A web hosting companies web server will often have advanced hardware configuration which enable it to run for years at a time without suffering from breakdowns. Most high quality web hosting company web servers also run highly reliable open source based web hosting software. This advanced web hosting software can go years at a time without crashes or problems.

Web hosting companies often have advanced network operating centers (NOC) which are designed to house the web hosting equipment. These NOC’s typically have power backup systems, specialized ventilation and cooling systems, and security systems.

Presented By:
Ironkeep Technologies LLC
Albert Steed

Ironkeep Technologies is a technology provider located in the Traverse City, Michigan area. We have over 10 years experience delivering a wide range of consulting, web design, web hosting, programming, networking and other services to a variety of businesses both large and small.