Web Site Hosting Glossary of Terms

Server: The server is the physical machine, hardware and space for accounts. Virtual Dedicated Servers are divided into multiple isolated environments.

Server Resources: Server resources include the operating system, web server, mail server, database server, FTP server and any installed software.

Hosting Account: The hosting account is the directory within a server reserved for the web files of an individual client.

Domain Name Servers (DNS): A Domain Name Server (DNS) keeps a database of domain names and their associated IP addresses. When a user searches for a domain name, the request must go through a Domain Name Server (DNS) to translate the domain name and obtain the corresponding IP address. This way the request can be routed to the correct server where the website resides.