In the hosting context there are many terms and abbreviations that not everybody can understand at once. If you are not an acknowledged expert (yet), you might want to have a look into our hosting glossary. Here you find explanations for many technical terms, so that you will always have an idea in the future what others are talking about.

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Active Server Pages
Predecessor of ASP.NET
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Data base system by Microsoft
Included in the Office package, versatile and also popular in the network area.
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Successor of ASP
Technology for creating web applications based on the Java competitor .NET.
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User who has the most rights on a machine.
Also called admin – an admin manages computer systems, e.g. servers.
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Used synonymously to data rate in common speech.
Maximum amount of digital data that is transferred within a certain time.
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A copy, the data of a server is secured on a backup server.
A backup delivers protection in case of hardware defects, accidental deletion, viruses, worms etc. Data can be restored from the backup if necessary.
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Placing of own servers in another data center.
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Control software and interface for web servers.
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Common Gateway Interface
Gateway for the dynamisation of websites.
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Software package by Macromedia, an environment for creating and supplying internet applications.
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Recurring task
Is controlled by a cron daemon in Unix/Linux and enables for example that a program is started at a certain point of time.
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Famous Linux distribution.
Often used for web hosting.
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Server that is dedicated for one special task.
A dedicated server is used e.g. for one single customer or one application.
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„Deutsches Network Information Center„ (German Network Information Center)
Central registry for domains below the top level domain .de
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Feature of data centers
Mostly huge Diesel motors that can bridge even complete outages in large data centers for several minutes.
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Hierarchical structured part of the DNS namespace (e.g. www.domain.de).
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Electronic mail
E-mail inboxes are very common today and included in web hosting offers in great numbers.
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Control software and interface for web servers.
For easy management of a web server.
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File Transfer Protocol
Favoured protocol and famous software for easy data upload onto a web server.
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HTML editor for Microsoft Windows
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see Diesel generator
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Correct description for computers that host a server.
In common language hosts and servers are used as synonyms. Strictly speaking, however, the host is a physical machine, while a server is a program that communicates with a client.
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Provision of web based services, e.g. web space, data bases, e-mail.
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Placement and network connection of a customer host in the data center of a service provider.
In many cases more favourable than setting up your own dedicated line, server room and service.
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Internet Information Server
IIS provides services like FTP and SMTP on Microsoft-based server platforms. The free competitive product is called Apache.
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Internet Message Access Protocol
Protocol for handling e-mails which – what makes a difference to POP3 – remain on the mail server.
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Exchange point for internet traffic.
The German exchange point DE-CIX is located in Frankfurt/Main.
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Logical addressing of machines in networks.
E.g. 192.168.0.1 (IP Version 4) or 2001:0db8:85a3:08d3:1319:8a2e:0370:7344 (IP Version 6)
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Object-oriented computer language
The advantage of Java is that only the runtime environment for one’s own operating system is needed in order to start all java programs independent of the system. Java is especially well-known as application for miscellaneous browsers like Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.
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Scripting language for dynamic HTML page creation.
Probably the most widespread scripting language, not to be mixed up with the computer language Java.
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Runtime environment
Basis for the execution of Java Bytecode
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Feature of data centres.
A good air conditioning contributes to avoiding overheating and thus to the hosts’ system stability.
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Change Provider
Customer’s request to change to a provider with an existing domain.
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Open source operating system.
Especially famous on the hosting market due to its stability, flexibility and free availability.
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Data centre feature.
Gas extinguishing systems with halon (e.g. FM-200) guarantee comprehensive fire protection in a data centre.
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Protocol files.
For example to control traffic or to count visitors.
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SQL data base management system.
Standard for setting up and creating of data bases in the hosting area. phpBB is running with a mySQL data base as well.
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Computer system created by Apple.
Not very commonly used as a server system.
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Exchange of mails within a particular user group.
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Network Address Translation
Method used for routers and firewalls: address information in data packages is replaced automatically and transparently by others.
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Source code is open for everybody.
The open source system Linux is often used as operating system for web servers. It is more stable and mutable in many versions than other (proprietary) operating systems.
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Hypertext Preprocessor / Personal Home Page Tools
Famous scripting language for creating dynamic web pages.
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Free, platform independent computer/scripting language.
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Supplier
Besides some large and well-known providers there are numerous small providers, some of them offering quite specific services.
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Post Office Protocol 3
Transmission protocol for mail traffic. Unlike IMAP, data is downloaded from the mail server and does not solely remain on the server.
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Control software and interface for web servers.
Used by many web hosting providers.
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Object oriented computer language.
Python distinguishes by its simplicity and clarity and gains more and more popularity.
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Forum system based on the scripting language PHP.
A bit out-dated but still a very popular and wide-spread bulletin board system that is used in most cases in German-speaking countries as basis for a discussion forum.
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Control software and interface for web servers.
Commonly used by web hosting providers.
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Object relational data base management system.
PostGreSQL is one of the most capable data base systems.
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Host with all admin rights for the customer.
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Housing for hosts, standardized width 19 inches.
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General term for telecontrol.
For example remote access service: access to computers and networks from afar.
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Object oriented computer language.
Even if still not as wide-spread as Perl, it is catching up regarding popularity and application.
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Buys and sells web space that is originally offered by a web hoster.
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Very famous Linux distribution in the USA.
Often used in web hosting.
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Server hosting providers run virtual and dedicated servers for customers. Additional services like management and backup are often offered as well.
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Systems are provided and completely managed by one company.
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Program that is written in a scripting language.
E.g. CGI scripts that allow for guest books on websites.
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Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
A common mail transfer protocol.
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Unwanted e-mail mostly sent to lots of people.
Providers pre-filter masses of e-mails thus keeping spam within a limit.
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Disk space on servers
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Query language for relational data base systems.
SQL is more or less standard and the basis for numerous data base systems like MySQL and Microsoft SQL server.
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Secure Shell
Network protocol and program for encrypted login on distant machines.
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Server Side Includes
Server-sided scripting language.
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Secure Socket Layer
Protocol for encrypted data transfer.
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Server location (data center)
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Data that is analyzed mostly in terms of log files.
It is not only valuable to see the access statistics of one’s own server for reasons of cost control, but it also helps to analyze one’s own requirements.
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Continuous data transfer, e.g. audio or video streaming
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Domain on subordinate level (TLD and SLD).
For example subdomain.example.com (top level domain would be .com, second level domain .example).
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Linux distribution that is very famous in Germany.
Often used in web hosting.
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Access protocol for controlling computers via command line.
Telnet is getting a bit out of fashion, because web interfaces are easier to handle especially for beginners. Moreover, the missing encryption is a disadvantage here, which makes SSH (in the area of command lines) and SSL (in the web interface area) more favourable.
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Data traffic.
The more traffic is included in a web hosting offer the better. One should bear in mind that the costs for overtraffic are often quite high. The ideal situation is when there is no limit at all, which is found very rarely, however, and mostly for dedicated servers.
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Transferred data volume.
A certain volume (e.g. 25 GB) is often included in hosting offers.
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Data center feature.
When regular power sources of a data center fail, the USP bridges the gap until other sources like Diesel generators take over. USPs are commonly powerful batteries.
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Availability of a host over the net.
PlusServer has an availability of at least 99.99 %.
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Aka virtual host.
On a physical host there are running several virtual hosts that take over different tasks or are allocated to different customers.
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Visual Basic Script
Scripting language by Microsoft
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Disk space on web hosts
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Operating system by Microsoft
Used on many hosts in the server version.
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Command center per world wide web
Instead of laboriously administrating with command lines, web interfaces simplify and speed up all administrative work. That is why they are standard for web hosting offers today.
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Administration tool for Unix based computers.
It stands outs due to its web interface and high modularity and is also free software.
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Also called webhost.
http compatible service.
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Interface for managing e-mail via WWW.
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