Domain names are in high demand these days, so much in fact that internet thieves are looking to steal them. Domain hijacking is increasingly on the rise and Network Solutions has been the biggest victim. Known as the largest and oldest registrar, Network Solutions recently reported that they have been thieved for hundreds of domain names. So how did this happen? Similar to how unscrupulous individuals purchase web hosting to distribute malicious code, domain thieves masquerade as administrative members of targeted companies and use that authority to modify the ownership of domains.

Domain hijacking could prove to be time consuming and costly. You may have to spend countless hours, days or weeks trying to prove that it is indeed your name in order to recover ownership. More determined thieves may also compromise the server associated with your domain. This could negatively impact business as traffic could be redirected away from your site. If thieves are clever enough to redirect your email server, they can actually distribute messages in your name, tarnishing the integrity of your business. Simply put, having your domain is something that can place your business in great jeopardy.

The recent wave of domain theft has exposed major security vulnerabilities in today’s registration system. Representatives at DomainCaddy have declared that 80 to 90 percent of all domain names are at the risk of hijacking, including those belonging to active internet businesses.

Prevention

There are a few ways to minimize the risk of having your domain stolen. You can start by selecting the highest level of security for your domain registration account. These services are offered by many registrars for an additional fee. If you already have a name registered, contact your registrar by phone and ask them to upgrade the level of security on your account. You also want to make sure that no changes are made without your consent. The registrar should contact you by phone or email confirming that you want these changes to be made.

If you are looking to purchase your first domain name, it is a good idea to choose a registrar that offers a “hijack-proof” security service. Register.com is one such company that charges $99 for the “Domain Lockdown” service. With Network Solutions having been exposed for vulnerabilities, you should request the encrypted password option when registering a name with them. You can also choose their PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) account option. Both of these are far more secure than the standard “MAIL-FROM” option.

You should never use a Not-Care or After-Update service option to manage your account. According to the Network Solution notification policy, you will not receive notification of changes to your account until after they have been made. To avoid this, choose the Before-Update option that assures all changes go through you first for authorization.

Conclusion

Domain theft is an alarming situation to say the least. This is a huge concern for active domain owners and especially for those planning to build a website. You can began to practice prevention by making yourself away of this growing crime. The best protection lies with choosing a reliable domain registrar and purchasing the best security possible for your account.

What is a Reseller Host?

A reseller host refers to someone who purchases a certain amount of disk space and bandwidth on a web server for a monthly fee. This fee is often more than basic hosting but may also compensate with more space, bandwidth, software and other resources. These allotted resources are then made available to other clients looking to purchasing standard hosting service. Individual sites hosted on a reseller package usually receive their own control panel and possibly a number of email accounts as well. In most cases, reseller web hosting is such a smooth operation that clients cannot differentiate it from a host using its own server.

Benefits of Reseller Hosting

There are many benefits that come along with reseller hosting. Although storage and bandwidth are typically more expensive, these resources are allowed to be purchased in much smaller capacities. This keeps the reseller host from wasting their valuable resources and money. Reselling is a great way for new hosts to work their way up to a dedicated server rather than taking that initial plunge at a much higher monthly rate. So instead of incurring losses month after month, the reseller host can yield profits.

As a reseller, you have one essential goal which is to sell hosting packages. This is a huge benefit as things are bound to go wrong every now and then. For instance, a server may fail, an operating system may be corrupted or other network equipment may become damaged. When disaster strikes, the parent hosting company providing the service is responsible for addressing all technical difficulties. Of course you do not want your customers to be plagued with downtime, but this factor keeps you from worrying about updating software or replacing failed equipment.

Disadvantages of Reseller Hosting

Reseller hosting offers numerous benefits to the aspiring entrepreneur but there are drawbacks as well. This type of plan generally offers fewer resources than basic or dedicated hosting. The space leased on a reseller account can only support so many clients before those resources need to be upgraded. In this scenario, it may be more economical to make beneficial upgrades to a dedicated server. Moving your clients from a reseller account to a dedicated server could end up costing you more money and downtime.

What you Want in a Reseller Provider

You should look for the same features in a reseller account as you would with a traditional provider. Some of them will only offer a certain number of databases, domains, email accounts and even the number of customers that can be hosted on the account. While reseller hosting is a thriving industry, you want to make sure that you are provided with every resource needed to make your business a success. Last but not least, solid support is a must. Although you are not responsible for maintaining the server, you do have to appease your client base if something should go wrong.

Keep in mind that reseller hosting is not a get-rich-quick system. It also is not guaranteed to make you a well known web hosting provider. However, it is a great way to establish yourself on the web and once you are established, reselling is structured in a manner that enables you to keep going strong.

Contrary to popular belief, it does not matter what operating system you have on your computer when choosing where to host your site. If your computer runs Linux, you can choose a Windows hosting platform and vice versa. Of course, it would be ideal to have matching operating systems, but you can still enjoy many of the same benefits. Both servers support FTP (File Transfer Protocol) and other technologies which allow you to publish content from your hard drive to the web. Both offer encryption features such as SSL to encrypt your online communications along with compatible email accounts, databases and more.

Knowing the similarities, it is also important to make yourself familiar with the vast differences as well. For instance, if you intend to use Microsoft branded technologies such as ASP, FrontPage, MSSQL or Windows Streaming Media, your website would be much better suited for Windows-based hosting. Trying to operate server-specific scripts and programs on a different platform is often difficult and costly, though it can be done. Fortunately, the most prevalent web technologies such as PHP, POP3 and MySQL are supported by both systems.

In the way of stability, Linux is regarded as being more stable than Windows. This dates back to prior Windows systems such as 95 and 98 that were infamous for the “blue screen” of death. Though annoying, the most severe impact of this common error called for users to restart their machines. Later editions such as 2000 and XP were designed more with servers in mind, adding stability to the Windows brand.

You may enjoy better performance with Linux hosting as well as their servers are rather efficient. There is not a huge difference, but the application processes of Windows have been known to run somewhat slower. Experts believe this is because Windows loads a variety of features into single packages while the implementation of Linux is more simple yet flexible.

Another major benefit of Linux is its open source nature. This allows vendors to use several Linux components for no cost and offers a cheaper web hosting service. Both platforms have had their share of bugs, yet Linux tends to receive fixes quicker because of its large community of designers and users. Windows has to analyze these issues through the entire Microsoft bureaucracy which tends to take longer.

Regardless of what platform you choose, security is always a major concern. Many times this involves the security implemented by a host as well as the website administrator. While Windows has made notable strides with their security, Linux is better known for it’s security-first approach to development.

The Winner Is …

When money becomes an issue, most people tend go with Linux hosting as their first option. The system has established a solid reputation for its reliability and security. The choice of which platform is the best all depends on the needs of your site. In the end, you want a web host that is best suited for the goals you plan to achieve. With that said, the operating system being used should be one of the last things you consider for web hosting - Linux and Windows both provide exceptional service.

Getting your own website as never been easier. These days, web hosting providers are abundant, offering the ability to instantly create dynamic content at an incredibly low price. You have the option to host a large gallery of photos, products and services for your online business, implement a blog to add popularity to your site and much more. With all of these amazing features, one tends to forget about the resources used as the basis for the actual web pages. In this article we will take an overview look at one of the oldest and most commonly used web-based scripting languages, PHP.

What is PHP?

PHP is the acronym for Personal Home Pages, though it was originally derived from Hypertext Preprocessor. Throughout your search for a web host, you find that many advertise PHP in their packages, as it remains the basic building block for many developers. Its syntax is quite similar to that of the Perl language, one that is both very easy to learn and apply. One reason why PHP is so widely used is because it supports the most common databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL and Oracle. Aside from creating traditional web pages, it is also frequently incorporated into external libraries to create PDF applications.

The Necessitates of PHP Hosting

If you are looking to make a small investment with your first website, choosing a web host that uses PHP scripts is a good option. This type of hosting is inexpensive yet very useful. PHP is perfect for a site built to host a blog as it requires much less bandwidth than more dynamic scripts like ASP. PHP typically is not the only programming language a hosting company offers. They are often used in conjunction with CGI, Perl and Python scripts to increase the functionality of an Apache server. Some web hosting providers even combine PHP with Microsoft technologies such as the MSSQL database and Microsoft FrontPage, making it much easier to build and manage a website.

Issues with PHP

The continuous widespread use of PHP has also resulted in a number of vulnerabilities. This script has led to instances such as DoS attacks, buffer overflows and other exploits made possible when bypassing its built-in security measures. Malicious individuals have also exploited the script by injecting harmful code into headers distributed via the email system.

Because of this, the PHP script has received many updates to address these vulnerabilities. In November of 2007, PHP version 5.25 was released and it’s now recommended by security experts.

Choosing a PHP Host

PHP scripts are suitable whether you simply intend to host a personal blog or create a thriving e-commerce site. Its familiarity and ease of use usually results in less downtime and greater performance. Finding a host using PHP scripts should not be much of a challenge, as nearly everyone utilizes it. Like with any type of hosting, customer support, storage, bandwidth and stability are the most important factors. You will find that most companies offering PHP are both affordable and reliable.

“Unlimited” has become a prevalent term in the web hosting industry. It seems as if every other provider is offering some type of unlimited service, whether it’s storage space and bandwidth or domain names. So does this mean that there is no limit to the scalability of your business? Not exactly, especially in a shared hosting environment. Even if a web host is genuine about their claims of providing unlimited space, bandwidth and domains, there are other factors that need to be considered, factors that are unworthy of the unlimited title.

Before you are able to enjoy the benefits of unlimited bandwidth, you are likely to experience issues such as exceeding associated resources. Resource usage is a major factor that limits the capability of a shared host. It generally covers three areas: CPU usage, RAM usage and database usage.

CPU

CPU (central processing unit) is responsible for the functionality of a website and delivering content to visitors. If your website is built with dynamic content, with applications such as blogs and message boards, it would naturally require more CPU usage. This is because the CPU has to process web content and recreate it every time a user requests it.

If you are building on a shared server that is hosting a number of other sites, the performance of your site may eventually endure issues and thus function much slower. This is because the server uses CPU to compensate for each individual site on the server. Shared hosts with limited resources typically monitor CPU usage and restrict those use too much.

RAM

RAM (random access memory) is temporary memory used to store the programs, scripts and related data of your website as they are running. While many web hosting providers openly advertise their amount of bandwidth and storage, rarely will they disclose the capacity of RAM and how much you are allowed to use.

RAM usage also determines how fast your website runs a script or process. Keep in mind that every script and application requires RAM usage. The more you install on to the server, the higher amount of RAM you’ll need.

Database Connection

The database is a very critical feature in web hosting. With more than 10 million installations throughout the globe, MySQL is the most widely used database management system available. Your database is what stores the content of your website such as user names and passwords, customer addresses and credit card numbers, etc. However, when there are too many requests or connection to a database, the server may easily become overloaded, especially when a number of users are constantly making simultaneous adjustments.

In Closing

Before purchasing service with any web host, you should ask the provider about resource usage and how they handle accounts that have exceeded server limits. Shared servers are popular but at the same time they are limited. Hopefully this article helped you to become familiar with this type of hosting. This environment tends to be more suited for personal sites and small businesses opposed to large e-commerce sites.

There are several aspects that make up a quality web hosting provider. Bandwidth and storage space are essential, along with up time and customer support. Aside from the basics, enhanced features are perhaps the most attractive benefits of web hosting. These are the tools that will help to build your site with eye-popping designs, generate traffic and potentially revenue.

When searching for a web host with just the right features, you will find that many of them offer FrontPage. FrontPage is a technology designed by Microsoft. It includes various components that allow you to quickly publish web pages and build your site with ease. While FrontPage is a great feature in its own right, it also works well with other components that increase functionality. To ensure that you get the most out of this web building technology, it is important to learn if your website will be equipped with other features as well.

Control Panel Demos

Web hosting packages are filled with numerous features. One of the most important features is the control panel. This software is typically integrated into the server of a web hosting company. While the functions may vary from host to host, the primary goal of all control panels is to grant the end-user with more authority over their site. If your looking to host with FrontPage, it’s a good idea to test out the control panel before deciding on a particular company. By doing this, you can play with the controls and learn just how easy it is to publish with FrontPage extensions. Many companies who use the popular cPanel control panel often provide potential clients with demo versions to prove the quality of their service.

Web Publishing and More

FrontPage web hosting has become popular because it allows you to build a site with ease and bypass third-party FTP web publishers. This program is so easy to use that novice builders can become webmasters with a bit of training. FrontPage allows you to work with many different pre-designed templates that can be applied to your website with a simple click of the mouse. You can also create custom designed templates with your own text and graphics. This is a great way to make sure your website coordinates with the company theme. FrontPage is well known for designing capability but also gives you the benefit of multi-user and remote authoring, along with the creation of website counters, web forms and discussion boards. FrontPage aids in the security your website by handling MIME types, redirecting URLs and protecting directories. It essentially gives you all the tools required to a dynamic website.

Web hosting with FrontPage has offered a great solution for medium sized companies who cannot afford to pay expensive designers to create and maintain a web presence. It is also ideal for small companies and individuals just starting who are looking to create a web presence while saving a few bucks. Depending on the cost of the package, FrontPage is a solid option for many of your web hosting needs. This technology will give you the power to quickly build a high-quality site even if you lack technical skills.

In your mission to find a website provider, you will notice that many companies offer what is know as Linux-based hosting. This article will detail the finer points of this option and how it can be used to create and maintain dynamic web sites. We will also shed a bit of light on the Linux operating system in general and why it is the preferred choice by many users.

History

Linux is essentially a variation of the Unix operating system. It was created in 1991 at Finland’s University of Helsinki by a student named Linus Torvalds. Torvalds came to develop Linux while working on a non-commercial replacement version for Minux, a smaller Unix-like system. Linux was originally intended for academic use but evolved into something much more useful.

Since it was developed under the GNU Project’s General Public License, the source code of Linux is freely available. While the goal of the GNU Project was to develop and distribute free Unix compatible software, the Linux operating system itself is not free, only the source code for the kernel and most of it’s software. Linux developers and third-party vendors can charge a fee for it as long as the source code is freely available.

Web Hosting

Just as with any provider, before choosing a Linux host, you should first determine the needs of your website. Many ISPs (Internet Service Providers) will offer a Linux-based hosting plan for a very reasonable price. This option presents you with a wide range of software applications that can be used to enhance the presentation and functionality of your site. The most common configuration of this type of hosting is known as a LAMP platform, consisting of a Linux operating system, an Apache web server, a MySQL database and PHP, Perl or Python scripts.

The LAMP configuration offers a number of components that can be used to support and run a website or a server. When put into action, it defines server infrastructures and a paradigm for developing software. LAMP is so widely used because the Linux system itself is so affordable.

The Apache server is what provides access to websites on the internet and is available for both Linux and Unix systems. It is currently the most widely used server today. MySQL is the database management system that adds ease to building a website. It actually functions as a server and is a multithreaded, multi-user system that grants users with access to their databases. MySQL is the most popular database management system and is said to have more than 10 million installations. The programming languages used in LAMP are typically either PHP, Perl or Python. These scripts are used to create object-orientated web pages and can also be used on Windows-based platforms as well.

The Linux system itself is capable of many things such as networking, software development and functioning as an end-user platform. It works with almost any kind of hardware from the basic AMD and Intel products to more obscure names such as Digital Alpha, PowerPC and Silicon Graphics. Due to its low cost and high-level of functionality, Linux has become one of the most popular operating systems and web hosting platforms outside of Windows.