Web Hosting Articles & Tutorials

Linux vs. Windows Hosting - What to consider

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.

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Jul 02, 2008 : Linux Web Hosting No responses yet

Web Hosting With PHP Scripts

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.

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Jul 01, 2008 : Scripting No responses yet

Linux Hosting: A Fine Point Overview

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.

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Jun 26, 2008 : Linux Web Hosting No responses yet

PHP hosting

PHP is Personal Home Pages. Web pages are simple documents where one can do almost everything in HTML. The PHP hosting is basically a scripting language. It is used for creating web pages. The PHP syntax is similar to that of the Perl. This language is very simple to understand and apply. It supports the most common databases like Oracle, MySQL, and Sybase. Generally it is incorporated to external libraries in order to create PDF programs and support the large group of developers. There are some criteria’s that could help one to choose for the best PHP hosting. Mainly price, bandwidth, and size are the criteria that would be helpful. The PHP group has released the main implementation under the PHP license. It serves one to define a de facto standard for the PHP. No formal specification is availed. On November 9 2007, the latest version of PHP 5.2.5 was released.

PHP and necessary things

If you are looking forward to invest small amount, then probably PHP hosting is the right one for you. PHP hosting is inexpensive, yet a useful way of hosting. If one has to write a blog, then it requires lesser bandwidth. Thus, PHP hosting could be useful. It is not necessary for PHP to be present while installing PHP hosting. There are innumerable PHP hosting companies that offer PHP in a safer mode. In order to get the best of performance on apache and Linux servers, one needs to install it as GCI for better options. PHP is used widely for the web development. PHP generally runs on web server and various web pages could be created suing the PHP code. PHP hosting is widely used as it being cheap and easy to use.

Problems with PHP

There are very few things that one needs to explain when it comes to PHP hosting. However, there are some problems that one comes across while installing PHP software. One can use search engine optimization for rewriting the various URLs using the forc Type in htdocs.

Choose best PHP host

Choosing the best suitable PHP host is an important thing, whether it is for your company or it is for a blog. The downtime and lack of configuration damages the performance and becomes an obstacle in success. Various web hosting companies offer various services online, suitable for both websites as well as blogs. If you choose a wrong host, then maybe you would find yourself in trouble.

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Apr 24, 2008 : Scripting No responses yet

Using PHP - cPanel Tutorial Ch.6

What exactly is PHP?  It just happens to be the oldest and perhaps the most frequently used language on the web.  Many of the sites you view online are composed of PHP scripts.  PHP works with your cPanel to enhance the visual effects of your site among other things.  

One common function of PHP in regard to the cPanel is to create a CRON JOB.  Cron jobs are simply automated tasks that are executed over a Linux server, very much like SCHEDULED TASKS on a Windows server.  The purpose is to allow users to execute an important process without manually starting it every day.  Below is a perfect example:

Let’s just say that your website is hosting an auction.  It must operate on fixed period; something similar to what you find on Ebay.  We will use an example of five days here before the bidding ends.  So what happens when the bidding period has come to a close?  Your database will display a message letting visitors know that the auction has ended.  PHP cron jobs allow you to automatically restart the process in the event that no bids were made.

PHP scripts handle the maintenance of these functions.  They also allow you to execute cron jobs that run on preferred intervals. The user looking to operate several tasks on different schedules has the luxury of creating multiple cron jobs to manage them.

SETTING UP A CRON JOB

- First login into your cPanel
- click the cron jobs icon located towards the bottom of the main page
- Choose the time you want the PHP script to run.  For instance, selecting 30 means that your script will run for thirty minutes on whatever day and time you choose.
- Type in the command to run on the cPanel to load your scripts.  The command should resemble something like this:  /usr/local/bin/php -f /home/myusername/scripts/ascript.php.  

Take note that the first part of the command is your path to PHP.  The next part is the actual path to your file.  If this command does not work you should certainly inquire with your web hosting server to find what does.

PHP has many more functions as it relates to your cPanel.  Here is list of programs that are written in PHP scripts to liven your website.

- Create Custom Mailboxes Using cPanel - This multi named software was designed for email utilities.  It helps the user create dazzling automated email forms and creates eye catching mailboxes.

- Cpanelmail - PHP brings out the best in this reliable tool.  It allows the user to create an email account with ease.

- Super Web-Mail - This script allows you to implement your domain into an email account.  It also permits others to have their own accounts.  The password protected area allows you to maintain control while setting up contact info for the staff.

We previously learned that one of the many benefits of cPanel was its email features.  We now know that PHP scripts are a large part behind what makes the magic happen.

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Apr 10, 2008 : cPanel Tutorials No responses yet