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Internet and Web Hosting Glossary
10BaseT
10 Megabit per second Ethernet specification using two pairs of twisted-pair cabling (Category 3, 4 or 5): one pair for transmitting data and the other for receiving data. 10BaseT has a distance limit of approximately 100 meters per segment.
24x7x365 Support
Silicon Valley Web Hosting provides phone and email support for all customers 7 days per week, 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
100% Uptime Guarantee
Silicon Valley Web Hosting guarantees that its network will be available 100% of the time in a given month, excluding scheduled maintenance. This includes the Network, Infrastructure Systems, and all Hardware Components. Any hardware component failure will be fixed at no cost to the customer. Network uptime includes functioning of all network infrastructure including routers, switches and cabling, but does not include services or software running on your server. Network downtime exists when a particular customer is unable to transmit and receive data and is measured from the time the trouble ticket is opened. A credit of 5% of the monthly fee for each 30 minutes of downtime, up to 100% of the monthly fee for the affected server.
100BaseT
This designation is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers shorthand identifier. The "100" in the media type designation refers to the transmission speed of 100 Mbps. The "BASE" refers to baseband signaling, which means that only Ethernet signals are carried on the medium. The "TX," and "FX" refer to the physical medium that carries the signal. (Through repeaters, media segments of different physical types can be used in the same system.) The TX and FX types together are sometimes referred to as "100BASE-X." (The designation for "100BASE-T" is also sometimes seen as "100BaseT.") In 100 Mbps (megabits per second) Ethernet (known as Fast Ethernet), there are three types of physical wiring that can carry signals:
100BASE-T4 (four pairs of telephone twisted pair wire)
100BASE-TX (two pairs of data grade twisted-pair wire)
100BASE-FX (a two-strand optical fiber cable)
128-bit encryption
The main difference is that 128-bit encryption provides a significantly greater amount of cryptographic protection than 40-bit encryption. With the increasing computing power of potential criminals, it is becoming more necessary to employ larger keys, as evidenced by a recent study by several leading cryptographers.
In terms of what the numbers represent, "128" and "40" bit encryption refer to the size of the key used to encrypt the message. Roughly speaking, 128-bit encryption is 309,485,009,821,345,068,724,781,056 times stronger than 40-bit encryption. Presently, 40-bit encryption is not considered "strong" security in the cryptographic community. However even taking into account Moore's Law, which states that computing power doubles about every 18 months, 128-bit encryption represents a very strong method of encryption for the foreseeable future.
1000 BASE-T
Gigabit Ethernet (1 gigabit is 1000 megabits per second) on copper cables. 1000BASE-T can be used in data centers for server switching, for uplinks from desktop computer switches, or directly to the desktop for broadband applications. A big advantage of 1000BASE-T is that existing copper cabling can be used instead of having to rewire with optical fiber. For Gigabit Ethernet, industry offerings include these types of wiring:
1000BASE-SX (a short laser wavelength on multimode fiber optic cable for a maximum length of 550 meters)
1000BASE-LX/LH (a long wavelength for a "long haul" fiber optic cable for a maximum length of 10 kilometers)
1000BASE-ZX (an extended wavelength single-mode optical fiber for up to 100 kilometers)
1000BASE-T (four pairs of Category 5 Unshielded Twisted Pair cable for a maximum length of 100 meters)
A Record
An A record is part of the zone file. It is used to point Internet traffic to an IP address. For example, you can use an "A record" to designate abc.yourdomain.com to send traffic to your web site at IP address 209.15.32.135. You can also designate xyz.yourdomain.com to go to a separate IP address.
Access [Microsoft]
MS Access published by Microsoft is an easy to use and highly integrated database creation and maintenance software. Capable of online databases, the software is supported with the NT hosting platform.
ADSL
(Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) -- A method for moving data over regular phone lines. An ADSL circuit is much faster than a regular phone connection, and the wires coming into the subscriber's premises are the same (copper) wires used for regular phone service. An ADSL circuit must be configured to connect two specific locations, similar to a leased line.
A commonly discussed configuration of ADSL would allow a subscriber to receive data (download) at speeds of up to 1.544 Megabits per second, and to send (upload) data at speeds of 128 kilobits per second. Thus the 'Asymmetric' part of the acronym.
Another commonly discussed configuration would be symmetrical: 384 kilobits per second in both directions. In theory ADSL allows download speeds of up to 9 megabits per second and upload speeds of up to 640 kilobits per second.
ADSL is often discussed as an alternative to ISDN, allowing higher speeds in cases where the connection is always to the same place.
Anonymous FTP
Anonymous File Transfer Protocol allows the public to log into an FTP server with a common login (usually "ftp" or "anonymous" and any password (usually the person's e-mail address is used as the password). Anonymous FTP is beneficial for the distribution of large files to the public, avoiding the need to assign large numbers of login and password combinations for FTP access.
Applet
A small Java program that can be embedded in an HTML page. Applets differ from full-fledged Java applications in that they are not allowed to access certain resources on the local computer, such as files and serial devices (modems, printers, etc.), and are prohibited from communicating with most other computers across a network. The current rule is that an applet can only make an Internet connection to the computer from which the applet was sent.
Archie
A tool (software) for finding files stored on anonymous FTP sites. You need to know the exact file name or a substring of it.
ARPANet
(Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) -- The precursor to the Internet. Landmark packet-switching network established in 1969 by the US Department of Defense as an experiment in wide-area-networking that would survive a nuclear war.
ASP
An Active Server Page (ASP) is an HTML page that includes scripts that are processed on a Microsoft Windows Web server before they are presented to the user requesting the page. The ASP technology solution for Unix allows webmasters to create .asp scripts in much the same way these scripts are created for the Microsoft Windows environment. ASP files end with the .asp extension. ASP enables you to create interactive Web pages that are customized to your sites visitors. For example, your ASP scripts can take input provided by a visitor, such as a user name, and use that information to access data stored in a relational database and then modify the page specifically for that user.
ASP provides native support for both Microsoft JScript and VBScript. You can also create ASP scripts using Perlscript or ActiveX Data Objects (ADOs) program statements.
These scripts can be written in any language and processed by the server when the file's URL is requested.
ASCII
(American Standard Code for Information Interchange) -- This is the de facto world-wide standard for the code numbers used by computers to represent all the upper and lower-case Latin letters, numbers, punctuation, etc. There are 128 standard ASCII codes each of which can be represented by a 7 digit binary number: 0000000 through 1111111, plus parity.
Backbone
A high-speed line or series of connections that forms a major pathway within a network. The term is relative, as a backbone in a small network will likely be much smaller than many non-backbone lines in a large network.
Backups
All our servers are backed up daily to prevent loss of your information in the event of a catastrophe. Nonetheless, it is highly advisable that you also maintain a copy of any important data and store it on your local computer.
Bandwidth
The difference between the highest and lowest frequencies available for network signals. The term is also used to describe the rated throughput capacity of a given network medium or protocol. In short, bandwidth is a loose term used to describe the throughput capacity (measured in Kilobits or Megabits per second) of a specific circuit.
Baud
Unit of signaling speed equal to the number of discrete signal elements transmitted per second. Baud is synonymous with bits per second (bps). In common usage the baud rate of a modem is how many bits it can send or receive per second. Technically, baud is the number of times per second that the carrier signal shifts value - for example a 1200 bit-per-second modem actually runs at 300 baud, but it moves 4 bits per baud (4 x 300 = 1200 bits per second).
BBS (Bulletin Board System)
A computerized meeting and announcement system that allows people to carry on discussions, upload and download files, and make announcements without the people being connected to the computer at the same time. There are many thousands (millions?) of BBS's around the world, most are very small, running on a single IBM clone PC with 1 or 2 phone lines. Some are very large and the line between a BBS and a system like CompuServe gets crossed at some point, but it is not clearly drawn.
Binhex
(BINary HEXadecimal) -- A method for converting non-text files (non-ASCII) into ASCII. This is needed because Internet e-mail can only handle ASCII.
Bit
(Binary DigIT) -- A single digit number in base-2, in other words, either a 1 or a zero. The smallest unit of computerized data. Bandwidth is usually measured in bits-per-second.
BITNET
(Because It's Time NETwork (or Because It's There NETwork)) -- A network of educational sites separate from the Internet, but e-mail is freely exchanged between BITNET and the Internet. Listservs, the most popular form of e-mail discussion groups, originated on BITNET. BITNET machines are usually mainframes running the VMS operating system, and the network is probably the only international network that is shrinking.
Bps
(Bits-Per-Second) -- A measurement of how fast data is moved from one place to another. A 28.8 modem can move 28,800 bits per second.
Browser
Client software that is used to look at various kinds of Internet resources. Examples include Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Netscape's Navigator.
BTW
(By The Way) -- A shorthand appended to a comment written in an online forum.
Byte
A set of Bits that represent a single character. Usually there are 8 Bits in a Byte, sometimes more, depending on how the measurement is being made. See Also: Bit
Catch All
The catch-all function enables you to accept emails whose intended recipient does not exist in your domain. For example, let's assume you created two POP email accounts (joe@hisdomain.com and support@hisdomain.com) and one email alias (jane@herdomain.com that redirects to support@herdomain.com). If someone sends an email to jack@mydomain.com, an account that currently does not exist, then the email will still be received. However, a substantial disadvantage to the catch-all function is that it catches far more spam than legitimate emails. As such, we are starting to phase out the catch-all feature and will eventually remove it entirely, so we suggest that you do not rely on it.
Certification Authority ("CA")
An issuer of Security Certificates used in SSL connections (i.e. each vendor issues an SSL Certificate to work within their Digital ID Hierarchy, then the SSL Certificate issuer is the Customer's CA thereafter).
CGI Scripts
(Common Gateway Interface) -- A set of rules that describe how a Web Server communicates with another piece of software on the same machine, and how the other piece of software (the 'CGI program') talks to the web server. Any piece of software can be a CGI program if it handles input and output according to the CGI standard.
Usually a CGI program is a small program that takes data from a web server and does something with it, like putting the content of a form into an e-mail message, or turning the data into a database query.
CGI "scripts" are just scripts which use CGI. CGI is often confused with Perl, which is a programming language, while CGI is an interface to the server from a particular program. Perl is an application of CGI, as well as MIVA, Python, PHP3, and other scripting languages.
CGI Script Library
All of Silicon Valley Web Hostings plans support CGI scripts and provide you with your own CGI bin in which you can place your CGI scripts. Silicon Valley Web Hosting makes a few pre-installed CGI scripts available, this directory can be used to set up scripts that you write or locate elsewhere on the web. All of Silicon Valley Web Hostings UNIX Plans include the following scripts:
Counter script
GuestBook script
WWWBoard script
CGIEmail script
FormMail script
CGI Support
CGI scripts and CGI script development are fully supported. Each account has a private cgi-bin directory where customers can place their own CGI scripts. Our UNIX shell server can also be used to develop CGI scripts and web applications. In addition to the private cgi-bin directory Silicon Valley Web Hosting provides a globally accessible cgi-bin directory with the latest popular and publicly available CGI scripts, as well as some custom CGI scripts developed by Silicon Valley Web Hosting to meet some common needs of our clients.
cgi-bin
The most common name of a directory on a web server in which CGI programs are stored. The 'bin' part of 'cgi-bin' is a shorthand version of 'binary', because once upon a time, most programs were referred to as 'binaries'. In real life, most programs found in cgi-bin directories are text files -- scripts that are executed by binaries located elsewhere on the server. While most programs using CGI are stored in this directory, it is not a requirement for using CGI.
Client
A software program that is used to contact and obtain data from a server software program on another computer, often across a great distance. Each client program is designed to work with one or more specific kinds of server programs, and each server requires a specific kind of client. A web browser and an FTP program are specific kinds of clients. See Also: Browser, Server
Co-Location
Network Operations Centers offer the ability for customers to place their webservers and other network equipment in their NOC which are connected via high speed fiber data lines to the backbone of the Internet. Administration is done remotely so that a customer far away can configure and control their network equipment.
Cold Fusion
Cold Fusion is a scripting language for web designers that want wish to do advanced development and/or database interfacing. Cold Fusion supports MS Access, dBASE, FoxPro, and Paradox databases.
Contact Record
In the case of many registries, contact information for technical, billing and administrative purposes are maintained in their database. It is important to keep your contact records updated to ensure that billing and renewal can proceed without problems.
Cookie
The most common meaning of 'Cookie' on the Internet refers to a piece of information sent by a Web Server to a Web Browser that the Browser software is expected to save and to send back to the Server whenever the browser makes additional requests from the Server. Depending on the type of Cookie used, and the Browser's settings, the Browser may accept or not accept the Cookie, and may save the Cookie for either a short time or a long time. Cookies might contain information such as login or registration information, online 'shopping cart' information, user preferences, etc. When a Server receives a request from a Browser that includes a Cookie, the Server is able to use the information stored in the Cookie. For example, the Server might customize what is sent back to the user, or keep a log of particular user's requests. Cookies are usually set to expire after a predetermined amount of time and are usually saved in memory until the Browser software is closed down, at which time they may be saved to disk if their 'expire time' has not been reached. Cookies do not read your hard drive and send your life story to the CIA, but they can be used to gather more information about a user than would be possible without them.
Cron
A CRON script is a list of one or more commands to a computer operating system or application server that are to be executed at a specified time. Each command is executed when its triggering time arrives. In Unix-based operating systems, the crontab command is a user interface command that creates or changes a file (called a crontab file). This file contains a list of UNIX shell commands, each with a specified time of execution. A CRON script is similar.
Curl
Curl is an object-oriented programming language designed to replace HTML, JavaScript, and related tools as a means for creating interactive Web pages. Named after the curly brackets used in formatting the language, Curl is intended to provide users a "gentle slope" for learning, and also provide sophisticated capabilities for advanced developers. Funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Curl was developed by David A. Kranz at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of HTML, playing a major role.
Because source code takes less time to transfer than compiled code, Curl applications are delivered to desktop computer clients as source code. The source code is compiled on the client-side by Surge, a run-time environment distributed as a Web browser plug-in that lets users view Curl content. In order to meet everyone's needs, Curl is designed to interoperate with HTTP and standard server-side CGI scripts, and includes a SOAP implementation to connect to emerging Web services.
Proponents of Curl predict that Curl's potential ability to integrate the different tasks of markup languages like HTML, scripting languages like JavaScript, and object-oriented programming languages like Java will make it a success, especially if the Surge plug-in is picked up by major content distributors, as Macromedia's Flash was.
Critics predict that Curl's business model will not work. Right now, each Surge plug-in "reports" back to Curl Corporation and the developer pays Curl a fee based on the amount of code Surge executes. The "reporting" aspect of Curl is expected to raise privacy concerns for end-users and the pay-per-use billing model is expected to cause problems for developers who must work within a fixed budget.
At this time, Curl will only run on a Windows operating system, although Linux and Macintosh versions of Curl are currently being worked on. Curl's initial primary market is expected to be the corporate intranet.
Dedicated Server
For those customers that want the advantages of colocation without the hassles of purchasing their own server. See colocation.
Digital ID
A collection of electronic data consisting of a Public Key, identifying information about the owner of the Public Key, and validity information, which has been Digitally Signed by a CA. Certified shall refer to the condition of having been issued a valid Digital ID by a CA, which Digital ID has not been revoked.
Digital ID Revocation List ("CRL")
A collection of electronic data containing information concerning revoked Digital IDs.
Digital Signature
Information encrypted with a Private Key which is appended to electronic data to identify the owner of the Private Key and verify the integrity of the electronic data. Digitally Signed shall refer to electronic data to which a Digital Signature has been appended.
Domain
Strictly speaking, in the Internet's domain name system (DNS), a domain is a name with which name server records are associated that describe subdomains or host. For example, "whatis.com" could be a domain with records for "www.whatis.com" and "www1.whatis.com," and so forth.
Domain Name
The unique name that identifies an Internet site. Domain Names always have 2 or more parts, separated by dots. The part on the left is the most specific, and the part on the right is the most general. A given machine may have more than one Domain Name but a given Domain Name points to only one machine. For example, the domain names: communitech.net, ftp.communitech.net, whatever.communitech.net can all refer to the same machine, but each domain name can refer to no more than one machine.
Usually, all of the machines on a given Network will have the same thing as the right-hand portion of their Domain Names in the examples above. It is also possible for a Domain Name to exist but not be connected to an actual machine. This is often done so that a group or business can have an Internet e-mail address without having to establish a real Internet site. In these cases, some real Internet machine must handle the mail on behalf of the listed Domain Name.
DNS (Domain Naming System)
The domain name system (DNS) is the way that Internet domain names are located and translated into Internet Protocol addresses. A domain name is a meaningful and easy-to-remember "handle" for an Internet address. Because maintaining a central list of domain name/IP address correspondences would be impractical, the lists of domain names and IP addresses are distributed throughout the Internet in a hierarchy of authority. There is probably a DNS server within close geographic proximity to your access provider that maps the domain names in your Internet requests or forwards them to other servers in the Internet.
Domain Name Parking
All domain names have to be stored on a server in order to be purchased. Most domain registration services will therefore temporarily place a newly purchased name on their servers until a hosting plan is purchased or the owner points the DNS to a different site. This is known as parking. See: Parking (Domain Name)
eCommerce
Electronic Commerce. Refers to the general exchange of goods and services via the Internet.
Email
(Electronic Mail) -- Messages, usually text, sent from one person to another via computer. E-mail can also be sent automatically to a large number of addresses (Mailing List).
Email Alias
An email alias is a virtual email account. It enables you to use an email address that doesnt really exist and have all the messages sent to that address routed to a real email account. For example, you may want to provide a link on your Web site that enables visitors to send email to the Webmaster, who is really you. You can use the email alias webmaster@abcdomain.com but have the email routed to your real email account.
Silicon Valley Web Hosting enables you to set up an unlimited number of email aliases.
Ethernet
A frame-based computer networking technology for local area networks (LANs).
The name comes from the physical concept of ether. It defines wiring and
signaling for the physical layer, and frame formats and protocols for the
media access control (MAC)/data link layer of the OSI model. Ethernet is
mostly standardized as IEEEs 802.3. It has become the most widespread LAN
technology in use during the 1990s to the present, and has largely replaced
all other LAN standards such as token ring, FDDI, and
ARCNET. Ethernet ports operate at speeds of 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps, or 10
Gbps.
Silicon Valley Web Hosting offers a minimum of 100 Mbps for all hosting
plans and a 1 Gbps port is included with all plans with more than 100 Mbps.
Ethernet Port Speed
Silicon Valley Web Hosting offers 100 mbps port connectivity to for all
Dedicated hosting plans. A 1 Gbps port is included with all plans that have
a bandwidth commit of 100 Mbps or greater. If you require a 1 Gbps port
connection, and have a plan with a commit below 100 Mbps, your server can be
connected directly into a 1 Gbps (Gigabit) port for an additional fee.
FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions) -- FAQs are documents that list and answer the most common questions on a particular subject. There are hundreds of FAQs on subjects as diverse as Pet Grooming and Cryptography. FAQs are usually written by people who have tired of answering the same question over and over.
FDDI
(Fiber Distributed Data Interface) -- A standard for transmitting data on optical fiber cables at a rate of around 100,000,000 bits-per-second (10 times as fast as Ethernet, about twice as fast as T-3). See Also: Bandwidth , Ethernet , T-1 , T-3
Finger
An Internet software tool for locating people on other Internet sites. Finger is also sometimes used to give access to non-personal information, but the most common use is to see if a person has an account at a particular Internet site. Many sites do not allow incoming Finger requests, but many do.
Firewall
A combination of hardware and software that separates a LAN into two or more parts for security purposes. A firewall is a set of related programs, located at a network device, that protects the resources of a private network from users from other networks. (The term also implies the security policy that is used with the programs.) Basically, a firewall, examines each network packet to determine whether to forward it toward its destination. A firewall also includes or works with a proxy server that makes network requests on behalf of workstation users. A firewall is normally a designated device separate from the rest of the network so that no incoming request can get directly at private network resources.
FrontPage Extensions
According to Microsoft's documentation for FrontPage Web Presence Providers, "Installing the FrontPage Server Extensions gives your customers full support for all of the features of FrontPage. This includes remote authoring, threaded discussion groups, full-text search, and surveys."
Silicon Valley Web Hosting supports Microsoft FrontPage in several ways:
We configure your site for FrontPage by installing and maintaining the server extensions.
We provide Technical Support related to the functionality of the extensions.
We point FrontPage users to resources that will help you solve problems, publish
your FrontPage webs and learn techniques for getting the most from your
FrontPage software.
In order for you to use all of the features that come with Microsoft FrontPage, FrontPage Extensions must be installed for your account.
Silicon Valley Web Hosting will install these for you upon request. Silicon Valley Web Hosting DOES NOT provide direct technical support related to the use of your
FrontPage software. User issues are referred to Microsoft's at : http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx
FTP
File Transfer Protocol. A method used to transfer files across the Internet. FTP is typically used to upload and download files between your own computer and the Web server hosting your site. FTP requires a valid user name and password. Silicon Valley Web Hosting provides you unlimited FTP access to your account 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, enabling you to set up, change or maintain your Web site at any time.
Gateway
The technical meaning is a hardware or software set-up that translates between two dissimilar protocols, for example Prodigy has a gateway that translates between its internal, proprietary e-mail format and Internet e-mail format. Another, sloppier meaning of gateway is to describe any mechanism for providing access to another system, e.g. AOL might be called a gateway to the Internet.
GD Library
PHP is not limited to creating just HTML output. It can also be used to create and manipulate image files in a variety of different image formats, including gif, png, jpg, wbmp, and xpm. Even more convenient, PHP can output image streams directly to a browser. You will need to compile PHP with the GD library of image functions for this to work. GD and PHP may also require other libraries, depending on which image formats you want to work with. You can use the image functions in PHP to get the size of JPEG, GIF, PNG, SWF, TIFF and JPEG2000 images.
Note: Read requirements section about how to expand image capabilities to read, write and modify images and to read meta data of pictures taken by digital cameras.
Requirements
If you have the GD library (available at http://www.boutell.com/gd/) you will also be able to create and manipulate images. The format of images you are able to manipulate depend on the version of GD you install, and any other libraries GD might need to access those image formats. Versions of GD older than gd-1.6 support GIF format images, and do not support PNG, where versions greater than gd-1.6 and less than gd-2.0.28 support PNG, not GIF. GIF support was re-enabled in gd-2.0.28.
Note: Since PHP 4.3 there is a bundled version of the GD lib. This bundled version has some additional features like alpha blending, and should be used in preference to the external library since its codebase is better maintained and more stable. You may wish to enhance GD to handle more image formats.
Gigabyte
A gigabyte (GB) is a measure of computer data storage (memory) capacity and is "roughly" a billion bytes.
Gopher
A widely successful method of making menus of material available over the Internet. Gopher is a Client and Server style program, which requires that the user have a Gopher Client program. Although Gopher spread rapidly across the globe in only a couple of years, it has been largely supplanted by Hypertext, also known as WWW (World Wide Web). There are still thousands of Gopher Servers on the Internet and we can expect they will remain for a while.
hit
As used in reference to the World Wide Web, 'hit' means a single request from a web browser for a single item from a web server; thus in order for a web browser to display a page that contains 3 graphics, 4 'hits' would occur at the server: 1 for the HTML page, and one for each of the 3 graphics.
'
hits' are often used as a very rough measure of load on a server, e.g. 'Our server has been getting 300,000 hits per month.' Because each 'hit' can represent anything from a request for a tiny document (or even a request for a missing document) all the way to a request that requires some significant extra processing (such as a complex search request), the actual load on a machine from 1 hit is almost impossible to define.
Home Page (or Homepage)
Several meanings. Originally, the web page that your browser is set to use when it starts up. The more common meaning refers to the main web page for a business, organization, person or simply the main page out of a collection of web pages, e.g. 'Check out so-and-so's new Home Page.'
Another sloppier use of the term refers to practically any web page as a 'homepage,' e.g. 'That web site has 65 homepages and none of them are interesting.'
Host
Any computer on a network that is a repository for services available to other computers on the network. It is quite common to have one host machine provide several services, such as WWW and USENET.
Hosting
This term can be used to refer to the housing of a web site, email or a domain. See Email hosting and Web Site hosting for more details.
Hot Link Protector
A common problem faced by many web masters is the problem of "hot linking". This is the practice of literally stealing bandwidth from another web site. This occurs when somebody embeds images from your web site on their page and force the images to be loaded from your web site (thereby making you responsible to the transfer generated by his web site).
To protect against this problem Silicon Valley Web Hosting has developed a set of filters that, if enabled, will allow your virtual servers to refuse to serve any images not requested by a page within your site. If somebody does try to hot link to images on your web site they will instead receive a "not authorized" message.
HTML
(HyperText Markup Language) -- The coding language used to create Hypertext documents for use on the World Wide Web. HTML looks a lot like old-fashioned typesetting code, where you surround a block of text with codes that indicate how it should appear, additionally; in HTML you can specify that a block of text, or a word, is linked to another file on the Internet. HTML files are meant to be viewed using a World Wide Web Client Program, such as Netscape or Mosaic.
HTTP
(HyperText Transport Protocol) -- The protocol for moving hypertext files across the Internet. Requires a HTTP client program on one end, and an HTTP server program on the other end. HTTP is the most important protocol used in the World Wide Web (WWW).
Hypertext
Generally, any text that contains links to other documents - words or phrases in the document that can be chosen by a reader and which cause another document to be retrieved and displayed.
Image Magick
ImageMagick is a free software suite to create, edit, and compose bitmap images. It can read, convert and write images in a large variety of formats. Images can be cropped, colors can be changed, various effects can be applied, images can be rotated and combined, and text, lines, polygons, ellipses and Bzier curves can be added to images and stretched and rotated. ImageMagick is free software: it is delivered with full source code and can be freely used, copied, modified and distributed. Its license is compatible with the GPL. It runs on all major operating systems. Most of the functionality of ImageMagick can be used interactively from the command line; more often, however, the features are used from programs written in the programming languages C, Ch, C++, Java, Lisp, Pascal, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby, Tcl/Tk, for which ready-made ImageMagick interfaces (MagickCore, MagickWand, PerlMagick, Magick++, PythonMagick, MagickWand for PHP, RMagick, TclMagick, L_Magick, and JMagick) are available. This makes it possible to modify or create images automatically and dynamically.
ImageMagick supports many image formats (over 90) including formats like GIF, JPEG, JPEG-2000, PNG, PDF, PhotoCD, TIFF, and DPX.
Features and Capabilities
Here are just a few examples of what ImageMagick can do:
Convert an image from one format to another (e.g. PNG to JPEG)
Resize, rotate, sharpen, color reduce, or add special effects to an image
Create a montage of image thumbnails
Create a transparent image suitable for use on the Web
Turn a group of images into a GIF animation sequence
Create a composite image by combining several separate image
Draw shapes or text on an image
Decorate an image with a border or frame
Describe the format and characteristics of an image
IMAP Mail Services
The IMAP mail protocol is used essentially the same manner as the POP protocol. The main difference is that IMAP stores the mailbox entirely on the mail server whereas POP stores the mail on the client machine (e.g. A Eudora or Netscape mail box on your hard disk). This feature makes IMAP useful for those who read mail at more than one machine and would like to keep the same mailbox state information with them where ever they go. IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is a standard protocol for accessing e-mail from your local server. IMAP (the latest version is IMAP Version 4) is a client/server protocol in which e-mail is received and held for you by your Internet server. You (or your e-mail client) can view just the heading and the sender of the letter and then decide whether to download the mail. You can also create and manipulate multiple folders or mailboxes on the server, delete messages, or search for certain parts or an entire note. IMAP requires continual access to the server during the time that you are working with your mail. A less sophisticated protocol is Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3). With POP3, your mail is saved for you in a single mailbox on the server. When you read your mail, all of it is immediately downloaded to your computer and, except when previously arranged, no longer maintained on the server. IMAP can be thought of as a remote file server. POP3 can be thought of as a "store-and-forward" service. POP3 and IMAP deal with the receiving of e-mail from your local server and are not to be confused with Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), a protocol used for exchanging e-mail between points on the Internet. Typically, SMTP is used for sending only and POP3 or IMAP are used to read e-mail.
Index Server
Index Server indexes the contents and properties of documents on an Internet or intranet Web site served by IIS 4.0. Index Server enables Web clients with any browser to search a Web site by filling in the fields of an HTML query form.
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/ntserver/nts/exec/overview/changed.asp
Internet
(Upper case I) The vast collection of inter-connected networks that all use the TCP/IP protocols and that evolved from the ARPANET of the late 60's and early 70's. The Internet now (July 1995) connects roughly 60,000 independent networks into a vast global internet.
internet
(Lower case i) Any time you connect 2 or more networks together, you have an internet - as in inter-national or inter-state.
InterNIC
InterNIC (now known as Network Solutions) currently holds an exclusive contract with the U.S. government to assign domain names for .COM, .NET and .ORG. The contract is scheduled to expire September 30, 1998. Network Solutions is the company that runs the InterNIC registry.
Intranet
A private network inside a company or organization that uses the same kinds of software that you would find on the public Internet, but that is only for internal use.
As the Internet has become more popular many of the tools used on the Internet are being used in private networks, for example, many companies have web servers that are available only to employees.
Note that an Intranet may not actually be an internet -- it may simply be a network.
IP Number
(Internet Protocol Number) -- Sometimes called a dotted quad. A unique number consisting of 4 parts separated by dots, e.g.165.113.245.2
Every machine that is on the Internet has a unique IP number - if a machine does not have an IP number, it is not really on the Internet. Most machines also have one or more Domain Names that are easier for people to remember.
IRC
(Internet Relay Chat) -- Basically a huge multi-user live chat facility. There are a number of major IRC servers around the world which are linked to each other. Anyone can create a channel and anything that anyone types in a given channel is seen by all others in the channel. Private channels can (and are) created for multi-person conference calls.
ISDN
(Integrated Services Digital Network) -- Basically a way to move more data over existing regular phone lines. ISDN is rapidly becoming available to much of the USA and in most markets it is priced very comparably to standard analog phone circuits. It can provide speeds of roughly 128,000 bits-per-second over regular phone lines. In practice, most people will be limited to 56,000 or 64,000 bits-per-second.
ISP
(Internet Service Provider) -- An institution that provides access to the Internet in some form, usually for money.
Java
Java is a network-oriented programming language invented by Sun Microsystems that is specifically designed for writing programs that can be safely downloaded to your computer through the Internet and immediately run without fear of viruses or other harm to your computer or files. Using small Java programs (called "Applets"); Web pages can include functions such as animations, calculators, and other fancy tricks.
We can expect to see a huge variety of features added to the Web using Java, since you can write a Java program to do almost anything a regular computer program can do, and then include that Java program in a Web page.
Java Servlets
Java servlets present an extremely attractive alternative to using server-side CGIs. This emerging technology allows you to leverage to full flexibility of the Java language and the persistent nature of the virtual machine.
Unlike most servlet hosting companies, we provide each servlet customer with their own virtual machine. By providing private virtual machines we completely eliminate all of the security concerns that most companies face when they host shared virtual machines. Since each user has his own runner/virtual machine, we can allow you access to your own configuration file -- you are free to make any changes as you see fit.
Included with servlet support are the MM JDBC drivers for use with our MySQL database server. Also preinstalled is the GNUJSP parser to allow the use of Java Server Pages (a formidable replacement to Microsoft's Active Server Pages). Coupled with UNIX shell access, you are provided with a complete servlet hosting environment.
JDK
(Java Development Kit) -- A software development package from Sun Microsystems that implements the basic set of tools needed to write, test and debug Java applications and applets
JSP
Java Server Page (JSP) is a technology for controlling the content or appearance of Web pages through the use of servlets, small programs that are specified in the Web page and run on the Web server to modify the Web page before it is sent to the user who requested it. Sun Microsystems, the developer of Java, also refers to the JSP technology as the Servlet application program interface (API). JSP is comparable to Microsoft's Active Server Page (ASP) technology. Whereas a Java Server Page calls a Java program that is executed by the Web server, an Active Server Page contains a script that is interpreted by a script interpreter (such as VBScript or JScript) before the page is sent to the user. An HTML page that contains a link to a Java servlet is sometimes given the file name suffix of .JSP.
Kilobyte
A thousand bytes. Actually, usually 1024 (210) bytes.
LAN
(Local Area Network) -- A computer network limited to the immediate area, usually the same building or floor of a building.
Leased-line
Refers to a phone line that is rented for exclusive 24-hour, 7 -days-a-week use from your location to another location. The highest speed data connections require a leased line.
Listserv
The most common kind of maillist, Listservs originated on BITNET but they are now common on the Internet.
Local Registry Fees
Most TLDs require initial registration fees as well as annual or bi-annual renewal fees. Prices vary from cost-free to thousands of dollars per domain depending on the TLD chosen. For example, .COM domains cost which covers the first two years. Re newal fees for .COM are annually after the first two years expire.
Login
Noun or a verb. Noun: The account name or user name used to gain access to a computer system. Not a secret (contrast with Password)..
Mail Forwarders
A Mail Forwarder is a virtual email address that automatically forwards any mail sent to it to another email address. All Silicon Valley Web Hosting customers receive up to 100 Mail Forwarders per domain. It's common for businesses to setup mail forwarders for departmental email addresses, such as sales@your_domain.com, info@your_domain.com, support@your_domain.com. This routes mail to your sales team, information services, or your support department, respectively. An online mail controller is provided so that you can manage your own mailboxes and mail forwarders.
Mailing List
(or Maillist) A (usually automated) system that allows people to send e-mail to one address, whereupon their message is copied and sent to all of the other subscribers to the maillist. In this way, people who have many different kinds of e-mail access can participate in discussions together.
Managed DNS
The Domain Name System [DNS] is a distributed database, arranged hierarchically, containing records for domain names.
The DNS system's main aim is to match a domain name to an IP Address. In order to fulfill this role, the DNS Server contains Records [called Resource Records]
in a Zone File, which contains the domain name and IP address mappings for computers contained within that Zone. All Resource Records have a TTL [Time To Live],
specifying the number of seconds other DNS servers and applications are allowed to cache the record.
Silicon Valley Web Hosting gives you complete control over the following Resource Records by using our Managed DNS Service:
Address (A) Records >>
Mail Exchanger (MX) Records >>
Canonical Name (CNAME) Records >>
Name Server (NS) Records >>
Start of Authority (SOA) Parameters >>
Silicon Valley Web Hosting provides you with an interface to manage your own DNS Records and/or the ability to select multiple providers for various Services like Mail Hosting, etc.
Megabyte
A million bytes. A thousand kilobytes.
MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface -- A network and accompanying protocol developed in the 1970's for transmitting various information between musical and other devices including keyboards, samplers, lights, controllers, etc.
MIME
(Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) -- The standard for attaching non-text files to standard Internet mail messages. Non-text files include graphics, spreadsheets, formatted word-processor documents, sound files, etc.
An email program is said to be MIME Compliant if it can both send and receive files using the MIME standard.
When non-text files are sent using the MIME standard they are converted (encoded) into text - although the resulting text is not really readable.
Generally speaking the MIME standard is a way of specifying both the type of file being sent (e.g. a Quicktime video file), and the method that should be used to turn it back into its original form.
Besides email software, the MIME standard is also universally used by Web Servers to identify the files they are sending to Web Clients, in this way new file formats can be accommodated simply by updating the Browsers' list of pairs of MIME-Types and appropriate software for handling each type.
Mirror
Generally speaking, 'to mirror' is to maintain an exact copy of something. Probably the most common use of the term on the Internet refers to 'mirror sites' which are web sites, or FTP sites that maintain exact copies of material originated at another location, usually in order to provide more widespread access to the resource.
Another common use of the term 'mirror' refers to an arrangement where information is written to more than one hard disk simultaneously, so that if one disk fails, the computer keeps on working without losing anything.
Modem
(Modulator, Demodulator) -- A device that you connect to your computer and to a phone line, that allows the computer to talk to other computers through the phone system. Basically, modems do for computers what a telephone does for humans.
Modify (Domain Name)
The database that the TLD registries maintain need to be accurate in order for name resolution, billing, renewal notices and public records to be processed correctly. Typically modifications are required when nameservers need to change or the contacts change email or postal address or phone number. The procedures for modifying records will depend on the registry.
MOO
(Mud, Object Oriented) -- One of several kinds of multi-user role-playing environments, so far only text-based.
Mosaic
The first WWW browser that was available for the Macintosh, Windows, and UNIX all with the same interface. Mosaic really started the popularity of the Web. The source-code to Mosaic has been licensed by several companies and there are several other pieces of software as good or better than Mosaic, most notably, Netscape.
MUD
(Multi-User Dungeon or Dimension) -- A (usually text-based) multi-user simulation environment. Some are purely for fun and flirting, others are used for serious software development, or education purposes and all that lies in between. A significant feature of most MUDs is that users can create things that stay after they leave and which other users can interact with in their absence, thus allowing a world to be built gradually and collectively.
MUSE
(Multi-User Simulated Environment) -- One kind of MUD - usually with little or no violence.
MX Record: Mail Exchange
Mail Exchange record is part of the zone file and is used to designate which mail server machine should process email for a specific domain.
mSQL Database Server and Utilities
mSQL (mini SQL), is a lightweight database engine designed to provide fast access to stored data. We provide the tools to create a searchable database. In most instances, custom programming (commonly Perl) is needed to implement a fully functional web-to-database interface.
MySQL Database
MySQL is a relational database management system (RDBMS) based on SQL (Structured Query Language). First released in January, 1998, MySQL is now one component of parent company MySQL AB's product line of database servers and development tools.
MySQL is an alternative to the proprietary database systems from Oracle, IBM, and Informix. MySQL is currently available under two different licensing agreements: free of charge, under the GNU General Public License (GPL) open source system or through subscription to MySQL Network for business applications. MySQL runs on virtually all platforms, including Linux, Unix, and Windows. It is fully multi-threaded using kernel threads, and provides application program interfaces (APIs) for many programming languages, including C, C++, Eiffel, Java, Perl, PHP, Python, and Tcl. MySQL is used in a wide range of applications, including data warehousing, e-commerce, Web databases, logging applications and distributed applications. It is also increasingly embedded in third-party software and other technologies.
MySQL Database Access
As a courtesy to our customers, Silicon Valley Web Hosting provides access to the MySQL database server at no additional monthly charge. Although this is a feature used mainly by web site and software developers, there are some CGIs that require SQL services to properly function.
NT
Windows NT is Microsoft's 32-bit operating system developed from what was originally intended to be OS/2 3.0 before Microsoft and IBM ceased joint development of OS/2. Used by web hosting companies in the network environment to offer customers support for Microsoft base products such as MS Access, MS SQL 7.0, and FrontPage 2000.
Name Servers
A computer that performs the mapping of easily remembered domain names to IP addresses. Sometimes referred to as a host server.
Netiquette
The etiquette on the Internet. See Also: Internet
Netizen
Derived from the term citizen, referring to a citizen of the Internet, or someone who uses networked resources. The term connotes civic responsibility and participation. See Also: Internet
Netscape
A WWW Browser and the name of a company. The Netscape (tm) browser was originally based on the Mosaic program developed at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA).
Netscape has grown in features rapidly and is widely recognized as the best and most popular web browser. Netscape corporation also produces web server software.
Netscape provided major improvements in speed and interface over other browsers, and has also engendered debate by creating new elements for the HTML language used by Web pages -- but the Netscape extensions to HTML are not universally supported.
The main author of Netscape, Mark Andreessen, was hired away from the NCSA by Jim Clark, and they founded a company called Mosaic Communications and soon changed the name to Netscape Communications Corporation.
Network
Any time you connect 2 or more computers together so that they can share resources, you have a computer network. Connect 2 or more networks together and you have an internet.
Newsgroup
The name for discussion groups on USENET. See Also: USENET
NIC
(Networked Information Center) -- Generally, any office that handles information for a network. The most famous of these on the Internet is Network Solutions, which is where new domain names are registered. Another definition: NIC also refers to Network Interface Card which plugs into a computer and adapts the network interface to the appropriate standard. ISA, PCI, and PCMCIA cards are all examples of NICs.
NNTP
(Network News Transport Protocol) -- The protocol used by client and server software to carry USENET postings back and forth over a TCP/IP network. If you are using any of the more common software such as Netscape, Internet Explorer, etc. to participate in newsgroups then you are benefiting from an NNTP connection.
Node
Any single computer connected to a network.
OC-3
Refers to a circuit that receives and transmits at 155,000,000 bits per second.
Packet Switching
The method used to move data around on the Internet. In packet switching, all the data coming out of a machine is broken up into chunks, each chunk has the address of where it came from and where it is going. This enables chunks of data from many different sources to co-mingle on the same lines, and be sorted and directed to different routes by special machines along the way. This allows many people to use the same lines at the same time.
Parking (Domain Name)
Registries require the use of name servers or hosts for every domain registered. Parking is the process by which someone selects a domain name, and "parks" it by registering the domain name under someone's name servers. Parking can be done by anyone, to anyone else who has active name servers. However, parking a domain name alone will result in no service (webhosting, e-mail) for that particular domain name. See: Domain Name Parking.
Password
A code used to gain access to a locked system. Good passwords contain letters and non-letters and are not simple combinations such as virtue7. A good password might be: Hot-6
Password Protected Directories
All of Silicon Valley Web Hosting's Plans include access to a password protection feature. Use .htaccess files to control access, allowing you to specify userid and password access to particular directories. When users attempt to access those folders (or any documents within them) on the Web, they will be prompted to login in order to view the contents.
Password Protector
A common problem for people running pay-for-access sites is that of password posting. Password posting is where your web site members post their username and password to a "free passwords" web site to allow others to gain access to the pay-for-access material on your web site without actually signing up for service. This can be a very costly problem since literally thousands of people could be using your web site without paying you anything.
To protect against this problem Silicon Valley Web Hosting has developed several monitoring programs. When enabled your user activity is monitored throughout the day and if there is any account which is used by an excess number of IP subnets (indicating a hacked account) you are sent a warning email. The Protector also has an option to automatically delete those user accounts.
Additionally, the Protector monitors your account for brute-force hack attempts. If found the Protector will send you a warning email and it will optionally block all further access attempts from the offending IP address(es).
Perl
An interpretive programming language designed for processing text. Perl is one of the most popular languages for creating CGI scripts. Hostway's plans support Perl as well as other scripting languages including Python, GCC, C++ and TCL.
Personal CGI Directory
Our customers have access to a personal cgi-local directory which is reserved for custom CGI scripts. CGI scripts are often used to accomplish tasks which are not supported by basic HTML such as a "hit" counter or a guest book.
PHP
SVWH Web hosting plans support various scripting languages such as PHP 3 and 4, perl, and python. Additionally, support for mod_perl allows programmers to write modules for Apache web server in perl. Webmasters/programmers find these tools convenient and often vital for the site building process. PHP, also known as PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor, is an open-source scripting language and interpreter. It is used primarily on UNIX Web servers to create interactive and customized Web pages and is an alternative to Microsoft Active Server Page (ASP) technology. When PHP script is embedded within a Web page, the Web server calls PHP to interpret and perform the operations specified in the PHP script. Web pages with embedded PHP script can use the file extensions .php, .php3 or .phtml (if you have added this mime-type). For simplicity, this FAQ uses ".php" to refer to all PHP-based Web pages. Each PHP-enabled domain has its own separate PHP environment that you can control. At Silicon Valley Web Hosting, PHP is run as a CGI binary. You may be familiar with PHP as an Apache module. Silicon Valley Web Hosting does not run PHP as an Apache module on our shared servers. Silicon Valley Web Hosting supports "mod_php" only on dedicated, unmanaged Linux servers.
Plug-in
A (usually small) piece of software that adds features to a larger piece of software. Common examples are plug-ins for the Netscape browser and web server. Adobe Photoshop also uses plug-ins. The idea behind plug-in's is that a small piece of software is loaded into memory by the larger program, adding a new feature, and that users need only install the few plug-ins that they need, out of a much larger pool of possibilities. Plug-ins are usually developed by a third party.
POP
(Point of Presence, also Post Office Protocol) -- Two commonly used meanings: Point of Presence and Post Office Protocol. A Point of Presence usually means a city or location where a network can be connected to, often with dial up phone lines. So if an Internet company says they will soon have a POP in Belgrade, it means that they will soon have a local phone number in Belgrade and/or a place where leased lines can connect to their network. A second meaning, Post Office Protocol refers to the way e-mail software such as Eudora gets mail from a mail server. When you obtain a SLIP, PPP, or shell account you almost always get a POP account with it, and it is this POP account that you tell your e-mail software to use to get your mail.
POP3
A POP3 email account gives you access to your email through means via the internet. Your current ISP also supplies you with one and sometimes several POP accounts depending upon the company. Mail can be retrieved by using either the POP3 or IMAP protocols. In the preferences of your mail reader there will be a section for your "username", the "POP Server" (sometimes called the "incoming mail server"), and the "SMTP Server (sometimes called the "outgoing mail server"). If you are not getting your actual Internet access from Silicon Valley Web Hosting (ie. we're not providing you with broadband access to your home or office) then you cannot use our server to send mail. Instead you must use the "SMTP" server of your ISP.
POPmail Accounts
POPmail accounts allow you to have a custom mailbox where you can receive mail. It's common for our dedicated connection customers to have a popmail account for each member of their organization (employees, volunteers, partners, etc). All Silicon Valley Web Hosting customers are entitled up to 10 POPmail accounts at no additional cost. An online mail controller is provided so that you can easily administer your own POP mailboxes and mail forwarders. In addition to POP mail services we offer IMAP mail services. See the description of IMAP Mail Services for more information.
Port
A place where information goes into or out of a computer, or both; such as the serial port on a personal computer where a modem would be connected.
On the Internet port often refers to a number that is part of a URL, appearing after a colon (:) right after the domain name. Every service on an Internet server listens on a particular port number on that server. Most services have standard port numbers, e.g. Web servers normally listen on port 80. Services can also listen on non-standard ports, in which case the port number must be specified in a URL when accessing the server.
Port also refers to translating a piece of software to bring it from one type of computer system to another, e.g. to translate a Windows program so that is will run on a Macintosh.
Posting
A single message entered into a network communications system. E.g. A single message posted to a newsgroup or message board. See Also: Newsgroup
PPP
(Point to Point Protocol) -- Most well known as a protocol that allows a computer to use a regular telephone line and a modem to make TCP/IP connections and thus be really and truly on the Internet.
Private Key
A mathematical key which is kept private to the owner and which is used to create Digital Signatures or to decrypt electronic data.
Propagation
The process whereby the nameservers throughout the world update their records for a specific domain. For example, if you move your domain from one host to another, it will take around 24 hours or so for the new address to broadcast everywhere. During that 24 hour period, the traffic is decreasing at the old location and increasing at the new location.
PSTN
(Public Switched Telephone Network) -- The regular old-fashioned telephone system.
Public Key
A mathematical key which is available publicly and which is used to verify Digital Signatures created with the matched Private Key and to encrypt electronic data which can only be decrypted using the matched Private Key.
Python
An interpreted, interactive, object-oriented programming language. Silicon Valley Web Hosting's UNIX plans support a number of scripting languages including Perl 5.x, C++, GCC and TCL.
Raw Log Files
Files that contain detailed information about your site's activity in raw Web server format. By analyzing the log file, you can gain valuable insights that will enable you to better market your site.
Every Silicon Valley Web Hosting hosting plan comes with a Web-based log analyzer that provides a comprehensive analysis of your raw log file.
Real Audio / Real Video
Real Audio/Real Video enables users of personal computers and other consumer electronic devices to send and receive audio, video and other multimedia services using the Web.
enable users of personal computers and other consumer electronic devices to send and receive audio, video and other multimedia services using the Web.
Register (Domain Name)
Since every domain is unique, registries have been set up to assign domains to individuals and organizations. When a domain is registered with the appropriate registry, that domain is assigned and becomes no longer available for anyone else to use. Typically, there are registration and renewal fees (local registry fees) associated with the right to use a domain. However, there are some TLDs that are provided at no charge.
Registrant (Domain Name)
The entity, organization, or individual that will be using the domain name.
Registrar (Domain Name)
Some registries don't provide the ability for end users to register domains with them directly. They might require end users to purchase the domain through an internet provider that is acting as the registrar.
Registry (Domain Name)
An organization responsible for assigning domain names for the TLD that they manage. Furthermore, it is their responsibility to update the global DNS tables that all nameservers use to resolve domain names. For example, InterNIC is the registry for .COM, .NET and .ORG domain names.
Remote Reboot
A service that allows you to power cycle a server remotely 24hrs a day, 365 days a year, as long as you are connected to the Internet. Remote power cycling can be necessary if your computer locks up due to a software failure, or a script or process takes over the computer making it inaccessible.
Renewal (Domain Name)
Most TLDs need to be renewed at some scheduled yearly interval. This is an opportunity for both the registrant and the registry to update their records as well as collect any applicable renewal fees.
Resolution (domain Name)
The conversion of an internet address or domain name into the corresponding physical location.
Restore / Self Backup
Restore is a process that involves copying backup files from secondary storage (tape, Zip disk or hard disk) to hard disk. A restore is performed in order to return data to its original condition if files have become damaged or to copy or move data to a new location. In a data context.
Self Backup is the activity of managing the automated copying of files or databases to a secondary media so that they will be preserved in case of equipment failure or other catastrophe.
RFC
(Request For Comments) -- The name of the result and the process for creating a standard on the Internet. New standards are proposed and published on line, as a Request For Comments. The Internet Engineering Task Force is a consensus-building body that facilitates discussion, and eventually a new standard is established, but the reference number/name for the standard retains the acronym RFC, e.g. the official standard for e-mail is RFC 822.
Root Access
What does root access mean? Root, or getting root, is receiving the privilege to access all of the places on a computer. For example, if there are three web sites on a server and one web site breaks the other two will not be affected. Each web site is in its own part of the server and can affect only itself. However, there has to be a master account or way into each area or site. If you dont have a master method to access all sites at once it would be a tremendous amount of effort if something needed to be fixed or updated on every site on the server. The method or access to all of the parts of the server is root access. When someone has root access they can affect everything on the entire server or change everything on the entire server. There are no restrictions with root access. If an error is made in root access it could "wipe out the entire server."
Router
A special-purpose computer (or software package) that handles the connection between 2 or more networks. Routers spend all their time looking at the destination addresses of the packets passing through them and deciding which route to send them on.
Security Certificate
A chunk of information (often stored as a text file) that is used by the SSL protocol to establish a secure connection. Security Certificates contain information about who it belongs to, who it was issued by, a unique serial number or other unique identification, valid dates, and an encrypted 'fingerprint' that can be used to verify the contents of the certificate. In order for an SSL connection to be created both sides must have a valid Security Certificate.
Self Backup
Self Backup is the activity of managing the automated copying of files or databases to a secondary media so that they will be preserved in case of equipment failure or other catastrophe.
Server
A computer, or a software package, that provides a specific kind of service to client software running on other computers. The term can refer to a particular piece of software, such as a WWW server, or to the machine on which the software is running, e.g.Our mail server is down today, that's why e-mail isn't getting out. A single server machine could have several different server software packages running on it, thus providing many different servers to clients on the network.
Server Monitoring
Silicon Valley Web Hosting provides server monitoring for all customers that includes
Shockwave
Shockwave, produced by Macromedia, allows you to view new forms of entertainment on the Web, such as games, music, rich-media chat, interactive product demos, and e-merchandising applications
SLIP
(Serial Line Internet Protocol) -- A standard for using a regular telephone line (a serial line) and a modem to connect a computer as a real Internet site. SLIP is gradually being replaced by PPP.
SMDS
(Switched Multimegabit Data Service) -- A new standard for very high-speed data transfer.
SMTP
Almost all Internet email is sent and received by clients and servers using SMTP, thus if one wanted to set up an email server on the Internet one would look for email server software that supports SMTP. SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. A protocol for sending email messages across the Internet. It is used in conjunction with both POP3 and IMAP, protocols that enable you to download messages from a mail server to your computer. SMTP is used for outgoing mail while POP3 and IMAP are used for incoming mail.
SNMP
(Simple Network Management Protocol) -- A set of standards for communication with devices connected to a TCP/IP network. Examples of these devices include routers, hubs, and switches.
A device is said to be 'SNMP compatible' if it can be monitored and/or controlled using SNMP messages. SNMP messages are known as 'PDU's' - Protocol Data Units.
Devices that are SNMP compatible contain SNMP 'agent' software to receive, send, and act upon SNMP messages.
Software for managing devices via SNMP are available for every kind of commonly used computer and are often bundled along with the device they are designed to manage. Some SNMP software is designed to handle a wide variety of devices.
Spam (or Spamming)
An inappropriate attempt to use a mailing list, or USENET or other networked communications facility as if it was a broadcast medium (which it is not) by sending the same message to a large number of people who didn't ask for it. The term probably comes from a famous Monty Python skit which featured the word spam repeated over and over. The term may also have come from someone's low opinion of the food product with the same name, which is generally perceived as a generic content-free waste of resources. (Spam is a registered trademark of Hormel Corporation, for its processed meat product.)
E.g. Mary spammed 50 USENET groups by posting the same message to each.
SQL
(Structured Query Language) -- A specialized programming language for sending queries to databases. Most industrial-strength and many smaller database applications can be addressed using SQL. Each specific application will have its own version of SQL implementing features unique to that application, but all SQL-capable databases support a common subset of SQL.
SSH / Telnet
Secure Shell (SSH), sometimes known as Secure Socket Shell, is a Unix-based command interface and protocol for securely getting access to a remote computer. It is widely used by network administrators to control Web and other kinds of servers remotely. SSH is actually a suite of three utilities - slogin, ssh, and scp - that are secure versions of the earlier UNIX utilities, rlogin, rsh, and rcp. SSH commands are encrypted and secure in several ways. Both ends of the client/server connection are authenticated using a digital certificate, and passwords are protected by being encrypted. SSH uses RSA public key cryptography for both connection and authentication. Encryption algorithms include Blowfish, DES, and IDEA. IDEA is the default.
Telnet is the way you can access someone else's computer, assuming they have given you permission. (Such a computer is frequently called a host computer.) More technically, Telnet is a user command and an underlying TCP/IP protocol for accessing remote computers. On the Web, HTTP and FTP protocols allow you to request specific files from remote computers, but not to actually be logged on as a user of that computer. With Telnet, you log on as a regular user with whatever privileges you may have been granted to the specific application and data on that computer. A Telnet command request looks like this (the computer name is made-up): telnet the.libraryat.whatis.edu
The result of this request would be an invitation to log on with a userid and a prompt for a password. If accepted, you would be logged on like any user who used this computer every day. Telnet is most likely to be used by program developers and anyone who has a need to use specific applications or data located at a particular host computer.
SSI
Server Side Include (SSI) commands are executed by the server as it parses your HTML file. Server side includes can be used to include the value of various server environment variables within your HTML such as the local date and time. One might use a server side include to add a signature file to an HTML file or company logo.
HTML files containing SSI must be named with an shtml extension. SSI commands are easy to add to your HTML, but you must follow the syntax exactly:
Be sure to leave a space after the ending quotation mark (") of the argument variable.
SSL
The Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a commonly-used protocol for managing the security of a message transmission on the Internet. SSL has recently been succeeded by Transport Layer Security (TLS), which is based on SSL. SSL uses a program layer located between the Internet's Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and Transport Control Protocol (TCP) layers. SSL is included as part of both the Microsoft and Netscape browsers and most Web server products. Developed by Netscape, SSL also gained the support of Microsoft and other Internet client/server developers as well and became the de facto standard until evolving into Transport Layer Security. The "sockets" part of the term refers to the sockets method of passing data back and forth between a client and a server program in a network or between program layers in the same computer. SSL uses the public-and-private key encryption system from RSA, which also includes the use of a digital certificate. TLS and SSL are an integral part of most Web browsers (clients) and Web servers. If a Web site is on a server that supports SSL, SSL can be enabled and specific Web pages can be identified as requiring SSL access. Any Web server can be enabled by using Netscape's SSLRef program library which can be downloaded for noncommercial use or licensed for commercial use. TLS and SSL are not interoperable. However, a message sent with TLS can be handled by a client that handles SSL but not TLS.
SSL Secure Server
Operating a secure server (SSL) allows you to conduct e-commerce or other sensitive exchanges of data with your visitors in a way that will hopefully make them feel more comfortable doing business with you.
SSL provides two basic ingredients of security:
Safe Passage of Information: Your data cannot be decoded by any party that
might intercept the communications.
Server Authentication: If your server is granted a certificate by a CA (Certificate
Authority), your customer's can protect themselves from being directed to
another server that is pretending to be yours by checking the contents of the
certificate.
Streaming Video
Streaming video is a sequence of "moving images" that are sent in compressed form over the Internet and displayed by the viewer as they arrive. Streaming media is streaming video with sound. With streaming video or streaming media, a Web user does not have to wait to download a large file before seeing the video or hearing the sound. Instead, the media is sent in a continuous stream and is played as it arrives. The user needs a player, which is a special program that uncompresses and sends video data to the display and audio data to speakers. A player can be either an integral part of a browser or downloaded from the software maker's Web site.
Major streaming video and streaming media technologies include RealSystem G2 from RealNetwork, Microsoft Windows Media Technologies (including its NetShow Services and Theater Server), and VDO. Microsoft's approach uses the standard MPEG compression algorithm for video. The other approaches use proprietary algorithms. (The program that does the compression and decompression is sometimes called the codec.) Microsoft's technology offers streaming audio at up to 96 Kbps and streaming video at up to 8 Mbps (for the NetShow Theater Server). However, for most Web users, the streaming video will be limited to the data rates of the connection (for example, up to 128 Kbps with an ISDN connection). Microsoft's streaming media files are in its Advanced Streaming Format (ASF).
Streaming video is usually sent from prerecorded video files, but can be distributed as part of a live broadcast "feed." In a live broadcast, the video signal is converted into a compressed digital signal and transmitted from a special Web server that is able to do multicast, sending the same file to multiple users at the same time.
Subdomain
Also known as a third-level domain. Domain names are composed of at least two levels, a top-level domain and a second-level domain. The top-level domain is the suffix or extension attached to Internet domain names (for example, .com, .net and .org).
A second-level domain (SLD) is the portion of the URL that identifies the owner associated with an IP address. For example, "svwh.net" is a second-level domain, as it includes the domain name "svwh" and the top-level domain "net." If you need to further distinguish your second-level domain name, you can use a third-level domain name, or subdomain, such as "help.svwh.net." Typically a third-level domain name is used to refer to different servers within different departments of a company or to a subdirectory on the same server. Silicon Valley Web Hosting's plans enable you to set up subdomains that point to domain aliases, other Web sites or subdirectories of your main Web folder.
Subservers
Subservers allow you to arbitrarily create vanity servers underneath your domain. For instance, you may create a subserver called "support.your_domain.com". When somebody follows a link to "http://support.your_domain.com" they are shown the support section of your web site. Subservers make it extremely easy to modularize and divide your site. When you set up your account you must request that subservers be enabled. By default subservers are not enabled.
Sysop
(System Operator) -- Anyone responsible for the physical operations of a computer system or network resource. A System Administrator decides how often backups and maintenance should be performed and the System Operator performs those tasks.
T-1
A leased-line connection capable of carrying data at 1,544,000 bits-per-second. At maximum theoretical capacity, a T-1 line could move a megabyte in less than 10 seconds. That is still not fast enough for full-screen, full-motion video, for which you need at least 10,000,000 bits-per-second. T-1 is the fastest speed commonly used to connect networks to the Internet.
T-3
A leased-line connection capable of carrying data at 44,736,000 bits-per-second. This is more than enough to do full-screen, full-motion video.
TCP/IP
(Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) -- This is the suite of protocols that defines the Internet. Originally designed for the UNIX operating system, TCP/IP software is now available for every major kind of computer operating system. To be truly on the Internet, your computer must have TCP/IP software.
Telnet
The command and program used to login from one Internet site to another. The telnet command/program gets you to the login: prompt of another host. See : SSH / Telnet
Terabyte
1024 gigabytes.
Terminal
A device that allows you to send commands to a computer somewhere else. At a minimum, this usually means a keyboard and a display screen and some simple circuitry. Usually you will use terminal software in a personal computer - the software pretends to be (emulates) a physical terminal and allows you to type commands to a computer somewhere else.
Terminal Server
A special purpose computer that has places to plug in many modems on one side, and a connection to a LAN or host machine on the other side. Thus the terminal server does the work of answering the calls and passes the connections on to the appropriate node. Most terminal servers can provide PPP or SLIP services if connected to the Internet.
Top Level Domain: (TLD)
A Top Level Domain (TLD) is the uppermost in the hierarchy of domain names. For example, communitech.net is our domain name. The "net" is considered the TLD and the "communitech.net" is considered the second level domain. Together they form a domain name which is unique. There are two types of TLDs. The most common type is the Generic or Global TLDs which include .COM, .NET, .ORG, .MIL, .INT and .EDU. There is a possibility that new gTLDs will be introduced in the near future. National or ccTLDs are two letter country code domains that are managed by a registry designated and controlled by each specific country. Each registry might have differing prices, residency requirements and structure.
Trademark
As it relates to domain names... a word, phrase or slogan used to identify and distinguish the source of the goods or services. Trademark law may be different worldwide. Expensive international litigation is one reason why it is important to protect your trademarks before someone else registers the names.
Transfer (Domain Name)
On occasion, domains are sold to another organization or sometimes the name of a company might change. Most registries require a letter of permission from the old owner to hand over control to the new owner. The procedures for Transfer of ownership will depend on the registry.
TTFN
(Ta Ta For Now) -- A shorthand appended to a comment written in an online forum. See Also: IMHO , BTW
UNIX
A computer operating system (the basic software running on a computer, underneath things like word processors and spreadsheets). UNIX is designed to be used by many people at the same time (it is multi-user) and has TCP/IP built-in. It is the most common operating system for servers on the Internet.
UNIX Shell
UNIX shell access allows you to easily develop and install your own CGI programs. We have various development packages installed including a C compiler and Perl interpreter. The UNIX shell is accessible via either telnet or SSH (secure shell).
URL
(Uniform Resource Locator) -- The standard way to give the address of any resource on the Internet that is part of the World Wide Web (WWW). A URL looks like this: http://www.communitech.net/glossary/ or telnet://anywhere.you.want or news:new.newusers.questions etc.
The most common way to use a URL is to enter into a WWW browser program, such as Netscape, or Lynx.
USENET
A world-wide system of discussion groups, with comments passed among hundreds of thousands of machines. Not all USENET machines are on the Internet, maybe half. USENET is completely decentralized, with over 10,000 discussion areas, called newsgroups. See Also: Newsgroup
UUENCODE
(Unix to Unix Encoding) -- A method for converting files from Binary to ASCII (text) so that they can be sent across the Internet via e-mail.
Veronica
(Very Easy Rodent Oriented Net-wide Index to Computerized Archives) -- Developed at the University of Nevada, Veronica is a constantly updated database of the names of almost every menu item on thousands of gopher servers. The Veronica database can be searched from most major gopher menus. See Also: Gopher
VB Script
The Microsoft Visual Basic programming language, is a fast, portable, lightweight interpreter for use in World Wide Web
browsers and other applications that use Microsoft ActiveX Controls, Automation servers, and Java applets Source: http://msdn.microsoft.com/scripting/default.htm
Virtual Domain Name
Each Silicon Valley Web Hosting account has the ability to use custom domain names (mydomain.com). Silicon Valley Web Hosting provides name service and registration services for custom U.S. domain names.
Virtual FTP Server
Each virtual domain is allotted a virtual FTP server where you can have your own authenticated virtual users. An online management tool is provided that will allow you to create, delete, or modify your existing virtual FTP user. With the virtual FTP server you gain the ability to grant access to specific portions of your web site.
As an example, let's suppose you manage a web site that deals with movie reviews. Further, let's suppose that you have three people working for you; one is assigned to work on the "westerns" section, one is assigned to work on the "action" section, and the third is assigned to work on the "comedy" section. You can create three virtual FTP users and restrict one user to the westerns section, one to the action section, and the third to the comedy section. Each person will then have the ability to update his or her own section but will be restricted from accessing any other sections of the web site.
WAIS
(Wide Area Information Servers) -- A commercial software package that allows the indexing of huge quantities of information, and then making those indices searchable across networks such as the Internet. A prominent feature of WAIS is that the search results are ranked (scored) according to how relevant the hits are, and that subsequent searches can find more stuff like that last batch and thus refine the search process.
WAN
(Wide Area Network) -- Any internet or network that covers an area larger than a single building or campus.
Web
See: WWW
Web based File Manager
Web based file management system that will allow you to create an online document repository. You will be able create user accounts to give others access, set document permission levels, and email documents right from the system.
Web Mail
The Web Mail feature allows site administrators to check and send email from their domain name through a convenient web interface. To visit and use the web mail feature, simply visit webmail.yourdomain.com and log in with your email user id and password.
Web Statistics
- Our web stats allow users to analyze some overall statistics which show:
- Number of requests (the total number of files downloaded, including graphics)
- Number of requests for pages (just counting the various pages on your site)
- Number of distinct hosts (the number of different computers requests have come from)
- Amount of data transferred in bytes.
These reports tell you the total number of requests in each day or hour of the week, or in each period of the day, summed over all the weeks or days in the report. (It's not the average, nor is it the figures for just the last week or last day).
- Host Report lists all computers which downloaded files from you.
- Domain Report lists which countries those computers came from.
- Organization Report attempts to list the organizations
(companies, institutions, ISPs etc.) which the computer was registered under.
- Host Redirection Report and Host Failure Report list all computers which encountered redirections or errors.
- Request Report (the example above) lists which files were downloaded.
- Directory Report lists which directories those files came from.
- File Type Report lists the file types (actually, extensions) of those files.
- File Size Report breaks them down by size.
- Processing Time Report shows the time taken to serve each file.
- Redirection Report lists the filenames which resulted in redirections: mainly directories without the final slash, and "click-thrus.
- Failure Report lists the filenames which caused errors.
- Referrer Report lists which pages linked to your files (and also pages which included your images).
- Referring Site Report lists the servers those referrers were on.
- Redirected Referrer Report lists the referrers which led to redirections.
- Failed Referrer Report is essentially a broken link report.
- Browser Report lists the detailed versions of browsers used, and the Browser Summary collects them by vendor. You should be aware that browsers can lie about what sort of browser they are.
- Virtual Host Report lists the activity of your various virtual domains.
- Virtual Host Redirection Report and Virtual Host Failure Report give the number of redirections and errors on each of those domains.
- User Report lists your visitors if your server requires authentication; or perhaps the visitors' cookies or session ids.
- User Redirection Report and User Failure Report list the users who encountered redirections or errors.
- Status Code Report lists the number of each HTTP status code that you had.
Whois
Most registries maintain a database of domain names and their associated contact information. Users can query these databases through a program called Whois.
WWW
(World Wide Web) -- Two meanings - First, loosely used: the whole constellation of resources that can be accessed using Gopher, FTP, HTTP, telnet, USENET, WAIS and some other tools. Second, the universe of hypertext servers (HTTP servers) which are the servers that allow text, graphics, sound files, etc. to be mixed together.
Zone file
The group of files that reside on the domain host or nameserver. The zone file designates a domain, its subdomains and mail server.
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