Hosting your own Web site
Hosting your web site on your own server is always an option. Here are some points to consider:
Hardware Expenses
To run a "real" web site, you will have to buy some powerful server hardware. Don't expect that a low cost PC will do the job. You will also need a permanent (24 hours a day ) high-speed connection.
Software Expenses
Remember that server-licenses often are higher than client-licenses. Also note that server-licenses might have limits on number of users.
Labor Expenses
Don't expect low labor expenses. You have to install your own hardware and software. You also have to deal with bugs and viruses, and keep your server constantly running in an environment where "everything could happen".
Monday, November 16, 2009
Web Hosting Providers
Using an Internet Service Provider
Renting a server from an Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a common option.
Most small companies store their web site on a server provided by an ISP. Here are some advantages:
Connection Speed
Most ISPs have very fast connections to the Internet.
Powerful Hardware
ISPs often have powerful web servers that can be shared by several companies. You can also expect them to have an effective load balancing, and necessary backup servers.
Security and Stability
ISPs are specialists on web hosting. Expect their servers to have more than 99% up time, the latest software patches, and the best virus protection.
Things to Consider with an ISP
24-hour support
Make sure your ISP offers 24-hours support. Don't put yourself in a situation where you cannot fix critical problems without having to wait until the next working day. Toll-free phone could be vital if you don't want to pay for long distance calls.
Daily Backup
Make sure your ISP runs a daily backup routine, otherwise you may lose some valuable data.
Traffic Volume
Study the ISP's traffic volume restrictions. Make sure that you don't have to pay a fortune for unexpected high traffic if your web site becomes popular.
Bandwidth or Content Restrictions
Study the ISP's bandwidth and content restrictions. If you plan to publish pictures or broadcast video or sound, make sure that you can.
E-mail Capabilities
Make sure your ISP supports the e-mail capabilities you need.
Front Page Extensions
If you use FrontPage to develop your web site, make sure your ISP supports FrontPage server extensions.
Database Access
If you plan to use data from databases on your web site, make sure your ISP supports the
Renting a server from an Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a common option.
Most small companies store their web site on a server provided by an ISP. Here are some advantages:
Connection Speed
Most ISPs have very fast connections to the Internet.
Powerful Hardware
ISPs often have powerful web servers that can be shared by several companies. You can also expect them to have an effective load balancing, and necessary backup servers.
Security and Stability
ISPs are specialists on web hosting. Expect their servers to have more than 99% up time, the latest software patches, and the best virus protection.
Things to Consider with an ISP
24-hour support
Make sure your ISP offers 24-hours support. Don't put yourself in a situation where you cannot fix critical problems without having to wait until the next working day. Toll-free phone could be vital if you don't want to pay for long distance calls.
Daily Backup
Make sure your ISP runs a daily backup routine, otherwise you may lose some valuable data.
Traffic Volume
Study the ISP's traffic volume restrictions. Make sure that you don't have to pay a fortune for unexpected high traffic if your web site becomes popular.
Bandwidth or Content Restrictions
Study the ISP's bandwidth and content restrictions. If you plan to publish pictures or broadcast video or sound, make sure that you can.
E-mail Capabilities
Make sure your ISP supports the e-mail capabilities you need.
Front Page Extensions
If you use FrontPage to develop your web site, make sure your ISP supports FrontPage server extensions.
Database Access
If you plan to use data from databases on your web site, make sure your ISP supports the
What is a Web Server?
The collection of all your web pages is called your web site.
To let others view your web pages, you must publish your web site.
To publish your work, you must copy your site to a web server.
Your own PC can act as a web server if it is connected to a network.
Most common is to use an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
What is an Internet Service Provider?
ISP stands for Internet Service Provider.
An ISP provides Internet Services.
A common Internet service is web hosting.
Web hosting means storing your web site on a public server.
Web hosting normally includes email services.
Web hosting often includes domain name registration.
To let others view your web pages, you must publish your web site.
To publish your work, you must copy your site to a web server.
Your own PC can act as a web server if it is connected to a network.
Most common is to use an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
What is an Internet Service Provider?
ISP stands for Internet Service Provider.
An ISP provides Internet Services.
A common Internet service is web hosting.
Web hosting means storing your web site on a public server.
Web hosting normally includes email services.
Web hosting often includes domain name registration.
how create a web
Getting Started
There are basically two ways to make a web page. The first way is to create the page(s) offline and then upload them to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) via FTP. The second way is to create your web page(s) online using a Telnet program by accessing your UNIX account, if you have one.
If you are creating your web page(s) offline, do so in any text editing or word processing document. Make sure that when you save your document, you save it as a "text", "plain text" or "text only" document. Otherwise it will not be read properly by a web browser. Once you have created your page(s), you will need to contact your ISP about how to go about uploading them to your server.
There are basically two ways to make a web page. The first way is to create the page(s) offline and then upload them to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) via FTP. The second way is to create your web page(s) online using a Telnet program by accessing your UNIX account, if you have one.
If you are creating your web page(s) offline, do so in any text editing or word processing document. Make sure that when you save your document, you save it as a "text", "plain text" or "text only" document. Otherwise it will not be read properly by a web browser. Once you have created your page(s), you will need to contact your ISP about how to go about uploading them to your server.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Testing For PHP and MySQL
There is a simple test for both PHP and MySQL. Open a text editor and type in the following:and save it as phpinfo.phpNow upload this to your webspace and go to it in your browser. If you have PHP installed you will see a huge page with all the details of your PHP installation on it. Next, scroll down through all this information. If you find a section about MySQL then you will know that MySQL is installed.
What Do I Need?
You only really need three things to run PHP scripts which access MySQL databases. Firstly, you will, of course, need a webserver. This can either be on a computer of your own or on a web host. Any web server software should work with PHP and MySQL but the best to use is Apache, which is free.PHP also needs to be installed on the server. If it is not already installed you can install it (or ask your web host to install it). It can be downloaded from PHP.net and is also free. If you are not sure if you have PHP installed I will show you a way to check it later.Finally, you will also require MySQL. This is the actual database software. You can also use most other types of database (SQL, Oracle etc.) but as this is a PHP/MySQL tutorial I will deal just now with the MySQL database (although the commands used here will also work with SQL databases). As with the other software you need, MySQL is free and can be downloaded from the MySQL homepage. If you are not sure if you have MySQL installed, I will show you how to check later.If you cannot install (or your web host won't allow) PHP and MySQL you can still use another web host. Freedom2Surf are a free (banner supported) web host and support PHP and have MySQL installed. HostRocket are an excellent web host and can offer you 300MB of space with PHP, MySQL and loads of other extras for under $10 a month.
Why Would I Want A Database?
It is actually surprising how useful a database can be when used with a website. There are a huge variety of things you can do when you interact the two, from displaying simple lists to running a complete website from a database. Some examples of PHP and MySQL being used together are:
Banner Rotation. On this site, where each banner is, a PHP script is called. This opens a database and picks a random banner from it to show the visitor. It also counts the number of times the banner has been viewed and could, with a few changes, track clicks too. To add, change or edit the banners all I have to do is change the database and the script will pick the correct banners for all the pages on the site.
Forums. Hundreds of forums (message boards) on the internet are run using PHP and MySQL. These are much more efficent than other systems that create a page for each message and offer a wide variety of options. All the pages in the forum can be updated by changing one script.
Databases. One quite obvious example is sites which get all there information from a database. For example Script Avenue is run by a few scripts, which gain all their information from a large database. All the different script categories can be accessed in one script by just changing the URL to access a different part of the database.
Websites. If you have a large website and you want to change the design it can take a very long time to update and upload all the pages. With PHP and MySQL your whole website could be just one or two PHP scripts. These would access a MySQL database to get the information for the pages. To update the website's design you would just have to change one page.
Banner Rotation. On this site, where each banner is, a PHP script is called. This opens a database and picks a random banner from it to show the visitor. It also counts the number of times the banner has been viewed and could, with a few changes, track clicks too. To add, change or edit the banners all I have to do is change the database and the script will pick the correct banners for all the pages on the site.
Forums. Hundreds of forums (message boards) on the internet are run using PHP and MySQL. These are much more efficent than other systems that create a page for each message and offer a wide variety of options. All the pages in the forum can be updated by changing one script.
Databases. One quite obvious example is sites which get all there information from a database. For example Script Avenue is run by a few scripts, which gain all their information from a large database. All the different script categories can be accessed in one script by just changing the URL to access a different part of the database.
Websites. If you have a large website and you want to change the design it can take a very long time to update and upload all the pages. With PHP and MySQL your whole website could be just one or two PHP scripts. These would access a MySQL database to get the information for the pages. To update the website's design you would just have to change one page.
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