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What is web server - a computer of a program?

A web server can mean two things - a computer  on which a web site is hosted and a program that runson such a computer. So the term web server refers to both hardware and software. We'll look at each of

these individually.

The web server computer - the hardware

A web site is a collection of web pages which are digital files, typically written using Hypere!t "arkup#anguage $H"#%. &or a web site to be available to everyone in the world at all times, it need to bestored or hosted on a computer that is connected to the internet ()*)*+. Such a computer is known asa Web Server  $note the first letter is in uppercase%.

ou can potentially host a web site on your home computer  but this involves a lot of work and constantmonitoring. /t is easier to buy web hosting from a company because there are thousands that offer thisservice.

here are several re0uirements for a Server computer - it needs to be fast, have a large storage capacityhard disk and lots of 1A". 2ut the most important is having a permanent internet address also known asan /.3. $/nternet protocol% address. /f the /.3. address changes, the web site would not be found and willappear offline - the browser will display a cannot find web site error. &or details, read differences

 between your home computer and a web Server .

The web server program - the software

A web server program is software that runs on the web site hosting Server computer. /ts main purposeis to serve web pages4 which means it waits for re0uests from web browsers $also known as clients% and

responds by sending the re0uired data back. This client-server interaction is the hallmark of the web5

here are many web server programs available- check list of web servers. he most famous and popularof all web servers is Apache developed by the Apache &oundation. 6ot only is Apache free but it's alsoavailable for several operating systems including Windows, "acintosh and #inu!*7ni!.

&/, differentiating the server program $software% and the Server computer $hardware% by the case of thefirst letter is suggested and followed only by purists - it is not a rule. 8enerally, readers 0uicklyunderstand from the conte!t whether one is referring to the hardware or the software.

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Can I host my web site on my home/office computer?

hat's an interesting 0uestion...

#et me first give you a 0uick answer before / bore you with details.es! you CA" host a web site on your home/office computer.

And why do / think it is an interesting 0uestion? 2ecause, unfailingly, at least one student from my beginners class throws this at me and so / guess it's something that everyone wants to know. Also theanswer to this 0uestion helps us to know, in a little bit more detail, what web servers are and how theywork.

#et me rephrase the 0uestion - Why can't our home computers with broadband internet and (@*)connectivity be used as web Servers and host web sites? Actually, our home computers CA" act like

web servers. Here are a few things we need=

• A static /.3. $/nternet protocol% address

• (@*) /nternet connectivity $a fast connection would definitely help%

• Web server software

• A stable and reliable operating system

Hosting your web site from your home/office computer 

ypically, a web server is a powerful machine with a stable and reliable operating system and a (@*)/nternet connection. A web server also needs a static I.P. #Internet protocol$ address so that thelocation of the hosted web site*s does not change. /n addition to the web server software $which servesweb pages%, several other software that help in maintenance, enhancing functionality and securing themachine from attacks from hackers need to be installed on the machine.

The need for a good operating system

;bviously, you need a stable and reliable operating system that can serve web pages 0uickly and notcrash or hang even under heavy traffic. Here are some other hallmarks of a good operating system for aweb server=

• /n-built security features to protect from hackers and virus attacks.• :asy of administration through shell environment or 87/-based software.

• Scalability to up-gradations to ensure enhanced stability and security. Also, the process of

installation of updates should easy and as smooth as possible.• /n-built necessar! server software should be a part of the operating system else, they should be

available and installed 0uickly and smoothly.• Availability of third-party software - 6o operating system is perfect and complete. hird party

applications can provide additional security, better features and functionality.

With the above points in mind, the #inu! operating system fits the bill pretty well - So does Windows,actually, but you do need to be a little more e!perienced in server administration if you want to run aWindows based web server.

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What is Apache and should it be a part of my web hosting?

Apache is a web server developed by the Apache Software &oundation. /t is the most popular web server 

in the world according to the web server survey conducted by 6etcraft. And the reasons of its popularityare several. Apache is free and open source. /t provides high security and is well suited for large andsmall web sites alike. Apache can also run on a variety of operating systems including 7ni!, #inu!,&ree2S>, Windows, "ac ;S E etc. Apache is H3*9.9 compliant, very powerful and fle!ible. heweb server, unlike many others that suffer burnouts, is being actively developed by a group of dedicated

 programmers.

However, Apache comes with little support from the Apache Software &oundation. his does not meanthat you will not be assisted in times of trouble. here is more than enough support on web mailing listsand forums.

Apache running on #inu!*7ni! or &ree2S> is known for high performance.

The ideal configuration for &pache?!

"any developers believe that the best web server machine is one that runs #inu! operating system, hasthe Apache web server that supports 3H3 scripts and "ySF# database server - fondly known as (A%P $(inu! - A pache - %ySF# - PH3%. he reason for this belief may lie in these four products being free.However, / would like to think that it has more to do with supporting the open source community.&urther one is not confined to using products of only one company.

WA%P

,A%P

'unning &pache web server on your local machines

/f you plan to develop web sites in 3H3 or 3erl, / would suggest you grab the latest copy of Apache andinstall it on your computer. &or e!ample, / run the Apache server on my Windows E3 machine to test3H3 and 3erl scripts. esting and correcting scripts on my local computer saves me time than trying towork off the online server.

ou can get the latest version of Apache H3 web server from the download page.

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)ow much of web hosting server hard-dis space

do I need for my site?

/ got 9BB"2 storage with my web hosting package - that was in 9. he hard disk space offered byweb hosts has increased tremendously since those days. ou can now get 9BB, (BB, even +BB 82 hostingspace for a much lesser price than what / had paid in 95 Some companies like Hostgator  are even

 providing unlimited space.

Doming back to the 0uestion we were addressing - how much web space do you need for a web site?

Should you take a hosting package with 9BB82 space or one with (BB82 space?

his depends on the kind of web site you want to develop. &or e!ample, if you envisage a web site withlots of large files $such as music or video%, you would definitely need larger web space than the average

web site. #et us now look at some figures.

A web page should ideally be less than (Bkb, and that is only the H"#. /f we include e!ternalGavaScript file $average (kb%, e!ternal Dascading Style Sheets file $average (kb%, and embedded images$not more than B kb%, the total sie of the web page becomes )@kb. And if your web site has a hundred

 pages, it would re0uire )."2. So it hardly makes a difference if you take hosting with 9BB82 or(BB82 - the 0uestion being, would you ever utilie all the space provided by your web host?

;n the other hand, if you are planning to have downloadable music and video files which are generallylarge files, / suggest that you work out an estimate sie and procure hosting that has at least twice the

file sie $to be prepared for the future%.

hat said, / think the space re0uirements of a typical company web site are very very small compared tothe web space offered by most web hosting companies today. And so the amount of hard disk space

offered in a hosting package should not affect !our decision, unless, you plan to host a special kind ofweb site that has very large video and music files.

&/, the web space offered in a hosting package includes the space of databases and email accounts sodo not take hosting if the space offered is less than B"2.

&inally, if you fall short, you can either purchase additional hard disk space from !our web hosting

compan! or if that's proving e!pensive, change your web hosting

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