DevX Studio Blog

How Does a Web Server Work?

You have probably come to this site to find a company that provides Web servers or Web hosting services. But do you actually know how these hosting machines work? It’s a good idea to know a little bit about the product or service you are searching for before you begin your quest.

First, it’s important to note that this is a two-sided story. Web servers are responsible for storing and exchanging information with other machines. Because of this, at least two participants are required for each exchange of information: a client, which requests the information, and a server, which stores it. Each side also requires a piece of software to negotiate the exchange of data; in the case of the client, a browser like Netscape or Internet Explorer is used.

On the server side, however, things are not as simple. There is a myriad of software options available, but they all have a similar task: to negotiate data transfers between clients and servers via HyperText Transfer Protocol, the communications protocol of the Web. What type of server software you are able to run depends on the Operating System chosen for the server. For example, Microsoft Internet Information Server is a popular choice for Windows NT, while many Unix fans choose Apache Web server.

A simple exchange between the client machine and Web server goes like this:

1. The client’s browser dissects the URL in to a number of separate parts, including address, path name and protocol.

5. The browser translates the data it has been given in to HTML and displays the results to the user.

This process is repeated until the client browser leaves the site.

Aside from its functions listed above, the Web server also has an additional number of responsibilities. Whereas a Web browser simply translates and displays data it is fed, a Web server is responsible for distinguishing between various error and data types. A Web server must, for example, designate the proper code for any sort of internal error and send that back to the browser immediately after it occurs. It also has to distinguish between various elements on a Web page (such as .GIFs, JPEGS and audio files) so that the browser knows which files are saved in which format. Depending on the site’s function, a Web server may also have numerous additional tasks to handle, including logging statistics, handling security and encryption, serving images for other sites (for banners, pictures, etc), generating dynamic content, or managing e-commerce functions.

Now that you’ve had a behind-the-scenes tour of a Web server, you can appreciate all the work that goes in to delivering a single page of content to your computer screen. Use this knowledge to your advantage, and keep it in mind when shopping around for your next host.

Add comment June 20th, 2007

Introduction to Domain Name Management

Although it may seem simple, the way in which you manage your domain name could mean the difference between your site being online or offline. As a result, it is important to pay close attention to detail when performing administrative tasks that pertain to your domain names, as one slight mistake can lead to a great deal of anguish.

The most common mistake domain owners make is entering incorrect contact information in their domain’s WHOIS record, which essentially serves as a domain’s record of ownership. There are several components to a WHOIS record, all or most of which you will be asked to complete when registering a domain name. These are:

Registrant: The person/organization that registered the domain name.

Administrative contact: The person/organization that will be responsible for all administrative issues pertaining to the domain name, including registrant information.

Billing contact: This is the person/organization responsible for handling any billing issues related to the domain name.

Technical Contact: The technical contact is one of the most important aspects of your registration record. This is the person/company that should be contacted regarding any technical issues pertaining to your domain, and usually contains the contact information of the domain name registry that registered the address.

Should you ever wish to sell, transfer or otherwise modify your domain in a significant manner, there is a good chance your technical contact will have to become involved. As a result, it is absolutely crucial that your technical contact information remain up to date – otherwise, making any adjustments to your domain will become frustrating, and potentially impossible.

There are also several pieces of information that are only when a domain name is queried via a WHOIS service. These include:

Registrar of record: The domain name registry that registered/approved the domain name.

Record last updated: The last time any sort of alteration/update was made to the domain’s WHOIS record.

Record expires on: The date the domain name expires. When a domain name expires, the registrant risks losing control of the name.

Record created on: The date the domain was initially registered.

Domain servers: This contains the DNS (Domain Name System) information for a domain; there are usually two lines of DNS information. The first is typically a site’s primary DNS information, while the second contains secondary/back-up information.

Most registrars allow their users to update most of this information at any time via a Web-based control panel. Make sure you retain your login information when you initially register a domain.

Failing to complete any component of a WHOIS record fully and truthfully, or not keeping it completely updated, can lead to serious problems down the road. An out of date email address, for example, may prevent you from receiving the information required to renew your domain when its expiry date approaches. Therefore, always make sure your information is up to date – otherwise, you could eventually lose control of your domain.

Add comment June 20th, 2007