Question 1

What is a Data Center? (Data Centre)

Accepted Answer

Data Centre is a giant complex of computer servers that host the internet. Think of your computer, it's small because there is a small amount of information stored.

But what about websites like Facebook? Amazon? Google?

These have a massive amount of data. The computers for these websites are many, and they are stored in what is known as Data Centers.

Here is a great video showing Google Data Center:

Here is a great video showing the Facebook Data Center:

Question 2

What is web hosting? (website hosting)

Accepted Answer

Website hosting is simply where your website is housed. Just like a home is housed on a piece of land, a website is hosted (or housed) on computer servers of website hosting companies.

Example of these companies are GoDaddy, SiteGround, Namecheap, HostGator, Domain, and many more.

To make your website visible on the Web, your website’s files and data must be physically stored on a computer that is connected to the Internet. These large, high-powered computers are called web servers.

Website hosts are companies that physically house several web servers in one location, or what is sometimes referred to as a data center.

These companies host websites for us individuals and businesses.

Some companies are so big, like Facebook, Google and Amazon that have their own hosting because they are so large.

Here are a couple of videos from GoDaddy that provide a great explanation on what is Website hosting:

Important note: While I greatly appreciate the wonderful video explainer from GoDaddy, they are not my recommend website hosting company. I recommend you buy your hosting from SiteGround.

Here is a transcript of the first video:

*Website hosting. If you’re not sure what it is, this short video may help.

To make your website visible on the Web, your site’s files and data must be physically stored on a computer that is connected to the Internet.

These large, high-powered computers are called web servers.

It is typical for website hosts to physically house multiple web servers in one secure location, that is commonly referred to as a data center.

In addition to housing the web servers, website hosts provide the software, security, support, and bandwidth that connects your website to the Internet.

To accommodate a wide variety of websites and customer needs, there are a variety of hosting solutions.

Hosting solutions are broadly categorized based on the amount of server space you need for your website files, and the amount of bandwidth your site consumes.

Bandwidth refers to the amount of data being transferred or the amount of resource usage your website requires.

Beyond server space and bandwidth, there are other things to consider when selecting a hosting solution.

Your budget, ease of use, product support, software requirements; the level of flexibility or customization the solution allows; as well as the availability of features such as privacy, security, marketing solutions, and more. *

Here is a transcript of the second video:

*Hi there! In this video, you’ll learn what hosting is and we’ll identify the four types of hosting available at GoDaddy.

To make your website visible on the Web, your website’s files and data must be physically stored on a computer that is connected to the Internet. These large, high-powered computers are called web servers.

Website hosts are companies that physically house several web servers in one location, or what is sometimes referred to as a data center. In addition to housing the web servers, website hosts provide the software, security, support, and bandwidth that connects your website to the Internet.

Think of a website hosting company like a shopping center that contains several individual stores.

If you want to open a store at the shopping center, you can lease space in it and set up shop.

Just like a shopping center, website hosting companies enable you to lease space on their web servers where you can store your website files and make them available for visitors to view on the Internet.

To accommodate a wide variety of websites and customer needs, there are a variety of hosting solutions.

Hosting solutions are broadly categorized based on the amount of server space you need for your website files, and the monthly amount of bandwidth your site consumes. Bandwidth refers to the amount of data being transferred or the amount of resource usage your website requires.

Instead, you could lease a small kiosk in the shopping center that gives you just enough space for your goods and costs far less money.

Between you and your mobile payment device, you have plenty of “bandwidth” to take care of your customers and don’t buy extra technology or hire more employees. Make sense?

Beyond server space and bandwidth, there are other things to consider when selecting a hosting solution. Your budget, ease of use or complexity of solution; the level of flexibility or customization the solution allows; as well as privacy and security features.*

Question 3

What is the difference between a domain name and a website?

Accepted Answer

Below is a video explaining the difference, as well as a transcript of the video.

While I appreciate the wonderful video created by GoDaddy to explain this, I do not recommend using GoDaddy for buying your domain name. My recommended company to buy a domain name and hosting is called SiteGround.

Transcript of the video (italicized):

*Hi there. In this video, you'll learn the difference between a domain and a website.

While domains and websites are closely connected, they are two very different things.

After registering a domain, you need to do something with it, put it to work for you. Your domain can be used for a website, for an email account, or for both.

You can, however, register a domain and choose NOT to use it for a website or an email account BUT you can't have a website or an email account without a domain.

When used for a website, your domain name is what people type into their browser to find your site — this is why they are sometimes referred to as web addresses.

So godaddy.com is the domain used for GoDaddy's website.

Registering a domain, however, doesn't automatically create a website — it only means that you've registered the domain.

So for example, if you decided to start your own business and you thought of great name for it, you might copyright the name to protect it.

However, simply giving your business a name is only one of many steps that go into building your business.

In the same manner, when you register a domain and want to use it for a website, you'll need to first build the website, and then find a host for it, so it can be visible on the Web.

What's a host? Website hosts are companies that house, serve, and maintain files for one or more websites.

Think of a website hosting company like a shopping center that contains several individual stores.

If you want to open a store at the shopping center, you can lease space and set up shop.

Just like a shopping center, website hosting companies enable you to lease space on their web servers where you can store your website files and make them available for visitors to view.

Because you have registered your domain, you can use it at any web hosting company you want.

Remember your store in the shopping center? Suppose you decided to move your store and lease space at a different shopping center.

If you packed up your products and moved to a new location, you would still be able to use the same name for your store.

The same is true for your domain — regardless of where you decided to host your website's files, your domain remains yours for the duration of your registration.

GoDaddy is both a domain registrar AND a website hosting company — and we have the tools to help you build your website.

This means you can register your domain name, build a website for it, and get it on the web - all in one place.

What is a Data Center? (Data Centre)

What is web hosting? (website hosting)

What is the difference between a domain name and a website?

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