Glossary of Terms

An easy-to-use database application that integrates with many Microsoft® Office products. Access is a good choice if you want to use data from an existing Microsoft Office product or if you do not have large amounts of data. All Hostway Windows 2000 plans support Microsoft Access databases. You can connect to your Access database using an ODBC connection (DSN connection) or a DSN-less connection.

An open-source Web server for UNIX, Windows 2000 and other platforms. Apache has become the most popular Web server in use today, due to its powerful feature set and excellent performance. Because the Apache source code and related documentation are freely available, the server can be adapted to meet specific needs.

Hostway's UNIX platforms are available with Apache 1.3.x.

Active Server Page. An HTML page that contains scripts (VBScript or JavaScript) that are processed by a Web server before the page displays to the user. ASP pages end with the extension ".asp." Because ASP pages are dynamically generated, they enable you to tailor, or customize, your Web content to the customer.

ASP is a feature of Microsoft® IIS® (Internet Information Server) and is supported by Hostway's Windows 2000 platforms.

ASP.NET, also known as ASP+, is Microsoft's most recent version of ASP and is a feature of Microsoft's IIS (Internet Information Server). Like ASP, ASP.NET enables customization of HTML pages using database queries. ASP.NET, however, supports code written in Visual Basic, C++, C# and Perl. ASP.NET files end with the .aspx extension.

ASPLogin 2000 is a user management and login package developed by ASPLogin.com, Inc. This package enables you to maintain a database of users, groups and passwords in any ODBC data source. ASPLogin 2000 uses an ActiveX server component to automatically direct users to a log in page and then authenticate them against information contained in a Microsoft Access 2000 database. You can use the ready-made user database provided with ASPLogin 2000 or any other ODBC data source.

ASPLogin 2000 also provides a Web-based administration tool you can use to set up users and groups in your ASPLogin 2000 database. Both ASPLogin 2000 and the ASPLogin administrator are flexible enough to adapt to virtually any database schema. Hostway's Windows 2000 Gold Plus and above plans include ASPLogin 2000 software. To use this feature, you must activate it from SiteControl's Plan Info section.

An automated email reply sent in response to each incoming message for a specific email address. This is also known as an "autoresponder." For example, you can use an auto-response to automatically send every customer who contacts you via email a standard "Thank You" email response.

For each email address/alias on your Hostway account, you can set up a different auto-response.

The amount of data that can be transmitted through a connection in a fixed amount of time. Bandwidth is usually measured in BPS (bits per second).

Our supported off-the-shelf shopping cart software that enables you to sell simple goods easily and manage your shopping environment. You can customize the system online using the easy-to-use browser-based interface. You can add this feature to your existing hosting account easily via SiteControl. For more information on Cart32, visit http://www.cart32.com.

A type of email account designed to "catch" any email messages addressed to your domain (@yourdomain.com) but not addressed to an actual POP3 email account or email alias.

Every hosting plan comes with one catch-all account as well as a certain number of POP3 email accounts.

An organization that issues and manages security certificates that are used to establish credentials and verify identities when performing electronic transactions. See also SSL.

A set of Web development products that enable you to build dynamic Web sites and Internet applications. With ColdFusion, you can develop a site or application that pulls data from a content database and then use templates to dynamically create Web site pages using the content stored in your database. ColdFusion is often used to build ecommerce sites. Hostway offers ColdFusion MX (version 6).

Common Gateway Interface Script. CGI protocol enables a Web page to run a CGI program on a Web server. CGI scripts are used to supplement basic HTML to make your Web site more interactive and functional. Hit counters, guest books, order forms and many other useful features can all be programmed with CGI scripts.

All of our hosting plans provide you your own local cgi-bin directory in which you can store custom CGI scripts that you have written yourself or found elsewhere on the Web. Hostway's UNIX plans include a free library of CGI scripts that you can use to enhance your Web site.

A UNIX command used to schedule jobs to be executed at some time in the future, typically on a periodic or regular basis. When used as a daemon process, the cron runs continuously and executes in response to specified events.

Hostway approves the use of cron jobs on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration factors such as the resources that will be used.

A secure location for Web hosting servers that is specially designed to provide physical and network security for servers and the data stored on them.

Hostway provides a Class-A data center carefully designed to avoid any single point of failure.

Also known as your Traffic. Each time visitors access a Web page, image, audio, video or other element on your site, traffic is generated. Your aggregate traffic is the sum of all outward-bound, inward-bound, email and FTP traffic.

Your monthly traffic allowance is calculated as 31 times the daily traffic allowance. Our daily data transfer allowances are high enough that most of our users stay within the limit.

A server that provides services for only one account or domain. Hostway provides both managed and unmanaged dedicated servers, as well as shared servers.

Domain Name System. The system responsible for translating domain names into numeric IP addresses. The DNS maintains a list of all the domain names and distributes them throughout the world. See also IP address.

Also known as Web space. The amount of allocated storage you are given on your Web hosting account. This enables you to store files, Web pages, email, databases and graphics. Web space is measured in MB (megabytes). Hostway enables you to upgrade your disk space if you are approaching your allocated amount.

A domain name that points to another domain. Domain aliases enable users to access the same Web site through a number of different addresses.

For example, many companies register several similar domain names (such as common misspellings of their domain name) and then use domain aliases to have all of the domain names point to the same site.

Hostway enables you to set up and use domain aliases.

The unique label that identifies a specific Web site, such as Hostway.com. Typically, domain names convey information about a site and are easier to remember than the associated numeric IP address. When a user types a domain name in a browser, the DNS locates the registered domain name and translates that into a numeric IP address.

The hosting option that enables you to register a domain name now even if you are not ready to build and post a Web site. Hostway provides a domain name parking plan as well as a domain name parking plus email plan. For details, visit www.hostway.com.au.

The process that must be completed before users can access your Web site. The registration process involves two basic steps: Reserving your domain name and then registering the domain name with the name server so that the IP address of your domain name can be disseminated throughout the Internet.

Hostway can assist you with both steps of the domain name registration process.

DSN, which stands for Data Source Name, is a method of connecting to a database. The DSN contains information such as the database name, directory, database driver and user name and password for the database.

DSN connections require ODBC, an open standard for API for accessing databases. ODBC handles SQL requests and converts them into requests that the individual database systems understand. DSNs are also used by applications and Active Server Pages (ASP) to query databases and retrieve information.

A DSN-less connection is a method of connecting to a database without specifying a named data source. DSN-less connections don't require the creation of an ODBC DSN. Instead of relying on information stored in a file or in the system registry (as DSN connections do), DSN-less connections specify the driver name and all driver-specific information in the connection string.

Because a DSN-less connection is essentially "hard-coded" to use a certain driver, user identity and database location, problems may arise when database parameters change. Because the variety of connection parameters can differ greatly from one ODBC data source drive to another, it is recommended that you use a DSN whenever possible.

You can request a DSN connection from within SiteControl's Plan Info module.

An email control used with Active Server Pages (ASP) that utilizes SMTP, MIME and NNTP protocols to send email messages and post news articles. You can find sample code on the SiteSamples Web site at www.[yourdomain.com]/sitesamples.

The term used to describe business transactions and communications conducted over the Internet or through company networks. Common ecommerce transactions include the buying and selling of goods, banking and ordering services online.

Hostway offers ecommerce hosting plans that enable you to quickly and easily set up an online store.

An email alias is a “virtual” email account. It enables you to use an email address that doesn’t 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 Web Master, who is really you.

You can use the email alias webmaster@yourdomain.com but have the email routed to your real email account.

The feature that enables you to have email messages sent to one address automatically forwarded to a different email address.

For example, you can specify that all email messages sent to you@yourcompany.com be immediately forwarded to you@yourISP.com.

Flash and Shockwave are multimedia tools developed by Macromedia that enable you to provide interactive presentations and Web sites utilizing the latest streaming and audio technology. Our servers fully support .SWF files and MIME associated with Flash and Shockwave.

A database application designed for building desktop, client/server, and Web database applications. Microsoft Visual FoxPro is able to manage fairly large volumes of data. All Hostway Windows 2000 plans support Visual FoxPro.

Microsoft FrontPage provides users a What You See is What You Get (WYSIWYG) HTML editor, includes a publish feature that enables users to transfer files to and from the Web server and supports advanced features such a guest books and hit counters. Hostway's plans support FrontPage-created sites and FrontPage Server Extensions.

The set of files that provide FrontPage-based Web sites with extended functionality, such as multi-user and remote authoring support, search features, forms and usage analysis.

In order for you to use all of the features that come with Microsoft® FrontPage®, FrontPage Extensions must be installed for your account. Hostway will install these for you upon request.

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.

Hostway 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.

A type of Microsoft SQL Server indexing system that enables users to search for and quickly retrieve static data.

GNU Compiler Collection. This collection contains front-ends for C, C++, Objective-C, Fortran, Java, and Ada, as well as libraries for these languages. GNU is a UNIX-compatible software system that is non-proprietary and freely downloadable.

The unique number assigned to every computer linked to the Internet. Your ISP provider assigns you an IP address each time you connect to the Internet. The DNS converts your numeric address to your domain name.

An SMTP and POP3 component that enables developers to send and receive email from their ASP code or Windows programs. For more information, visit www.dimac.net. You can find sample code on the SiteSamples Web site at www.[yourdomain.com]/sitesamples.

Java Server Page. A technology similar to ASP that enables you to embed small programs, called servlets, in your Web pages. These programs run on the Web server and modify the content of your pages before the page is sent to the user.

A file that contains detailed information about your site's activity in raw Web server format. The information in the log file enables you to perform advanced site analysis and gain valuable marketing insights.

Every Hostway hosting plan comes with a Web-based log analyzer that provides a comprehensive analysis of your raw log file. See also Statistics; Referrer Log.

An email distribution list that makes it simpler and more efficient for you to send email messages to your customers and members. Hostway's Gold plans and above offer MailMan, a Web-based tool for managing email lists.

Hostway's Web-based tool for managing email lists. Email lists provide an efficient way for you to distribute information about your services and products to your customers and members.

Mailman provides your site's visitors a Web-based control panel for subscribing and unsubscribing to lists over the Web. MailMan's control panel also enables you to administer your lists from the Web.

A server whose software, hardware and operations are managed by Hostway's team of system administrators. A managed server enables you to focus on your business instead of the day-to-day system administration tasks.

The default account set up for you that enables you to connect to the Web server using SSH (UNIX platforms only) and FTP as well as to connect to the mail server to retrieve, read and send email. The Master User account is a "shell" account.

By default, the Master User name is your domain name without the domain extension. For example, if your domain name is sampledomain.com, your Master User is sampledomain. In some cases, such as when you have a long domain name, your Master User name may be shortened or may differ slightly from your domain name.

A type of bank account that enables you to accept and process credit card payments online. Merchant accounts handle fraud checks on each transaction and manage the transfer of funds from your customers' credit cards to your bank account.

You must have a merchant account in order to perform online credit card transactions. Additionally, you will need an online payment gateway. In some cases, these are included with a merchant account.

A hidden tag in your HTML code that describes some aspect of your site. When someone uses a search engine to find a Web site that provides information on a particular subject, the search engine uses the information contained in your pages' meta tags to determine if your site is a "match."

Hostway provides a variety of tools that can assist you in submitting your domain name to a number of search engines and generating effective meta tags.

DAO is an application programming interface (API) based on OLE. DAO supplies a hierarchical set of objects that use the Microsoft Jet database engine to access data and database structure in:
- Microsoft Access (.MDB) databases.
- ODBC data sources, using an ODBC driver.
- Installable ISAM databases, such as dBASE, Paradox, and FoxPro

DAO can access other types of databases through ODBC. For more information, visit www.microsoft.com/support.

File System Object (FSO) object model provides an object-based tool for working with folders and files. For more information, visit www.microsoft.com/support.

Microsoft FrontPage provides users with a What You See is What You Get (WYSIWYG) HTML editor, includes a publish feature that enables users to transfer files to and from the Web server and supports advanced features such a guest books and hit counters. Hostway's plans support FrontPage-created sites and FrontPage Server Extensions.

SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is a lightweight XML-based protocol designed to exchange structured and typed information on the Web. SOAP can be used in combination with protocols such as HTTP, SMTP, and MIME.

The SOAP Toolkit enables developers to add XML Web Service functionality to existing COM applications and components. For more information on SOAP, visit www.microsoft.com/support.

Microsoft's SQL database software that enables high performance database querying for larger-scale projects. Hostway supports version 2000 and allow you to connect remotely via Enterprise Manager to edit and manage your databases. Languages such as ASP and ColdFusion can be used to query the data in your Microsoft SQL Server database.

A database application designed for building desktop, client/server, and Web database applications. Visual FoxPro is able to manage fairly large volumes of data. All Hostway Windows 2000 plans support Visual FoxPro.

MIME, which stands for Multi-Purpose Internet Mail Extensions, enables exchange of different file types and formats over the Internet. Hostway supports most MIME types.

A suite of Web-based software applications developed by Miva Corporation that enable you to create and customize your online store. Hostway's UNIX ecommerce plans use Miva Software.

The record that specifies the mail servers that handle email for your domain. By default, all of the email for your domain is handled by Hostway's mail server. You can, however, choose to have another mail server handle your email. You can select a mail server such as Register.com or you can specify an Exchange, Novell or other in-house mail server. If your organization has multiple mail servers (such as a primary and secondary server) you can specify multiple IP addresses and set the priority for each.

A multi-user, multi-threaded SQL database server. MySQL offers speed, robustness and ease of use. Hostway's MySQL databases are hosted on a dedicated MySQL server, ensuring server resources are devoted to database processing for faster performance.

A program that stores and tracks DNS information.

Open Database Connectivity. A standard method of accessing databases developed by Microsoft. ODBC connections enable you to connect to, retrieve data from and post data to your ODBC-compliant database regardless of the database management system handling the data. You can use an ODBC connection to connect to your Microsoft SQL or Access database.

Directories that require visitors to submit a valid user name and password before accessing the contents. These are frequently used for administrative purposes or for secure data.

A payment gateway is a service that connects your online store with your merchant account provider. This service reads the information from the order forms and translates that information for the merchant account. The payment gateway also verifies that the customer�s credit card account has the necessary credit available for the purchase.

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.

PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor An open-source scripting language and interpreter. PHP is used primarily on UNIX Web servers and is an alternative to Microsoft Active Server Pages (ASP) technology.

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.

On shared servers, Hostway supports PHP running as a CGI binary. Dedicated servers, however, can support PHP as an Apache module.

Plesk Server Administrator (PSA) is a multi-platform, Web-based software solution that simplifies and automates the administration of Linux Web servers. Popular with resellers and Web hosters, PSA helps administrators deliver better, faster service to their clients by providing server management tools to them.

Post Office Protocol 3. A method of retrieving email from a server. Hostway accounts provide POP3 mail boxes that you can access directly to retrieve your email using Hostway's SiteMail or traditional email clients such as Eudora, Outlook Express and Netscape Mail. See also SMTP.

The Hostway program that enables you to provide hosting solutions to your customers without investing in the infrastructure and technology necessary to maintain your own hosting platform.

Within the Private Label Program, Hostway is responsible for maintaining the facilities, network, equipment, architecture, deployment, software and billing for you. You are responsible for marketing, sales, billing and support activity for your customers. Because Hostway has no direct contact with your customers, you retain the ownership of your customers.

The process of notifying name servers around the world when your site location changes to a new IP address or when you have registered a new domain name on the Internet. Propagation can take up to 72 hours.

An interpreted, interactive, object-oriented programming language. Hostway's UNIX plans support a number of scripting languages including Perl 5.x, C++, GCC and TCL.

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 Hostway hosting plan comes with a Web-based log analyzer that provides a comprehensive analysis of your raw log file.

The streaming audio and video delivery systems for the Internet developed by RealNetworks. The system is client-server based, meaning both the browser and the server must have RealAudio/Video components for it to work.

You can select a Hostway plan that enables you to deliver streaming multimedia content to your site's visitors.

The optional Hostway log that extends your ability to track how customers access your site. When the Referrer Log is active, it logs not only the different search engines but also the keywords visitors used to locate your site.

A company that has been certified to register domain names. There are a limited number of registrars permitted to access and modify the master database of domain names maintained by InterNic. The organization ICANN is responsible for certifying companies as domain name registrars. A registrar is not the same as a Web host.

An Active Server component that enables users with a Web browser to transmit files from their local hard disk to a Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) Web server.

A program that searches documents for specified keywords and returns a list of documents where the keywords were found. Internet search engines use the information contained in your site's Meta tags to generate an index of sites.

Well known search engines include Yahoo!, Excite, AltaVista and Google.

A method of ensuring that information submitted through your Web site is secure and cannot be accessed by unauthorized users. Information submitted via an SSL-secured form is transmitted in an encrypted state. SSL is most commonly used for online credit card transactions.

SharePoint Team Services is Microsoft's Web site solution that enables organizations to more easily share information, collaborate and manage group activities and shared deliverables on a corporate intranet or on the Internet using their browsers. SharePoint includes Index Server for searching, Microsoft Database Engine for database requirements, and FrontPage Server Extensions for FrontPage-based functionality.

SharePoint Team Services is included with Microsoft® FrontPage® 2002 and with Microsoft Office XP. It is also included (upon request) with your Hostway Windows 2000 hosting plan. In order to use SharePoint Team Services on your Web server, you must request it from SiteControl's Plan Info section.

The most powerful type of account. These account types provide access to your servers via FTP, POP3 and, with some plans, SSH. You Master User account is a shell account; it enables you to transfer files to and from the server, read and send email and log onto the server.

All hosting plans come with one Master User account by default. The default Master User account typically has the same name as your domain. For example, if your domain name is "sampledomain.com," your Master User account is most likely "sampledomain." In some cases, such as when your domain name is particularly long, the Master User name may be shortened or may differ slightly from your domain name.

Hostway's optional Web-based, template-driven tool that enables you to quickly create a Web site without learning HTML.

Hostway's "instant messaging" application that enables users to exchange chat messages in "real time." When you add SiteChat to your Hostway plan, you can create customized chat rooms that can be used for customer help desks, multimedia conference rooms, sales counters, distance learning centers and online communities.

Hostway's Web-based account management tool set. SiteControl provides you with all of the tools you need to create, maintain and manage the various features that come with your hosting plan. You can use SiteControl to set up and manage email, monitor disk and bandwidth usage, analyze site activity, check billing and account status, register and transfer domain names and set up and manage your user accounts.

Hostway's Web-based tool that enables you to check your email messages through a Web browser using HTTP. You can use SiteMail to check your email from any location as long as you have a browser and an Internet connection. You can use both SiteMail and traditional email clients such as Microsoft Outlook® to check the same email account.

The term for unsolicited mass email, also known as UCE (Unsolicited Commercial Email). Hostway strictly prohibits "spamming" using an email address that is maintained on a Hostway computer or using any Hostway server.

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. Hostway does not support IMAP.

Structured Query Language. The most popular database language in use today, SQL is used to create database queries that take the form of commands. SQL queries enable you to select, insert, update and determine the location of data, among other tasks. MySQL and Microsoft® SQL Server™ utilize the SQL language.

Secure Sockets Layer. A method of ensuring that information submitted through your Web site is secure and cannot be accessed by unauthorized users. Information submitted via an SSL-secured form is transmitted in an encrypted state. SSL is most commonly used for online credit card transactions.

Also known as a digital certificate. An electronic document that contains the information necessary to establish a secure SSL connection. This is nearly always a must for shoppers, and is usually indicated by a picture of a padlock in the browser window. When SSL is used in credit card transactions, the Web site collecting the credit card information and the site to which the information is being transmitted must both have an SSL Certificate.

A virtual or shared SSL certificate is an SSL security certificate you share with other domains. A shared SSL certificate is included with our hosting packages, meaning you can easily add security to your Web site by using SSL. For larger companies we offer dedicated SSL or private SSL, also available via the control panel.

Detailed information regarding your Web site, including the number of hits, the source of those hits, most popular pages and amount of data transferred, as well as other useful information.

Hostway's detailed Web site activity reports provide statistics in both raw numbers and graphical format, grouped by weeks, days and hours.

A subdomain that points to a subdirectory of your main Web directory. Hostway's plans enable you to set up subdirectory domains.

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, "hostway.com" is a second-level domain, as it includes the domain name "hostway" and the top-level domain "com."

If you need to further distinguish your second-level domain name, you can use a third-level domain name, or subdomain, such as "help.hostway.com." 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. Hostway's plans enable you to set up subdomains that point to domain aliases, other Web site or subdirectories of your main Web folder.

Tool Command Language. A programming language and associated library that can be used to develop CGI scripts. Hostway's plans include support for TCL as well as other scripting languages such as Perl, GCC, C++ and Python.

The URL provided to you so that you can upload and test your site while you wait for the domain name registration and transfer period to complete. Your temporary URL is just another way of accessing your site. Once the propagation period completes, no special action is required in order to start using your domain name—all of the Web site files you uploaded using your temporary URL will still be in place and nothing will have changed. You can find your temporary URL on SiteControl's Home page. The temporary URL is valid for 30 days.

Each time visitors access a Web page, image, audio, video or other element on your site, traffic is generated. Your aggregate traffic is the sum of all outward-bound, inward-bound, email and FTP traffic.

Your monthly traffic allowance is calculated as 31 times the daily traffic allowance. Hostway's daily data transfer allowances are high enough that most of our users stay within the limit.

Domain names are composed of at least two levels, a top-level domain and a second-level domain. The top-level domain, also referred to as TLD, is the suffix or extension attached to Internet domain names. There are a limited number of predefined TLDs, such as .com, Net and .org.

A second-level domain (SLD) is the portion of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that identifies the specific and unique administrative owner associated with an Internet Protocol address (IP address). The second-level domain name includes the top-level domain name. For example, "Hostway.com" is a second-level domain, as it includes the domain name "hostway" and the top-level domain "com."

If you need to further distinguish your second-level domain name, you can use a third-level domain name, such as "help.hostway.com." Typically a third-level domain name is used to refer to different servers within different departments of a company.

Urchin 4 is an advanced, Web site analytics software system designed for use by organizations of all sizes. Urchin 4 provides an intuitive, browser-based interface and offers, among other things, flexible date-range reporting, filtering, a search function and an export utility. You can upgrade your standard Web statistics tool to Urchin.

Uniform Resource Locator. The standard way to display an address on the World Wide Web (WWW). For example, www.hostway.com.

A method for accessing email messages through a Web browser using HTTP. Hostway's Web-based email application SiteMail enables you to check your email from any location as long as you have a browser and an Internet connection. You can use SiteMail and traditional email clients such as Microsoft Outlook to check the same email account.

What You See Is What You Get. The term used for Web design applications that display HTML documents on screen as they will appear in a Web browser. These applications make it possible for you to create Web pages without learning the HTML programming language.