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Apache:
One of the world's most popular Web server programs, Apache was built by a group of open-source programmers and is often used because of its outstanding performance, strong security features and the fact that it is free.

Bandwidth:

The amount of data that can be transmitted at a given moment to a server. The higher your bandwidth, the larger amount of traffic your site can handle at one time.

CGI:

Short for Common Gateway Interface, a small script that processes data taken from the user (such as from a form application).

Cgi-bin:

The directory on a Web server where CGI scripts are stored.

Cookie:

A text file sent to a user's Web browser from a Web server. Cookies are typically exchanged back and forth between the two in order to prepare custom content for users, and to exchange data like registration information.

DNS:

The Domain Name System (abbreviated DNS) is an Internet directory service. DNS is how domain names are translated into IP addresses, and DNS also controls email delivery. If your computer cannot access DNS, your web browser will not be able to find web sites, and you will not be able to receive or send email. The DNS system consists of three components: DNS data (called resource records), servers (called name servers) and Internet protocols for fetching data from the servers.

Domain names:

Domain names are the word sequences users enter in their URL bar to visit your site. They are attached to a DNS, short for Domain Naming System, which is used to translate numeric addresses (known as IP, or Internet Protocol, addresses) into words. Each site you visit on the net has a numeric IP address behind its name.

Firewall:

A piece of security software designed to protect Web servers. They are typically used to protect sites from hacker attacks/unauthorised access.

FrontPage:

A popular site design and management tool developed by Microsoft.

FTP:

Short for File Transfer Protocol, a method of allowing remote users and Web servers to exchange files.

HTML:

Short for HyperText Markup Language, the language by which Web servers and client browsers communicate. All server-side functions (such as database processing), although they may be performed in another language, must eventually be output back to the user in HTML.

HTTP:

Stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol, the protocol by which HTML files move across the Internet. HTTP requires a client browser and an HTTP server (typically a Web server).

IP:

Short for Internet Protocol, which designates the format of "data packets" that are used to exchange information over the Internet.

MIME:

Short for Multipurpose Internet Email Extensions, a protocol that allows users to transfer non-text messages like audio, video and images through e-mail.

Name server:

A server responsible for translating domain names and IP addresses.

POP or POP3:

Short for Post Office Protocol. An e-mail protocol that mail software such as Eudora use to communicate with mail servers.

Shopping cart:

A program designed to handle the e-commerce section of a Website. Shopping cart software lets users browse for and purchase products online.

SMTP:

Short for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, a protocol used by mail servers to exchange messages with each other.

SQL:

Short for Standard Query Language. A standard protocol used to request information from databases. Servers which can handle SQL are known as SQL servers.

SSL:

Short for Secure Sockets Layer, a protocol developed by Netscape to handle and protect confidential/sensitive information required for e-commerce transactions (like credit card numbers). SSL address usually begin with 'https'.

Subdomain:

Typically known as a "domain within a domain", sub domains are individual Web addresses built upon a pre-existing domain name (such as support.1link4it.co.uk).

Telnet:

A command-line interface that allows remote users and Web servers to communicate.

TCP:

Short for Transmission Control Protocol, an important network protocol. TCP allows two hosts to connect and exchange data, and ensures that "data packets" are delivered exactly as sent.

TLD:

Shot for Top Level Domain, the suffix for major domain names like .com, .net and .org.

UNIX:

A text-based, multitasking Operating System suitable for Web and network administration. Unix has spawned numerous popular spin-offs, including Linux and FreeBSD. Most Unix-based Operating Systems are open source, meaning the source code to the Operating System has been made freely available to the public for modification.

Virtual host:

A shared hosting solution, the most basic of hosting types. Numerous Web sites are shared on one server.

Virtualisation:

A process/software designed to reduce server management costs through automation, while providing more control over service levels.

XML:

Short for Extensible Markup Language. XML is a language allowing developers to create their own markup tags. All XML tags are defined by the programmer, and can be interpreted differently in different applications. For example, the "" tag in HTML means Italics, but could mean anything in XML, depending on the function the developer assigns to it.

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