What Is Virtual Web Hosting?
Virtual web hosting is the ability for a single host to run multiple website servers from one location. This allows a single cpu to host thousands of independent websites.
This type of hosting is very popular among many of the commercial hosting services. It allows them to have better control and management over the server interface.
Most if not all virtual hosting programs are dependent upon a virtual DNS resolution. This provides a way of reconciling a customer's registered domain name back to the correct server. This can be accomplished a couple of ways:
- Name based virtual hosting
- IP-based virtual hosting
Name based virtual hosting can only be provided via a virtual web based hosting service. All sites will share the same IP address under this particular hosting. Any requests received will be followed based upon the domain name supplied. This will allow the server to distinguish between the multiple sites hosted on one IP address.
IP based hosting on the other hand is similar to name based. What separates the two is that even though IP based websites are hosted on one machine, they are all given their own unique IP address.
All requests get resolved using the unique IP address instead of the name. A limitation with IP based web hosting is that many systems will limit the number of IP's per machine. This helps to prevent adding additional stress to the servers if each IP chose to use separate log files.
In summary, name based virtual hosting allows for requests to get resolved using the websites domain or url whereas IP-based virtual hosting requests are resolved using each websites unique IP address that is assigned.
If you are in search of a cheap virtual web hosting service, you should check out StartLogic. They have business Linux hosting as well as virtual shared hosting. They also make a great choice for an ecommerce web site host.
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