Web Servers

Though it seems like a magical, mystical universe, the Internet actually exists in the workings of thousands of computers that run 24 hours a day. These computers are called "servers," and to continue with the universe analogy, they are planets. Companies called "service providers" own entire galaxies of them and you pay them to allow you to put a residence (website) on one of their planets.

Web addresses that you type into your internet browser are like street addresses--it's where the server is located on the Internet. A server is also used to translate the web address into an IP Address, which is what your browser uses to connect to the website. The website itself exists as a bunch of HTML text, which the server it resides on sends to your browser, which converts the HTML into a nifty website.

Servers are usually just like personal computers except their only function is to exist as servers. They use special software that makes them function as servers, supplying information to other computers that request it. The first server was the NeXTCube, which was created in 1989 and used by the company CERN (European center for nuclear research), where the inventor of HTML, Tim Berners-Lee, worked.

There are plenty of servers out there to provide you a "planet" for your website. The most important issues to consider when choosing a server are the cost for the amount of space provided and its reputation of dependability and customer support. Because of the high number of service providers out there, it may be best to go small and local, preferably with a company that your colleagues use and can endorse.