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Glossary
The technology industry changes on a daily, if not hourly, basis. With that, come
new terms and acronyms, and it is often times hard to keep up with all the new definitions.
This glossary is compiled to help you quickly find the definitions for technology words that we
frequently use throughout our site. For any terms that we might have left out, or are too new for even us
to know, you should check out WhatIs.com, a
complete technology dictionary.
Active Server Pages (ASP)
An HTML page that includes one or more scripts (small embedded programs) that are
processed on a Microsoft Windows web server before the page is sent to the user. An ASP is
similar to a Server Side Include (SSI) or a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) application in that
all involve programs that run on the server (as opposed to the user's PC),
usually tailoring a page for the user. Most often, the script in the ASP uses input received
as the result of the user's request for the page to access data from a database and then builds or
customizes the page "on-the-fly" before sending it to the requestor.
Analog (aka Statistics)
In a nutshell, Analog is a program to measure the usage on your web server or site. It compiles
all of the data stored in the raw log files (which are collected with each and every hit to your web site),
and reports which pages are most popular, which countries people are visiting from, which sites they
tried to follow broken links from, and all sorts of other useful information. Analog is also the most popular
log file analyzer program in the world. To learn more and see
a sample report, visit the Analog
web site.
Battery Backup
An emergency power source. Should the primary source of power ever fail, batteries are on standby to
keep operations running smoothly in most good data centers.
Broadband
Telecommunication in which a wide band of frequencies is available to transmit
information. Information is multiplexed and sent on many different frequencies or channels
within the band concurrently, allowing more information to be transmitted in a given amount
of time. Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) and cable TV are broadband services in the downstream
direction.
Change Mode (Chmod)
A command used by a file owner or administrator to change the definition of
access permissions to a file or set of files.
Common Gateway Interface Scripting (CGI)
A standard way for a web server to pass a web user's request to an
application program and to receive data back to forward to the user. For example,
when a user fills out a form on a web page and sends it in, it typically needs to
be processed by an application program. The web server usually passes the form data
to a small application program that processes the information and may send back a
confirmation message.
Data Transfer (aka Bandwidth)
The outward bound traffic from a web site, with the exception of e-mail.
Any HTML, CGI script, or graphic file that is accessed by a user viewing your site is
included. Bandwidth is used to mean 1) how fast data flows on a given transmission path,
and 2), the width of the range of frequencies that an electronic signal occupies on a
given transmission medium.
Disk Space
In a shared hosting environment, the amount of server storage space allocated
to your account. This space is used to store HTML, CGI scripts, graphic files, and all of
your site's statistical files (analog and raw log files).
Domain Name
Practically speaking, your domain name (web address) is the core of your Internet identity,
your online brand. Your customers will remember this name and use it to find your web site,
your products or your services. And since no two parties can ever hold the same domain name (web
address) simultaneously, your internet identity is totally unique.
Technically, a domain name is a virtual name assigned to a location on the Internet. For example, the domain name
www.tivilon.com locates an internet address for "tivilon.com" at internet point
147.208.8.150 (IP address) and a particular host server named "www." The "com" part of the domain name reflects
the purpose of the organization or entity (in this example, "commercial") and is called the top-level
domain name. The "tivilon" part of the domain name defines the organization or entity and together
with the top-level is called the second-level domain name. The second-level domain name maps to
and can be thought of as the "readable" version of the internet address.
A third level can be defined to identify a particular host server at the internet address. In our
example, "www" is the name of the server that handles internet requests. (A second server might be
called "www2"). A third level of domain name is not required. For example, the fully-qualified
domain name could have been "tivilon.com" and the server assumed.
Subdomain levels can be used. For example, you could have "www.support.tivilon.com." Together,
"www.tivilon.com" constitutes a fully-qualified domain name. The part furthest to the left is most
specific and the part furthest to the right is the least specific (the same way we address
a letter to someone in the mail).
Second-level domain names must be unique on the Internet and registered with one of the
ICANN-accredited registrars for the .com, .net, and .org top-level domains. Where appropriate,
a top-level domain name can be geographic. (Currently, most non-U.S. domain names use a top-level
domain name based on the country the server is in).
On the Web, the domain name is that part of the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that tells a domain
name server using the domain name system (DNS) whether and where to forward a request for a web
page. The domain name is mapped to an IP address (which represents a physical point on the Internet).
More than one domain name can be mapped to the same internet address. This allows multiple individuals,
businesses, and organizations to have separate internet identities while sharing the same internet
server. However, each specific domain name can only be mapped to one location.
Domain Name System (DNS)
The place (usually two or more servers) where domain names are located and translated
into an IP addresses. Most large networks, like hosting companies or internet access providers have DNS.
Because domain names are alphabetic, they are easier for people to remember. The
Internet, however, is really based on IP addresses. Every time you use a domain name, therefore,
the DNS must translate the domain name into the corresponding IP address.
Domain Name Registration
This involves selecting a registrar for where you'd like to purchase your domain name, signing
up for service, then allowing the average two day setup process to begin. The registrar will add this domain
into their system with all of your contact information, while the hosting company adds the domain
into their DNS where it will be assigned to its IP address. Registration occurs when the domain is
available or expired, but not already in use. Tivilon recommends VeriSign Network Solutions or Dotster
for your domain name registrant.
Domain Name Renewal
As long as you keep your e-mail address up-to-date with your domain's registrar, you
will notified when your domain registration period is up and ready for renewal. You can pay
to renew the domain, and remain the owner, or you can avoid the payment and allow the domain to
reenter the pool of domains that can be chosen by the public.
Domain Name Transfer
This is when you already have a domain name in use, and need to relocate the domain
from its current host to a new host. This involves a change on your behalf (since you are the owner of the
domain) at the registrant level. (Please contact your registrant for more information on how to make the
change). It also involves an entry to the DNS of the new host to assign the domain to its new IP
address.
E-commerce
The buying and selling of goods and services via the Internet.
E-commerce Tool
An application that handles online e-commerce transactions. One type of e-commerce tool is the "shopping
cart," a common metaphor (from the original grocery store shopping cart) for the catalog or other pages where a user
reads and makes selections of items to buy. The application places the items in the user's "cart" and when the user is
ready to "check-out" they can buy all the products they have selected by making one transaction.
E-mail Alias (aka E-mail Forwarding)
An alternative e-mail address, ending in your web site's domain name, that forwards mail to an e-mail
destination that you already own. This works like "mail forwarding" from the U.S.P.S., however in this case you are designating
an e-mail address that you already check (quite possibly your internet access provider address) for your mail
at your domain name to forward to. This allows you to use
e-mail addresses on your web site that look more professional, while allowing you to continue to check one
mailbox for messages.
E-mail Autoresponder
An e-mail box set up to send a standard response e-mail message (based on a text file you specify)
to anyone who sends an e-mail to a specific e-mail address (which you specify) at your domain name. You
can also use an autoresponder to send an "extended absence" reply when messages are received to your e-mail
address while you are out of town.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
FTP is the simplest way to exchange files between computers on the Internet. Like the
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which transfers displayable Web pages and related files, and the
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), which transfers e-mail, FTP is an application protocol that uses
the Internet's TCP/IP protocols. FTP is commonly used to transfer web page files from their creator to
the computer that acts as their server for everyone on the Internet. It's also commonly used to
download programs and other files to your computer from other servers.
Internet Data Center (IDC)
A specialized facility that houses web sites and provides data serving and other services for
an internet company.
Internet Information Server (IIS)
A group of internet servers, including a web or Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server
and a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server, with additional capabilities for Microsoft's Windows 2000
Server operating systems. With IIS, Microsoft includes a set of programs for building and administering
web sites, a search engine, and support for writing web-based applications that access databases. IIS
is tightly integrated with the Windows NT and 2000 Servers in a number of ways, resulting in faster
web page serving.
Internet Protocol Address (IP Address)
The method or protocol by which data is sent from one computer to another on the
Internet. Each sender or receiver of information that is sent in packets across
the Internet has an IP address that uniquely identifies it from all other users or hosts.
The most widely used version of IP today is Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4). This is because
the IP address consists of 4 parts, separated by dots. An example would be 147.208.8.150, which
is a point on the Internet that people actually reach either by the IP address itself or its
virtual name of "www.tivilon.com."
Merchant Account
Allows a merchant to process credit cards online and have funds electronically
transferred into their bank account.
Microsoft® FrontPage™
If you are already familiar with other applications in the MS Office™ suite,
building your very own web site in FrontPage should be a breeze. FrontPage is a leading
web site creation and management software tool, setup in a very easy to follow WYSIWYG
(What You See Is What You Get) format. Many small, medium, and large-size companies use FrontPage, because of its scalability and
reliability. In addition to the Office editing tools you are used to, you'll get pre-designed themes
that you can use on your web site, the ability to configure your site to best meet the types of browsers
or platforms users will be accessing your site with, and the ease of "dropping in" pre-developed code
for hit counters, navigational systems, e-mail forms, and more. FrontPage allows you to build a site
you like, having limited design and development skills.
Microsoft FrontPage Extensions
A set of server-side applications that enable a user to incorporate the following
advanced features without having to write the complex server-side programs typically required:
Collaborate simultaneously with other users on the same web site
Create a web page directly on a web server
Save directly to a web server when using MS Office programs
Include these FrontPage components on your sites: link bars, top ten lists, form handlers,
discussions, full text searches, hit counters, and categories
Microsoft SQL™ (MSSQL)
The MS Structured Query Language (SQL) is a interactive and programming language for
getting information from and updating a SQL Server 2000 database.
Microsoft Windows™ 2000
Tivilon uses Windows 2000 server as an operating system on our shared web servers. This OS
is a step up from MS's previous NT 4.0 product, and is more stable (less apt to crash) than Windows 98/NT systems. The
Windows 2000 OS allows for easier database management and Active Server Pages (ASP) which are not compatible with
Unix OS (also often used for shared web hosting).
Money Back Guarantee
If you are not completely satisfied with Tivilon's hosting services, let us know within
30 days of your account's activation for a refund of all charges except setup and overage fees. Setup
fees can only be refunded if your account is cancelled prior to activation.
Network Operations Center (NOC)
A restricted access area containing automated systems that constantly monitor
server activity, web traffic, and network performance and report even very slight irregularities
to engineers so that they can spot potential problems before they happen.
OC-48
The Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) includes a set of signal rate multiples for
transmitting digital signals on optical fiber. The base rate (OC-1) is 51.84 Mbps, while OC-48
is 2.488 Gbps.
To help you visualize this speed better, most small businesses or home internet connections are made via
DSL, Cable, or a slower dial-up modem connection. DSL and Cable are just at or under the speed of a
T-1 line typically, which is 1.544 Mbps. Therefore, an OC-1 line is 34 times faster than a T-1, and an
OC-48 is 1650 times faster than a T-1.
Payment Gateway
As it applies to e-commerce, a payment gateway is software that is hosted on a server
that links an online store to a process that verifies that a customer, who is placing a credit
card order, has the credit available and that the order should be accepted or declined. Later,
when the merchant is ready to submit the charges for processing, the payment gateway accepts them
and submits the charges to a payment processor who facilitates the transfer of funds to the merchant.
Practical Extraction and Reporting Language (Perl)
A script programming language that
is similar in syntax to the C language and that includes a number of popular UNIX facilities. Perl is
regarded as a good choice for developing Common Gateway Interface (CGI) programs because it has good
text manipulation facilities (although it also handles binary files).
Personal Home Page Tools (PHP)
In Web programming, PHP is a script language and interpreter that is freely available as
an alternative to Microsoft's Active Server Page (ASP) technology. Before a web page is sent to a
user that has requested it, the web server calls PHP to interpret and perform the operations called for
in the PHP script. Like ASP, PHP can be thought of as "dynamic HTML pages," since content will vary
based on the results of interpreting the script.
POP3 E-mail
As an alternative to e-mail forwarding, which directs mail from an alias to an
e-mail address, you can retrieve e-mail directly from POP (Post Office Protocol) mailboxes on a mail
server using any standard e-mail client. Each Tivilon hosting plan comes with a specified number
of configurable POP accounts that can be assigned unique IDs and passwords for privacy. These accounts
can be checked via a web browser or by downloading the e-mail through a POP e-mail client, like MS Outlook,
Qualcomm® Eudora™, or Netscape® Navigator™.
Raw Logs (aka Statistics)
These files store minute details of web site traffic and visitor information (i.e.,
which browsers were used most often to view your web pages). You need an analysis program to interpret
the log files and put them into easy-to-read statistical reports. With access to your account's raw logs, you can
choose any analysis program that suits your needs. Tivilon also provides Analog statistical
reports with your accounts, to give you an included easy-to-read output of your raw log files.
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
A commonly used protocol for managing the security of a message transmission on
the Internet.
Web sites that use SSL, have https instead of http in front of their web address. This
signifies that they are using a secure certificate to transmit data (on those pages with https only). Data
in this area is communicated between the end-user and the server in an encrypted format, so that if
the data is intercepted in the transmission, it couldn't be easily read by a malicious party.
Server Side Include (SSI)
Either a variable value that you want to appear on a web page (like the date
and time that the page was loaded on the visitor's browser - in which case the information is
retrieved from the server) or it can be static information that you want included in a web page. For
instance, you might have 50 pages on your web site and want the same navigational bar on each
one of these pages. Instead of inputting the same exact code on each of the 50 pages, and later
having to make updates to the navigation on all 50 pages, you put the code in a single include file. You
can then make a call to that one include file from all 50 pages. This makes updating web sites easy
without using frames.
Shared Hosting (aka Virtual Hosting)
On the Internet, shared hosting is the provision of web server hosting services
so that a company (or individual) doesn't have to purchase and maintain its own costly web server
and its connections to the Internet. Many sites can co-reside on the same server, therefore lowering
costs for end-users. In most cases, site performance is not affected and each web site behaves as
if it is being served by a dedicated server.
Shared SSL
Tivilon has purchased secure certificates, and installed them to our
shared web servers, so that all customers needing e-commerce on their site, can share a secure
certificate. Secure certificates are provisioned to a single domain name. On our servers it is provisioned,
and customers will use, a web address with Tivilon's domain name in it. Should you want your own SSL
certificate, contact Tivilon for more information.
SONET
The American National Standards Institute standard for synchronous data transmission
on optical media. SONET ensures standards so that digital networks can interconnect and that existing
conventional transmission systems can take advantage of optical media through tributary
attachments. SONET provides standards for a number of line rates up to the maximum line
rate of 9.953 Gbps.
Spam (aka Bulk E-mailing or Unsolicited Commercial E-mail)
Unsolicited e-mail on the Internet. From the sender's point-of-view, it's a
form of bulk mail, often to a list culled from subscribers to a Usenet discussion group or
obtained by companies that specialize in creating e-mail distribution lists. To the receiver,
it usually seems like junk e-mail. In general, it's not considered good netiquette to send spam. It's
generally equivalent to unsolicited phone marketing calls except that the user pays for part of
the message since everyone shares the cost of maintaining the Internet.
Technical Support, Offline & Complex
We offer billable technical support to our customers
for telephone or complex (dedicated) server support. This is billable in 15 minute increments, minimum
15 minute charge. See our hosting add-ons page current
offline and complex technical support rate and hours.
Please note that Tivilon office closings may affect technical support response time on medium to low priority
issues. Server downtime is considered a high priority issue.
Technical Support, Online & E-mail
Online documentation, FAQs, glossaries, etc. are open for your reading pleasure 24 x 7. E-mail
support is included, free of charge, to all hosting customers 9 AM to 6 PM ET, Monday through Friday. This includes Tivilon's review of your question, research
of the answer and reply within a timely manner (typically within 24 hours). A fee may apply if we need to do maintenance to or management of your site for you. We encourage you to visit our online support
area before contacting us via e-mail for support, in order for us to keep our hosting costs at a reasonable rate.
Please note that Tivilon office closings may affect technical support response time on medium to low priority
issues. Server downtime is considered a high priority issue.
Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
The standard way to give the address of any resource on the Internet, that is part
of the World Wide Web (WWW). A URL looks like this: http://www.tivilon.com/index.asp or
http://mail.tivilon.com:8383. The most common way to use a URL is to enter it into your web browser's
address field for retrieval of what is at that specific address.
Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS)
A device that allows a computer or network to keep running for at least a short
time when the primary power source is lost. It also provides protection from power surges.
Unsolicited Commercial E-mail (UCE)
See SpamUptime Guarantee
Tivilon gives your web site a place to call home and guarantees your web site
will be up a minimum of 99% of the time...or you won't pay for hosting that month! This
guarantee represents Tivilon's commitment to providing the most reliable service in the web
hosting marketplace.
Tivilon pledges that it will reliably maintain open connections from its servers to the world
99% of the available time in each month. (Depending on the month, this translates to between
6.72 to 7.44 hours of downtime). Should your web site go down a cumulative total 1% or more hours
in the period of one month, due to a problem with server connectivity, hardware, or software
included in your hosting plan, you will get that month of hosting at no cost. This
guarantee does not cover any server outages outside of the Tivilon network (possibly between your
internet provider and the final destination of your web site) or acts of God, war, or terrorism that cause
downtime.
The web site downtime will need to be documented in writing by the customer and sent to
Tivilon, P.O. Box 854, College Park, MD 20741-0854. This documentation can be received by
Tivilon staff no later than 30 days after the end of the month in reference. The downtime will
also need to be verified by Tivilon.
If you ever notice your web site is down, contact the Tivilon Support Team immediately. Thank you!
