Understanding the Jargon, Part Two

We have previously devoted space on this blog to educating our readers and helping them understand the jargon used in the web hosting industry. To continue on with this practice, we present you with a Part Two to our “Understanding the Jargon” post from last summer. In this post, we will focus on commonly used hosting acronyms within our industry.

API:

API stands for “application programming interface” and specifies how software components should interact with each other. For example, our Storm API enables software developers to develop applications for automatic server deployment, configuring a load balancer, etc.

DNS:

DNS, or Domain Name System, is a method for naming servers, network services and other network-connected devices. When we enter a website name into a browser window, the DNS translates those that website name to an IP address automatically.

FTP:

The File Transfer Protocol is a network protocol used for exchanging files over the Internet. It is most often used to upload or download a file to or from a server.

HTTP:

HyperText Transfer Protocol is the underlying protocol that defines how messages are formatted and transmitted online, and what actions web servers and browsers should take in response to various commands. It is commonly used to transfer web pages from a server to a user’s web browser.

HTML:

Hypertext Markup Language is the main markup language for creating web pages and it defines the structure and layout of a web document. It uses a standardized system for tagging text files to achieve font, color, graphic, and hyperlink effects on web pages.

IP Address:

An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a numerical label assigned to each device (computer, printer, etc) that is participating in a computer network.

RAID:

RAID, or a “redundant array of independent disks,” is a way of storing the same data in different places (thus, redundantly) on multiple hard disks in order to provide fault tolerance, improve performance, and increase storage capacity.

SSD:

A solid-state drive, or solid-state disk, is a high-performance storage device that stores persistent data on solid-state flash memory. In contrast to a typical hard drive, the SSD contains no moving parts.

SSH

Secure Shell, sometimes known as Secure Socket Shell, is a program that allows one to securely: access a remote server, execute commands on that server and move files to and from that server.

USB:

A Universal Serial Bus is an industry standard that was designed to standardize the connection of computer peripherals (like keyboards, pointing devices, cameras, printers, etc) to personal computers for communication and power supply purposes.

VPN:

A VPN, or virtual private network, uses encryption to secure your computer’s connection to the Internet and guarantees that all of the data you’re sending and receiving over the VPN is secured from any potential prying third parties.

There are so many technical terms used every day in our industry, that simple explanations be can be confusing for the uninitiated. Hopefully, we have helped you find some clarity amidst a sea of unfamiliar acronyms. We believe in complete transparency when it comes to working with our customers and would be happy to explain any of the terms, acronyms or phrases that we use. Our Heroic Support® is, of course, available to help 24/7/365.

Do you have any other hosting acronyms or terms you struggle to understand? Let us know!”