What is a Domain Name?

Alpha Omega Design works with a lot of clients that need websites or have websites and domain names. Most people have heard the term “Domain Name” before but, we thought we would actually explain what it is and how it works. In order for us to truly understand what it is we must understand the humble beginnings of the internet. Originally websites on the internet we located with numbers called IP addresses and they still are today but, these numbers were hard to remember. You may have seen an IP address before and it looks something like this, 192.168.1.45, or similar. The XXX.XXX.XX.XX structure is common for IPV4 Address addresses. In response to this problem the Domain Name Service or System (DNS) was created. This system allows the IP address for a website to be translated into an alphanumeric string ie. www.somesite.com. When you start to create a business or ministry this is something that you should consider during the naming phase of your business or ministry. Since domain names are words, two websites cannot have the same domain name. Alpha Omega Design can help you with the domain name searching process if you need it. Once you purchase a domain name it may take some time before you are able to access that domain name due to a process called replication. During this process the worldwide database that comprises the DNS (Domain Name System) is populated with the IP address and the appropriate name that points to it. If a domain name has a lapse in payment to the domain name provider and the domain name is suspended or “parked”, once the domain name provider reinstates the domain it will take some time before the domain name will be accessible throughout the internet. Once your domain replicates everyone will be able to enjoy your great website.

If you have a question about your domain or getting a domain let us know what it is and we will try our best to answer it for you.

Thanks and God Bless!

What is a CMS?

What is a CMS (Content Management System)?

A CMS also known as a Content Management System is a piece of computer software that runs on a web server and allows content editors to manage their website content. A content editor is anyone who will make changes on a website whether it’s the secretary or the owner of a company. There are different types of CMSs for different uses IMHO (In my humble opinion) although some designers and developers have one CMS that they feel is good for all of their projects. This is often related to the size and complexity of the project. Some of the best CMSs are WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Expression Engine, and Text Pattern. Alpha Omega Design has used WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla in past projects but, we almost exclusively use WordPress now as it is able to handle very large and complex projects.

So, what is it? A CMS gives the content editor an easy to use interface for editing content often without any need to know HTML, CSS, or JavaScript. Although you don’t necessarily need it I recommend that content editors have a basic understanding of at least HTML. You may hear someone say “Does your website have a WYSIWYG (Pronounced wisiwig) editor?” WYSIWYG editors are a common part of all CMSs and this is the area where you add text, images, and videos. If you have used Microsoft Word you can likely use a WSIWYG editor in one of the CMSs mentioned here. In addition to giving the editors an easy interface to use, the CMS also provides the designers and developers a more efficient way to mange the websites design and development. The CMS will often allow parts of the website to be duplicated with one management point. This helps the site maintain more consistent design and features. There is a lot more that CMSs do but I have covered the most important here to give you a more informed decision making process.

I hope this is helpful for your ministry, non-profit, or business. Thanks and God Bless!

What is a Network?

What is a network?

A network or computer network is a group of devices that allow computers and other devices to transfer data to each other. Sounds vague right? Well, there is a lot of technology that can go into a network. For the sake of this blog I will discuss a simple network like your home or small business network. A network typically has a ISP or Internet Service Provider that manages on a high level the connection of the network to the rest of the available networks. In a residential sense your ISP may be Charter Communications, AT&T, Direct TV, or other ISP. this is the company that you pay your internet bill to. The next thing on a network that you will have is some kind of network switch or router or both in some cases. In your home you probably have a network switch. This makes sure that you get the data that you are requesting from websites or other devices on your network. Then you have a computer, Smart TV, Roku, Apple TV, or internet connected devices that you may have in your home “Network.” This same basic model is what networks around the world are based on albeit on a larger scale. Networks not only contain routers, switches, and computer but they also include servers which we discussed in a previous blog. I hope this helps you understand a little more about the technology around you. If you have a comment or question post in the comments section below.

What is Hosting?

Today I am going to discuss what hosting is and how it is used. Hosting is a service that a company provides that allows you to store website and other files on a server that they have and manage. Most websites on the internet use some sort of hosting provider (A company or person that provides hosting) to host their websites files. Hosting, in most cases, involves a monthly or yearly fee for the service. Hosting providers often have different levels of hosting that you can buy. The different levels of hosting are often tied to how well the server performs and how much space the company will allow you to take up on the server. Most hosting providers are using cloud servers now to provide hosting that is faster and more efficient the subsequent side effect is lower cost to you the customer. If you have questions about hosting please let us know in the comments below.

Some Common Hosting Providers

Dreamhost
GoDaddy
Rackspace
MediaTemple
BlueHost
Amazon Web Services (Advanced Cloud Hosting)
Many more….

I hope this helps you understand a little more about hosting and how it works. Be sure to share this on social media so others like you can get their questions answered also. Thanks and God Bless!

What Is A Server?

What is a server?

In short, a server is software that runs on a computer used to serve data to clients (other computers). Servers come in a lot of different models and use different operating systems just like PC’s that you would see at Best Buy. Most servers look different than your average PC, they are often not very tall about 19″ wide and fairly deep. This is because servers are typically used in equipment racks so the small form factor allows data centers to put a lot of servers in smaller spaces. The graphic above is an illustration of three servers and this is commonly how they are stacked in an equipment rack. Servers are typically very focused in the tasks that they accomplish. For instance, this website is running on a web server. This type of server is built for running websites. There are other types of servers other than web servers, in fact, there are a lot more. Some of the other types of servers include application servers, database servers, file servers, media servers, and mail servers to name a few. It takes a lot of “behind the scenes” action to make the technologically advanced world that we live in work. Servers are part of the core of many services and technologies.

Server Operating Systems

Some of the most common server operating systems are :

Common Server Applications

Some Common Server Applications are:

I hope that this gives you enough to handle those “techies” at the coffee shop. If you have questions please leave them in the comments.