Hosting the Website Files

After the website is built on the web designers computer the next step is to upload the website files to a server. This server is usually one of a bank of servers storing websites. The files are uploaded using a File Transfer Protocol known simply as FTP. The File Transfer Protocol requires some details before the transfer of website files can begin. The details required are: the IP(address) of the server, a username and a password. When the files have been uploaded to the server, we then need to point the domain name to the server so the public can see the website – see hosting the domain name zone files.

Hosting the domain name zone files

If step one is to register the domain name and step two to host the website then step three is to connect step 1 & 2. It sounds like a build plan for a flatpack IKEA product, but simply put we need to point the domain name at the server. This requires a third component which is called domain name hosting. The hosting of the domain name is where the zone files(records) are stored. To point the domain name at the server’s address this information is added to an A Record. These zone files are also used to setup email boxes by adding MX records.