Web hosting is a service that provides storage space and access to websites and web applications on the internet. When a user types in a website’s domain name, the web hosting service retrieves the website’s files from its storage and serves them to the user’s web browser. The variety of web hosting services available includes:

Shared hosting: In shared hosting, multiple websites share the same server and its resources. It is an affordable option for small websites with low traffic.

Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting: VPS hosting is a more advanced form of shared hosting. It provides a virtual private server with dedicated resources for each website, which allows for greater control and customization.

Dedicated hosting: In dedicated hosting, a website has access to an entire physical server, which provides the highest level of performance and control. It is ideal for high-traffic websites and web applications.

Cloud hosting: Cloud hosting is a form of hosting that uses multiple servers to provide high availability and scalability. It is ideal for websites and web applications that require high levels of performance and scalability.

When did Web Hosting Started and Who Provides it?

Web hosting has its roots in the early days of the internet when it was still primarily used by researchers and academics. The first web hosting company, CERN, was launched in 1991, but it was not until the mid-1990s that web hosting services became widely available to the public. As the internet grew in popularity, web hosting services became essential for businesses and individuals who wanted to establish an online presence.

The main servers that provide web hosting services are located in data centers around the world. These data centers are equipped with high-speed internet connections, backup power supplies, and other infrastructure to ensure the reliability and security of the hosting services. The locations of these data centers vary depending on the hosting provider, but many are located in regions with favorable business and regulatory environments, such as the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Web hosting Data Centers

Data centers are owned by a variety of companies and organizations, including technology companies, telecommunications companies, and colocation providers. Some of the largest data center operators in the world include:

Equinix
Digital Realty Trust
NTT Communications
China Telecom
China Unicom
Google
Microsoft
Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Here are some more company names that own and operate data centers:

IBM

Oracle

AT&T

Verizon

Deutsche Telekom

Singtel

T-Systems

Rackspace

CyrusOne

CoreSite

Global Switch

Digital Ocean

OVHcloud

Liquid Web

InMotion Hosting

HostGator

Bluehost

GoDaddy

DreamHost

SiteGround

These companies own and operate data centers of varying sizes and capacities, from small facilities that host a few servers to large hyperscale data centers that span hundreds of thousands of square feet and house millions of servers.