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Meaning of the term "host"

The term "host" in the Internet industry, like most IT professionals, came from English. This word refers to the host hosting the guests. But over time, they began to apply it in different, even opposite, values. Consider 3 basic definitions of this word.

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1. Server

Host is the server on which website and any information data related to it. Any information related to operation is created and stored here web resource. Here, a response to the incoming request is generated from the user's browser.

Hosts are usually stored on virtual host servers - hosting- companies providing place and service services for linked sites. Theoretically, you can use your own computer and process all the flows of information on it and conduct work related to the web resource. In practice, this option is not only uncomfortable and time-consuming, but also does not guarantee the safety of work from possible problems of the “iron”.

что такое хост в в интернет-индустрии

2. Unique visitor

Among optimizers and webmasters the term "host" is used in a completely different meaning.

Hosts take into account when assessing site traffic, are unique visitors. The concept of uniqueness is quite probation, since it is characterized by a time period between repeated calls to the site adopted to determine “visits”. Usually we are talking about days. That is, all visits to one guest user within 24 hours relate to one visit. A day after the first opening of the site page, the visit will again be considered “guest”, and the user who committed it will be counted as a new host.

3. IP address

Another use of the term “host” is related to the concept IP addresses. Essentially, this virtual address of a particular device - computer, from which the user makes a “guest visit” to the site. 

IP address statistics allow you to find out the number of visitors who have ever visited the site. So, a user with one IP address using the same device to visit the site is one unique visitor for statistics.

Difficulty arises when Internet trips are not made from a static IP address, but dynamic, which is used not by one, but by many users at once. In this case, there can be no talk of any accuracy in the assessment of statistical data.

The last two options are used in slang webmasters and optimizers, when it comes to site traffic, as well as the collection and analysis of statistics about it.