Checking a Hostname

When you are putting up a website, you want to make sure that your URL is resolved to your correct IP address so that people searching for you will find your site. While you don't depend on major business coming from this action, it is important enough to ensure it works correctly and that others can locate your information when needed.

The Software Option

Some prefer using software to check a host name, which is a viable option. If you do choose to do this, there is a wide variety of software available which will allow you to run a URL, webpage, or blog through the software to check on the status of a site. While this is a suitable alternative, it can also be expensive. In many cases, you have the option of either purchasing the software, or buying a premium package which allows you to keep using the service monthly. Check around if you decide to use this option so that you get the greatest value for your money.

While it is feasible for most big companies to hire their own systems administrators, there are plenty of smaller web based businesses that maintain and run their own servers. In fact, the process can be quite enlightening and helpful for your business and its infrastructure as well as its expansion. Running your own server might seem like a daunting task at first, but with a couple of tutorials and some helpful maintenance tools, you can run your own server like a professional.

Cloud computing continues to gain momentum as technology and accessibility improve. Not only are businesses adapting new cloud-ready applications, but they are also migrating legacy systems to the cloud.

While the decision to employ a new application in the cloud may be a no-brainer, the decision to move an existing application may not be so easy. Careful consideration to these moves is required as it is easy to make mistakes and the results can be catastrophic.

Everyone is up in arms about the NSA spying on private communication, but did you know that most of the websites you visit are tracking your online activity in one way or another? In the vast majority of cases, websites tracking your activity are using it as market research or as a way to target the advertising that they deliver to you. That doesn't make it any less unsettling, however, and has encouraged the rise of anti-tracking plugins and other ways to stop the tracking. The websites might just want to make a buck, but tracking your every move online is a major privacy concern. Here's a few ways how websites keep their eyes on you.

Cookies are one of the most common tracking methods

A cookie is a small file that contains information for the website's use. They are used in a wide variety of ways outside of tracking your activity as well, such as storing login information, whether you have visited before, and to keep track of site preferences. Websites that use cookies are required to disclose this fact, so as long as the website is on the up and up you will know whether they're using cookies or not. You can clear most cookies from within your browser, or using a private browsing mode such as Incognito mode in Google Chrome. There is a type of cookie that cannot so easily be deleted called a supercookie. These are cookies that aren't just stored within your browser, but in multiple areas so you have to clear all of these locations at the same time or the cookies populate automatically.

Pretty much anything with the word “Quantum” in it sounds mysterious and unknowable but quantum computing is, in fact a reality. So much so that even Google develops on of them. The computer or smart phone you use now is capable of very fast computations using a binary system of storing information as a series of ones and zeros. However, while this system is scalable, it can only grow linearly.