Internet Service Provider
Internet service providers (ISP) have the task of providing services and content relating to the Internet.
Types of Internet Service Providers
The following types of Internet service providers can be distinguished based on their tasks and services:
Provision of Internet Connections
The term “Internet service provider” is used in particular for companies which connect end users to the Internet. The IP packets on which the web is based are transmitted via their services.
Various types of connections can be used for this purpose. In addition to conventional dial-up lines, Internet connections can also be established, for example, via radio technology, fiber optic cables, broadband connections, and dedicated lines. Depending on the network size a particular Internet service provider covers, they are differentiated as tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 ISPs. Small, locally active providers are classified as tier 3. Tier 2 denotes ISPs supra-regional networks of great importance. Tier 1, on the other hand, refers to providers that are considered Internet backbones of global importance.
Hosting
Hosting is about the provision of data on behalf of others. The following types can be distinguished:
- Domain hosting: The provider takes care of the registration of domains as well as their operation.
- Webhosting: The customer’s website data is hosted on the provider’s webserver, in other words, stored. Customers can access their resources and often use additional features, such as specific scripting languages or databases. Additional services include regular data backup, constant availability or the provisioning of a CMS.
- Mail hosting: The ISP provides a mail server on its own servers as well as other email services.
- Server hosting: The ISP operates multiple servers in a data center and provides storage space to its customers. Unlike dedicated servers, which is fully dedicated to just one customer, virtual servers are offered by dividing a physical server into a multitude of small units and renting them out to different customers. They share the performance of the server, but pay less in return. When selecting server hosting, particular attention must be paid to additional services such as fast support and high availability.
Application Service Provider
Application service providers provide applications to their customers. Web-based software (Software as a Service) is becoming increasingly important in times of constantly available Internet connections. Accordingly, the number of providers is steadily increasing. If you want to utilize such software products, two fundamental questions should always be considered. Secure and confidential handling of data uploaded to the cloud must be ensured (keyword: privacy) and you need to think about possible alternatives, should the service become unavailable or completely shut down.
Content Providers
Content providers provide editorial content or offer their customers a content management system for rent. The customer can only use the information or the system until he terminates his contract with the content provider.
Housing
Housing (also: colocation) concerns in particular the location of servers. Data center operators provide their customers with the option of accommodating their own servers. On the one hand, the provider’s service consists of offering the respective location, usually in a server rack, but on the other hand it is also provided with security against unauthorized third parties, an internet connection, as well as an uninterrupted power supply and adequate cooling.
Relevance to Search Engine Optimization
The choice of the Internet service provider cannot directly influence the ranking of a website. However, the ISP provides framework conditions that can have an indirect impact. Web hosting on a virtual server may result in poor performance of websites and online stores.
This occurs whenever the selected rate is too low and the peak loads cannot be covered. This can have a negative effect on the ranking and, at least in the case of online stores, the conversions and thus sales. In addition, especially in the case of lower rates, the host can exclude the customer from performing certain actions, for example htaccess files. This will limit search engine optimizers in their daily work.