Virtual host

Virtual hosts allow multiple domain names to be hosted on the same server and/or IP address.

For example, gpaas1.dc0.gandi.net (217.70.180.131) is one of Gandi's Simple Hosting servers. Virtual hosting is what allows our users' Simple Hosting instances to be served to their respective domain names despite the fact that they all resolve to the same IP address. (It's also why you get an error message if you try to navigate directly to the IP address above – because the server doesn't know which website, or virtual host, you want.)

In the same way, if you have a VPS, virtual hosting is what allows you to serve multiple websites from the same IP. (You may or may not get an error if you navigate directly to your server's IP. Depending on your configuration, you may have instructed your server to provide a given website by default.)

In the context of an FTP server, a virtual host is a login account that grants access to the server to non-system administrators.

See also

Last modified: 06/14/2012 at 19:32 by Thomas S. (Gandi)

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