virtual server

1 definition found

virtual server - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  virtual server
  
     <World-Wide Web> A configuration of a World-Wide Web
     server that appears to clients as an independent server
     but which is actually running on a computer that is shared by
     any number of other virtual servers.  Each virtual server can
     be configured as an independent website, with its own
     hostname, content, and security settings.
  
     DNS maps the hostnames of all virtual servers on one
     physical server to its IP address.  The web server software
     then uses the "Host" header in the HTTP request to determine
     which virtual server the request was for, and then processes
     the request using that virtual server's configuration.
  
     Virtual servers allow Internet Service Providers to share
     one computer between multiple websites while allowing the
     owner of each website to use and administer the server as
     though they had complete control.
  
     (2003-06-23)