Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mrs. Holborow, and welcome to computing.

I'm so pleased you've decided to join me for the lesson today.

In today's lesson, we're going to be looking at the role of web servers and clients and how the cloud is used for services.

Welcome to today's lesson from the unit "The Internet and Web Technologies." This lesson is called "Hosting Services," and by the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to describe the hardware required to use the cloud for hosting services.

Shall we make a start? We will be exploring these keywords in today's lesson: Hosting.

Hosting: Storing a website or an online service on a server so it can be accessed over the internet.

Software as a service.

Software as a service, SaaS: Software hosted online and usually accessed via a web browser or app without needing to instal it on your own device.

Look out for these keywords in today's lesson.

Today's lesson is broken down into two parts.

We'll start by describing web servers and clients, and then we'll move on to evaluate how the cloud is used for services.

Let's make a start by describing web servers and clients.

Huge amounts of data are shared on the internet, from social media to video sharing.

For example, over seven million messages are sent every minute via Meta platforms such as WhatsApp and Messenger.

Around 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, and roughly 350,000 tweets are posted every minute.

The internet is used for much more than just browsing web pages on the World Wide Web.

You can: purchase goods, stream movies, take video calls, play games, post on social media, and much, much more.

For all this to be possible, the content and services must be hosted somewhere.

Web servers are used to host content and services that can be accessed through the internet.

Time to check your understanding.

I have a true or false statement: The internet is used only for browsing web pages and taking video calls.

Is this true or false? Pause the video whilst you have a think.

Did you say false? Well done.

The internet can be used for browsing web pages, shopping, streaming, gaming, social media, and much more.

The client is the device used to access the content or services.

The host is the server or servers where the content and services are served to the client.

Most websites are hosted using an external web hosting provider.

These hosting companies have their own dedicated servers that they rent to businesses and individuals as a space to host their websites.

These companies often provide other services such as security, website builders, backups, technical support, email services, and analytics.

Analytics is like the data to show how many people, for example, access the webpage in a given day or month.

Individuals can also set up their own web servers and make these available to access through the internet.

If you host your own web server, you're responsible for security, very important because personal web servers are prone to hacking, backups, technical support, maintenance, and keeping it switched on at all times.

Large online services like Google, Meta, and Amazon host their own web services.

They have dedicated data centres to hold all the web technologies they need to run the services they offer.

Google currently has 29 data centres across 11 different countries.

These will include backups in separate locations to protect them in case of events like fire or flooding.

Time to check your understanding.

I have a question for you.

What is one key responsibility of an individual hosting a web server? Is it A, renting a server space from Google; B, ensuring the server is always switched on; or C, designing a new web browser for their users? Pause the video whilst you think about your answer.

Did you select B? Well done.

They'll need to ensure the server is always switched on so that people can access their services.

Okay, we are moving on to our first task of today's lesson, task A.

For part one, I'd like you to explain what a client is.

For part two, I'd like you to explain what a web server is.

And then for part three, I'd like you to describe how clients and web servers work together to allow you to access websites and other online services.

Pause the video whilst you complete the task.

How did you get on? Did you manage to answer the questions? Well done.

Let's have a look at some sample answers together.

For part one, you were asked to explain what a client is.

A client is a device used to access content or services using the internet, for example, a laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

For part two, you were asked to explain what a web server is.

A web server is a powerful computer used to host content and services that can be accessed using the internet.

For part three, you were asked to describe how clients and web servers work together to allow you to access websites and online services.

Clients and web servers work together by the client sending a request to the web server, which then responds by sending the content or service back to the client.

Remember, if you need to pause the video here to add any additional detail to your answers, you can do that now.

Okay, so we've described web servers and clients.

We're now going to move on to evaluate how the cloud is used for services.

The cloud is a term used to describe software and storage accessed through the internet.

The cloud is not floating around in the sky.

It exists in data centres like the ones at Google.

The cloud gives us access to software as a service, SaaS.

This means we can use software on our devices that is hosted on a server somewhere else.

Do you use the cloud for storing any of your documents, or do you access cloud-based software? Some examples include things like Google Docs and Office 365.

Have you used these at school or in some of your work? The benefits of this are automatic software updates, automatic saving, automatic backups, accessibility from anywhere with an internet connection, and sharing capabilities.

There are also some drawbacks.

You may need to pay a monthly subscription if the service isn't free.

You need to be connected to the internet to access the software, and this isn't always possible in every single location.

You may have less control over your data.

It could be stored in other countries that have different laws surrounding data protection.

Time to check your understanding.

I have a true or false statement: The cloud means software and storage located in data centres and accessed using the internet.

Is this statement true or false? Pause the video whilst you have a think.

Did you select true? Well done.

The cloud refers to storage on real physical servers in data centres, which you can access remotely using the internet.

The cloud can also be used for storage.

Instead of backing up your files locally on your own device, you can back them up on the cloud.

The benefits of this are: cloud storage has its own built-in backup system to protect your files, data can be backed up automatically, you often get a small amount of storage for free, and it can also save money on maintenance.

The drawbacks are: you may need to pay a larger fee if you need more storage; you have less control over your data for the same reasons as SaaS; you need an internet connection to access your data.

Switching cloud storage suppliers can be problematic.

This is because the way the data is saved or, for example, the software may be different, so there's not always portability.

You may also have to request permission to be able to access and download all of your files before moving them across to a new supplier.

Migrating to the cloud can cut computing energy by up to 87%, reducing carbon emissions by around 30% to 90% compared with using local data centres.

Shared virtualized servers mean fewer machines are needed, lowering hardware waste and improving efficiency.

Large providers use advanced cooling systems and renewable energy, achieving high energy efficiency and a reduced carbon footprint.

Data centres consume vast amounts of electricity and water.

As demand grows, so do the environmental costs.

The environmental benefits of cloud computing depend on renewable energy being used.

In areas where electricity comes from polluting sources, the carbon savings from using the cloud are much lower.

According to 2020/25 data from the International Energy Agency, IEA, data centres currently use about 1% to 1.

5% of global electricity.

The IEA projects that this share could double to around 3% by 2030, largely due to the increasing demand for AI and digital services.

Time to check your understanding.

Which of these is a benefit of storing your files in the cloud? A, never having to pay for storage; B, often includes a backup system for your files; or C, gain complete control over where your data is located worldwide.

Pause your video here while you think about your answer.

Did you select B? Well done.

Cloud services often include a backup system for.

Okay, we are moving on to the second task of today's lesson, task B.

For part one, I'd like you to describe two benefits and two drawbacks of using software as a service, SaaS.

For part two, I'd like you to describe two benefits and two drawbacks of using cloud storage.

Pause the video whilst you complete the task.

How did you get on? Did you manage to answer the questions? Well done.

Let's have a look at a sample answer together.

Remember, you can compare your answer to these sample answers.

For part one, you were asked to describe two benefits and two drawbacks of using software as a service.

Here are some benefits: the software is automatically updated, saved, and backed up by the provider, so you don't have to manage these tasks yourself.

You can access the software from anywhere with an internet connection, and it often has built-in features that make it easy to share your work with others.

Some drawbacks: you need to be connected to the internet to access and use the software.

Your data is stored by the provider, potentially in other countries with different data protection laws, so you have less direct control over it.

Did you have any different benefits or drawbacks? Perhaps you could pause your video and share these with somebody.

Part two, you were asked to describe two benefits and two drawbacks of using cloud storage.

The benefits: Cloud storage providers typically have their own robust backup systems, and your data can be backed up automatically, protecting your files.

You can often get a small amount of storage for free, and it can save you money on maintaining local backup systems. Drawbacks: As your storage needs grow, you may have to pay a larger fee.

Your data is stored by a third party, which means you have less direct control over where and how it is managed, especially if it's stored in a country with different laws.

Did you have any different benefits or drawbacks? Again, maybe you could pause the video here and share them with somebody.

Remember, if you need to pause the video here and make any corrections to your answers, you can do that now.

Okay, we've come to the end of today's lesson, "Hosting Services," and you've done a fantastic job, so well done.

Let's summarise what we've learned together in this lesson.

Servers and clients are key in hosting a wide range of services across the internet.

The cloud uses these capabilities by providing flexible services for both storage and software as a service.

I hope you've enjoyed today's lesson, and I hope you'll join me soon.

Bye.