Squirrels and nuts!?

That’s what I thought the first time I heard the phrase SQL server web hosting.  A lot can be said about SQL server web hosting but one thing is for sure.  When you see the coding behind SQL for the first time, you’ll think it is a little squirrely.  That being said, SQL server web hosting is a very powerful tool essential for most web sites and businesses.  Almost all of the major websites and search engines use SQL server hosting in one way or another. 

So what is SQL server web hosting anyway?  Well, to answer that, we must first define SQL Server.  SQL server is a powerful database that’s used to store and retrieve important data.  If you’ve ever used or worked with Microsoft Access,SQL server web hosting is similar only it is much more powerful.  SQL Server stores data such as passwords, user names, and products in tables.  Tables are linked together by a common key such as a product ID number or customer name.  Data is retrieved by using queries that link the data in the tables.  For example, suppose you want to know how many products and what type of products John Doe purchased in the last year.  A query can be built that will retrieve this information from SQL server. 

So how does the data get into the tables in SQL server you ask?  It’s simple and it’s what makes SQL server web hosting so powerful.  You don’t have to hire anyone to do data entry or anything like that.  Your customers or visitors to your website input the data directly into SQL server when they fill out the necessary forms on your website.   Think about that the next time you fill out your information to sign up for a blog or purchase something on the internet.  Your data goes into SQL server and is stored for as long as the owner wants.

Now, we can answer the original question. SQL server web hosting is a database that is accessed by a script installed on your web server. These scripts may be written in perl or php. You can write such scripts yourself or install ready-to-go solutions which you only configure to suit your needs. Often your web hosting company will provide such scripts preinstalled.

Most web hosting companies offer some sort of SQL server web hosting but you will need to make sure the features meet your needs. We have included our rankings of best overall SQL server web hosting companies in the table below.