virtual host

networking Most computers on the Internet have a single

Internet address; however, often via special kernel

patches, a given computer can be made to respond to several

IP addresses and provide different services (typically

different Web services) on each. Each of these different IP

addresess (which generally each have their own hostname) act

as if they were distinct hosts on distinct machines, even

though they are actually all one host. Hence, they are

virtual hosts. A common use is when an Internet ServiceProvider "hosts" World-Wide Web or other services for

several of their customers on one computer but giving the

appearence that they are separate servers.

(1997-09-11)