SSH, or Secure Shell, is a network protocol that is used to connect to a web server and perform different tasks using a command line. The protocol is preferred by many skilled users, because the data transmitted over it is encrypted, so it may not be intercepted on the way by a 3rd party. SSH access can be employed for a number of things depending on the type of Internet hosting account. With a shared hosting account, for example, SSH is one of the ways to import/export a database or to upload a file in case the web server permits it. If you have a virtual or a dedicated server, SSH can be used for pretty much anything - you could install software or restart certain services including the web server or the database server that run on the machine. SSH is employed largely with UNIX-like Platforms, but there are clients that permit you to employ the protocol if your laptop or computer is using a different OS as well. The connection is made on TCP port 22 by default and the remote web server always listens for incoming connections on that port even though many providers change it for security reasons.