- Datacentre should be NAC
- It should use cpanel and whm

What else are questions I should ask a host when inquiring about a reseller account... in order to determine if they are a good host?

(I originally posted this in the main forum, but then realized I should have posted it here)

Ask them for Server IPs to ping, talk to them about their uptime. Ask for proof :D , client testimonials, how do they deal with downtime, their payment system etc etc :D


Warm Regards,

There are other good datacenters besides NAC

What else? I feel like there is some technical things I am missing and I will make a bad decision because I dont know them...

Um.. Server Configurations ? RAM ? 2nd drive for backup ?

Many other datacenters besides NAC, don't limit yourself to them.

Customer service IMO is the number one thing you should look for. Uptime is defintely important (preferably past stats, not just guarantees). Run a search for the company name on this forum...are there many problems? If so, read the responses from the company--are they up to par? Also take into consideration that many hosts don't have a lot of clients that visit here, thus they may be mentioned very little or not at all.

Technical things: Do they monitor their servers? If so, at what intervals and what services? What happens if one goes down? How do you contact someone in case of an emergency?

If you are looking for what questions to ask. You can find a good list of presale questions here:

http://httpme.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=9

^ httpme seems to be the best one, correct? They have the best reputation.

Yes, but a good reputation and great service isn't always the end of your search. Make sure that the company that you choose fits in with your business plan. Every good hosting reseller has a few restrictions that are imposed to help with reliability and uptime on the servers.

Become familiar with the pros and cons of each company that you choose before signing up.

Some other good DCs you should ask about - ThePlanet and Atjeu.

-Josh

Originally posted by MainAreaJosh
Some other good DCs you should ask about - ThePlanet and Atjeu.

Josh, you're the man! :D Right on the DOT

Staminus.Net Great Customer support =)

HE.NET bandwidth is also great, I use it and it's been great for me. Blazing speeds all around the US and also to western Canada as well! I'd recommend that if you're looking for west coast.

I'd say the main thing that makes a good reseller is HONESTY. I recommended that to a few of my past resellers and it worked perfectly. Honesty is truely the best thing.

Along with what they offer, in terms of server-side tools, the reseller provider should be good at communicating with their clients and their resellers.

If a reseller provider doesn't offer all the bells and whistles you want, you may **may** be able to negotiate for a different setup. Maybe (it depends on the reseller provider, what they are willing / able to support, and how much extra you might be willing to pay.) But if they don't communicate with you regarding service changes, network fluctuations, server problems, and so forth, you could run into problems.

EasySite has some good points. Make a plan for what you want to offer. Then, go find a host that will either fit into your business plans, or work within them. For some things, you may find that a reseller provider doesn't fit exactly; but if they provide you with good communication, much can be overlooked. Reselling is not necessarily a turnkey solution. You've got the business aspects down pat (in another thread you mentioned that you were graduating in May with a business degree - congrats, BTW), but you're still in the learning zone as far as the technical aspects are concerned. Find a reseller provider that:

1) communicates well
2) provides for growth of your business
3) compliments your skillset
4) if at all possible, provides a good learning experience / platform. You are, in a sense, part of their salesforce. It's in their best interests for you to be knowledgeable about the business...which includes the technical aspects.

Good communication can help you learn what goes on, where, when, and why (and for how many cookies). I'm not saying that they should hold your hand - they're managing their own business, and they've probably got LOTS of other resellers and clients who need looking after as well. But again, it all goes back to good communication.

The 2) would be more than enough, don't you think so?

^