Hi,

I emailed a web host that i am considering signing up with wondering how many users per server they have. I got this in the response:

On most of our machines there are about 500 users. However, the hardware is
quite powerful (Compaq 2.8GHz), and in some cases we put less than 500
users, to ensure maximum server stability.

So I am wondering what you think about this? Is 500 users per machine average? Or are they way overloaded?

Thanks

It depends on how much space/resources each user is allocated. But in most cases, I believe that many customers, or even domains for that matter is a bit too much.

Maybe they are maybe they aren't what is their lowest plan in bandwith and space?

That would completely depend on the size of those 500 accounts. Perhaps you could ask them what the average server loads are? If the information they give you is accurate that may give you a better idea of how much of the server's resources are being utilized.

I'ts icdsoft.com , 333mb space 5 gigs transfer per month.

The main reason im considering them is because their support has been really good so far. With every question i email them with i always get a response in less than 10 minutes.

That probably were referring to the amount of domains they allow on the server, not the amount of clients. But I would definitely ask them to clarify.

Alright, i just sent them another email asking what the average server load is on the US servers, and to clarify if that was domains per server or clients. Thanks for the quick reply's guys. :)

No Problem The Cheat. That's what were here for. :)

Alright guys heres the scoop. I just got my replies a few mins ago..

The reply to clarify if it was clients or domains:
This is the amount of hosting accounts that can reside on one server. Each hosting account can have many domains, but must all point to the same website.

And about the average server load on the us servers:
Unfortunately, the support staff cannot answer this questions, since we do not have privileges to look at the server load (only the root user can). If you wish, we can direct it to our system administrators, but it will be answered within 1 business day (not instantly). Please advise.
I asked him to direct it over to the system admins...

Another concern i have is that the servers are compaq.... I mean, i wouldn't buy a compaq computer if my life depended on it... It does say that they are p4's with 2 gigs of DDR ram in them though... I dunno what do you guys think about that?

Root isn't the only person who can see server load. IMO, avoid this host at all costs. They are deadbeats :(

I base this simply because they are overselling and probably overloading their servers. Also lying to you about the server load issue. IMO, 1 lie = never signup.

Originally posted by Asverse
Root isn't the only person who can see server load. IMO, avoid this host at all costs. They are deadbeats :(

I base this simply because they are overselling and probably overloading their servers. Also lying to you about the server load issue. IMO, 1 lie = never signup.

How do you know they are lying? You have no proof they can't view the server load.

Read that:

Unfortunately, the support staff cannot answer this questions, since we do not have privileges to look at the server load (only the root user can). If you wish, we can direct it to our system administrators, but it will be answered within 1 business day (not instantly). Please advise.


The root user isn't the only user who can view uptime. Any user can view that.

Originally posted by Asverse
Read that:


The root user isn't the only user who can view uptime. Any user can view that.

And that's assuming the support staff have an account on the machine. It could just be a 1st level support tech who answers only the simple questions which don't require any sort of access to the machine.

I have to agree with dbbrock1, if they're only front line staff they may not have access to the server(s) - that'd make sense.

Also, they're not overselling by the looks of things.

Asverse, you need to at least do some preliminary research before making accusations like that. It just lowers your credibility.

Kevin

Hi guys. So i sent an email to support asking them to direct my question to the system administrators. Shortly after that i recieved this email:
Hello,

We have forwarded your email to our system administrators. You will receive
a reply from them soon.

Now a little while later i have this email:
Hello,

Here is the reply from our system administrators:

The average load on our servers is 0.10-0.15, and reaches up to 1.5 in pique
moments (when too many users are updating their databases simultaneously).

So what do you all think?

That server load is low.

As for the amount of accounts on the server. It may not be that many. Although they are setting a fixed number 200 of those sites could be one page sites (basically a brochure site). And they might not receive very much traffic at all basically sitting there all day. You could probably have twice that amount if the sites are not used very much. Or you could have one very busy site which will slow the entire server.

You see, it does not necessarily depend on the fixed amount of sites but what those sites are doing. And server load can tell you a bit about what is happening, but realistically until your site is running on the server and you check it over a period of time you will not be able to see how the server performs.

I did do my research Kevin. Read their site:

Q What is the configuration of your servers?
A Here is a range of typical configuration of our servers:
Pentium 4, 1.8Ghz / 2.0 Ghz
1024 / 1536 MB DDR RAM
36 GB SCSI IBM / 73GB SCSI HDD Seagate


500 sites with 333mb space each is about ~163 gigs. Which is not going to fit on those hard drives. Which means, they are overselling. Simple as that.

I'd refer back to the original post - the hardware the poster specified is a higher specification to that of what their web site states.

With this in mind it's hard to come to any firm conclusions, but from my experience in viewing traditional overselling companies I would stick by my view that they are not overselling.

The Cheat, judging by their support response times they are a serious company who are geared towards offering excellent customer support. This raises my perception in them immeasurably. If they can afford support staff to answer requests within minutes they most certainly aren't overselling.

Kevin

[EDIT] Reading back it is 333mb disk space, nto transfer.

H-U.net : I am talking about the hard drive says. That has nothing to do with the processor. He didn't post their hard drive size. They are overselling simply by what they stated.

Spingen: Sorry, I meant space, not transfer. Fixed

Sounds like a decent host to me. :)

So it's not possible that they haven't updated their technical specification page? Come on, if they have upgraded their processor there's a high chance HDDs have been upgraded too. 73GB is tiny nowadays.

Bear in mind that they may have 2 HDDs running too - I'm more than confident that a 2.8GHZ processor could handle this without issue.

Something to think about maybe.

Kevin

But my comments are based on facts, not possibilities. If they careless enough to avoid updating the content of their site, then they don't deserve my business.

Sure it's possible they are using larger hard drives, but it's not a fact. What is listed on their site is a fact.

Either way, even if these were only 1mb accounts, 500 accounts (or domains) on a single server is pushing it.

Unfortunately for both of us we are not privy to the actual facts.

You have your ideas, I have mine. I've just read their specifications page and they only call that a "typical configuration" which is not the same spec as the original poster reported.

Again, unfortunately for us, the poster didn't specify whether sites loaded onto a server were "typically 500" so we can only argue about this moot point.

500 accounts or domains on a single server may not be pushing it - but that's been covered on these forums far too many times now. I personally wouldn't feel comfortable with that amount per se, however if all of our clients used static HTML I'd be more than happy to have 500 accounts based on a server.

I quite like the look of them, no alarm bells ringing in my mind here.

Kevin

Do they offer a 30 day money back guarentee? If so, give them a try. If the server is slow, then they have too many sites on it. If it runs fine then they don't. Simple as that.

They aren't overselling because they can stick in an extra drive or 2 anyway. Also, you sound like you don't know much about servers in general as that server they talked about can handle 500 domain easily if they watch resource abuse, cap mysql connections per user etc. But you continue on your little dance. I actually pity the host that ends up with you as a customer.

Very well put.

Originally posted by NexDog
They aren't overselling because they can stick in an extra drive or 2 anyway. Also, you sound like you don't know much about servers in general as that server they talked about can handle 500 domain easily if they watch resource abuse, cap mysql connections per user etc. But you continue on your little dance. I actually pity the host that ends up with you as a customer.

Hey all, this is a message i sent to support:
Hi, i have a question...

here http://suresupport.com/faq.php?catid=38&faqid=92 it says:
"Here is a range of typical configuration of our servers: Pentium 4, 1.8Ghz / 2.0 Ghz 1024 / 1536 MB DDR RAM 36 GB SCSI IBM / 73GB SCSI HDD Seagate"

And here http://icdsoft.com/hosting.php (click on "Super Fast Servers!") it says:
"Our new ultrafast servers are equipped with P4 2.66GHz CPU's and 2GB DDR"

And you said:
"On most of our machines there are about 500 users. However, the hardware is quite powerful (Compaq 2.8GHz), and in some cases we put less than 500 users, to ensure maximum server stability."

So im a little confused, which is it?

Thanks

And this is the reply i recieved:
Hello,

Please excuse me for the typo. I meant 2.7 GHz. This is the configuration of all servers in our US data center.

The FAQ information is a little outdated, thank you for bringing this to our attention. We will make sure to update it as soon as possible.
I'd say this is a good sign :)

The y sound great and I love their site too. :)

What is pique?

Originally posted by The Cheat
Hello,

Please excuse me for the typo. I meant 2.7 GHz. This is the configuration of all servers in our US data center.

The FAQ information is a little outdated, thank you for bringing this to our attention. We will make sure to update it as soon as possible.


sorry but did Intel ever lanuch a P4 - 2.7 Ghz processor?

2.66Ghz

Originally posted by MN-Robert
What is pique?


pi·qué ( P ) Pronunciation Key (p-k, p-)
n.
A tightly woven fabric with various raised patterns, produced especially by a double warp.
REF: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=pique

:rolleyes:

i think he was shooting for "peak," given the context of usage

A few webhosts, such as PowWeb did cap mySQL connections. The quota they set it at did cause some mboards to go down until it reset the next hour.

Originally posted by NexDog
They aren't overselling because they can stick in an extra drive or 2 anyway. Also, you sound like you don't know much about servers in general as that server they talked about can handle 500 domain easily if they watch resource abuse, cap mysql connections per user etc.