After reading all of the glowing praise heaped upon SM, we decided to take the plunge and lease a SS 2.8 (with a second 80GB drive free). In the setup notes we requested a basic config (details below). Setup was quick, completed in less than 24 hours. Great stuff, right?

Well, although the tech(s) stated they were able to install all of the software we asked for (admittedly a simple build of Apache 2.0.x, mySQL 4.0.x and PHP 4.3.x), upon SSH'ing to the box we found that Apache refused to start up. It hadn't been tested.

No problem, put in a ticket. It was responded to within a couple of hours, and this time Apache worked.

I then ran a phpinfo() and noticed that mySQL support hadn't been installed for PHP. mySQL, BTW, was installed and working perfectly.

Another ticket. This time it took overnight, but it was "fixed". phpinfo() reported the proper mySQL support.

Strangely enough, in the interim, mySQL was removed. Yup, now I have mySQL support in PHP, but no database server.

Another ticket.

Three days later, things are still not resolved. I've called the support center a couple of times and have been told that my ticket was heading for the "top of the heap", but there's still no resolution. The worst part is that the issue(s) are not due to my noodling with the server -- I'm still trying to get an initial build running!

Is THIS what passes for the "superb support" I've read about on WHT? Or am I unique in my experience?

-Me

Apparently you didn't do enough homework.. Do a search and you will see they have been having issues with support.

http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=240303

Just keep calling, I have 7 servers in the planet that is the only way to get stuff done fast!

The support number is 1800-854-7679

With 7 servers you have to call a lot to speed up the tickets.

You would be best to just set that stuff up your self.

Crap. Well, I'm on hold with them as I type this. If nothing gets fixed in the next couple of hours, I'm better off just scrapping SM and going somewhere decent. Any suggestions?

-Me

Tell them Mat sent you lol. I bitch for everything.

We have several servers with them and we do agree that their ticket support is slow; however when you call them...their techs resolve the probs on the phone itself. I would recommend you call them and wait till they finish solving the problem for you.

Good Luck

If they say they will call you back say NO. Stay on the line. Ask For troy or james.

Originally posted by Serverway
Tell them Mat sent you lol. I bitch for everything.

Bloody hell! I just got off the phone with them before reading this :)

They said they'd pull a tier-2 out of a meeting to fix this issue; hopefully this will fix things!

-Me again

DONT LET THEM!!!! MAKE THEM DO IT!!! I waz left wating 3 hours for one of them.

Originally posted by Serverway
If they say they will call you back say NO. Stay on the line. Ask For troy or james.

Yes Troy and James are great. I count my blessings when they answer the phone cause I know the problem will be fixed.

Maybe they can clone em!

Ok! It's up and running. The last time I called into the call center seems to have done it.

I still had to run chkconfig as well as add an entry in rc.local so mysqld would start at boot, but all is running now. :)

Thanks for all the advice, folks!

-Me

Even Karen and Steve are great techs :D

On a similar note (although this is probably the wrong place for it!) Does anyone know if the "default installation" of Apache 2 supports the ForceType directive in .htaccess?

I'm having a hell of a time getting it to work (it just seems to be ignoring it), and am waiting for SM support to look at it...

Thanks again!

-Me

Aren't they unmanaged servers? :confused:

Depends what level of management level you purchase.

Derrick

Originally posted by Derrick
Depends what level of management level you purchase.

Derrick

these are unmanaged, but they did install Apache 2, mySQL 4 and php 4.3.x for us. They DID say that Apache was "unconfigured", so I'm wondering if I missed something in the config? :confused:

-Me

Okay so let me get this straight. You purchased entirely unmanaged servers from SM. Then you are basically having them do everything for you (configure apache/mysql/etc.) and your complaining because it is not fast enough for you. Buddy they should be charging you to do this and you should be thanking them instead of bashing them! This is going above and beyond their call of duty and I think you owe them a severe apology.

This is whats wrong with the dedicated community people not only want the server but they expect dedicated server companies to fix everything for them for such a cheap price.

Originally posted by dk2
Okay so let me get this straight. You purchased entirely unmanaged servers from SM. Then you are basically having them do everything for you (configure apache/mysql/etc.) and your complaining because it is not fast enough for you. Buddy they should be charging you to do this and you should be thanking them instead of bashing them! This is going above and beyond their call of duty and I think you owe them a severe apology.

This is whats wrong with the dedicated community people not only want the server but they expect dedicated server companies to fix everything for them for such a cheap price.

I would normally agree with you, BUT when I purchased the server, I asked them to install a small set of software (again, Apache, mySQL, PHP). NO mention of it "not being part of the service" or "it may not work as advertised" or "best effort" was made. They agreed to install it and "make it work".

Yes, it's great that they're doing this. I DO appreciate the efforts being made (which I've made very clear to the folks on the end of the phone and the support ticket emails). However, if they commit to something, I think it's fair to expect that it's tested & working. If that's asking too much, they should have said "sorry, we'll install the O/S and leave the rest to you". Either that, or charge me -- no problem, but believe you me, if I'm going to be charged for the service, they'd best be more responsive -- and the installed services better be tested!

In short, they've given good FREE service. I can't say I'd pay for what I've experienced, though.

-Me

...actually, checking the "Silver" service level (which we have with the SS2.8), it includes:

"From our systems, we can monitor your server to ensure that services such as FTP, HTTP, SSH and others are not only answering, but also responding as expected."

My read of this is that my requests have been within the bounds of the above statement. As such, I don't think I'm going out of the bounds of this "Silver" agreement...

-Me

Okay so let me get this straight.

Servermatrix's install of Red Hat on their low-end server does not include apache, mysql, or php? Or am I missing something obvious in the original post.

I have had (and still do have) unmanaged RedHat servers elsewhere and the install always included apache, mysql, and php. I have not installed Enterprise but in the RedHat installs I have done it is just a check-mark to install these items, not a separate act.

Was a special build/version requisted?

I am considering the ServerMatrix low-end for a graduate student. I do not consider an installation complete without these modules, managed or unmanaged (my opinion),

Please straighten me out. I need to know. I would ask them but I need to know what I am overlooking in this thread. I need an educaiton. Sock it to me.

Actually monitoring means that they would hook you up to their automated monitoring system which would ping the services and if it does not come with a response would email you about it. It did not however said anything about them configuring them for you. Yes, they will install basic applications but will not configure them or ensure it works for you as what they mentioned in their confirmation email that services installed would be unconfigured and thus would come with just the basic install.

Originally posted by eddy2099
Actually monitoring means that they would hook you up to their automated monitoring system which would ping the services and if it does not come with a response would email you about it. It did not however said anything about them configuring them for you. Yes, they will install basic applications but will not configure them or ensure it works for you as what they mentioned in their confirmation email that services installed would be unconfigured and thus would come with just the basic install.

... which is fine, as long as they actually start up and are actually installed. Apache wouldn't start up, mysqld wasn't installed and PHP was missing a module. The past four days have been spent trying to get this base config running. Again, I'm impressed that I can get through to a real person on the support phone line, and that they do respond to the support tickets, but it has taken some time to even get this basic configuration running.

BTW, I can't comment as to if a SM package does or doesn't include these three packages as part of the default build, as I requested these three when I signed up for the service.

-Me

Yup, they will basically just install the basic set up from source but they will not make any attempt to ensure it is configured to work unless of course you opt for the higher managed plans.

But they do go out of their ways at times to provide this paid service for free but there is no guarantee they would do it or obligated to do so.

I had Cpanel installed so that at least I got all those set up and running for me even when I am only hosting 2 personal sites on that machine because I know if I opted for the vanilla plain install, I'll get nothing on it.

Originally posted by eddy2099
Yup, they will basically just install the basic set up from source but they will not make any attempt to ensure it is configured to work unless of course you opt for the higher managed plans.

But they do go out of their ways at times to provide this paid service for free but there is no guarantee they would do it or obligated to do so.

I had Cpanel installed so that at least I got all those set up and running for me even when I am only hosting 2 personal sites on that machine because I know if I opted for the vanilla plain install, I'll get nothing on it.

Well, if it's the case that I wasn't supposed to have any testing etc. done on the installed services, then yes, I must apologize to ServerMatrix; if this is the case then they've gone above and beyond.

-Me

I am so glad you started this thread. My graduate student would have to take half of the remaining term to learn enough to configure and then start his project. And I didn't even think to check, but will know next time.

Ok -- first, I'm giving a big apology to ServerMatrix. Despite some initial wait times in resolving a couple of problems, SM came through with flying colors.

I spoke with the tech folks and they were able to walk me through all but one (minor) issue (that I should be able to figure out myself). Not once did I feel that the SM reps were trying to hurry through the issue and rush me off the line; instead they patiently waited for me to apply their suggestions and always were able to answer my questions. This after I explained that I'm on the Silver support plan! They had no problem helping through an issue that may have been on the edge of Silver / Gold.

I realize my initial rants were overreaction, probably stemming from frustration and for that, I sincerely apologize.

SM has a great group of folks on the tech support line and I will use them for not only this project, but for two future systems that are in planning at this time.

Highly recommended!

-Me