Hello,

I ve been searching this forum for weeks trying to decide what host to use in setting up a web hosting company. I am have concerns about getting in over my head.
it seems alabanza offers me the best way to avoid excessive tech support while di appears to offer better prices and better tech support for admins.

any thoughts? this is a career change so the advice is appreciated.

thanks

If I were you I would rather go with http://www.VDI.net than http://www.Alabanza.com if you are looking for a complete solution. http://www.Hostopia.com is alright to but seems limited. If you can afford to get a control panel I would get a dedicated server from http://www.Rackspace.com or http://www.dedicatedHosting.com. So if you plan on switching providers your customers they wont be pissed about the different control panel that they will have to use because you can take your panel with you no matter were you go.

I think VDI is the way to go. alabanza is just too expensive. You get to use their control panel, and by the time you grow, you can afford to get your own control panel which you can take with you anywhere when the time comes...

check with Ultraspeed http://www.ultraspeedusa.com they have a great promotion now for a PIII 700 ...

Very recommended ;-)

CRego3D
thanks for the info, cant seem to find pricing structures for ultrspeed? i emailed 'em

After multiple phone calls to different services it seems raqspace offers best babysitting for newbies. tech support by phone 24/7

others not quite so sure about......

any thoughts from the forum.

thanks

miami_g:

Yeah, indeed Ultraspeed could use a site makeover, but don't let that stop you, they will help you allot, I got a server with them, even trought I already had one with ALabanza, and planning to move all my business over ;-)

We have several servers with Ultraspeed and are VERY happy. We got one of the latest PIII 700's and I think that we will ultimately be moving from Alabanza to that server.

You could go just about anywhere and just get the plesk control panel installed, so its more of a issue of who provides the best services, just do a search in here.

miami_g,

I am have concerns about getting in over my head.

Have you thought about starting out as a reseller? I'm not sure how much you know about running a server, but starting out as a reseller would allow you to run a hosting company without having to worry about the admin part. You could learn the other aspects of hosting (customer support, billing, etc) as a reseller, then when you feel you are ready for a dedicated server, you will have the customer base to pay for it. Just a suggestion.

Best of luck,

We host with Alabanza. We like it because of the incredible 192 manual they provide for me to give to clients on how to use their control panel. I'd say their support is average. Their prices are higher than most but the products is very good. When we started out, we weren't the most technically estute people, and their system automation helped us stay ahead of the curve. On the negative site, don't believe everything you hear from your sales rep about growth projections.

In short: I'd buy from them again.

We will do everything possible to not buy another Ala server.
I have tried to contact VDI by email and never get a reply.

Sure they (Ala) will add the price to the cp license and then get rid of some staff, have bad support, get a bad reputation for their servers, then some of the small companies will go away like crumbs on their shirt.
Then they will probably sell off their servers/noc to someone and just sell DSM/CP software in a box instead. More money, less overhead. Sounds like a plan to me. Looks to me like they don't want to be in the server business anymore.

Tell me uptime this, support that, look at this link: http://www.alabanza.com/tsupport.html , I guess that policy changed too. Bait and switch?
Not my business!

If someone from VDI is here, give me a shout. I need some servers. macoleman@netlane.com

Sorry if this does not fit 100% in the thread, but it is sorta relavent.