I'm a newbie and I need come advice from you for starting my little hosting business.

I've windows dedicated server with Plesk.. then i've to choose for billing system but i don't understand some simple concept. When i will need new servers.. how billing system and plesk works? There will be a centralized server that manage others? I've to install plesk and billing system over all servers?
Is there a tutorial about this?

Tnx

you need new servers when your current ones start to become overloaded. theirs no hard number to use. for billing and plesk, well what billing software are you using?

I'd reccomend getting a reseller account and how to use it before trying sell web hosting. With a reseller account, if you use it enough, you should be able to answer ALL those questions in 2 to 3 months depending how much you work at it.

Yes as AgaBoogaBoo said, start with a reseller account and after a while, then move to your own server.

I would go with your own server right off the bat as long as you are very motivated and think you will be able to sell enough accoutns to pay for it within the first 30-90 days. A reseller account may be cheaper but then you have the job of migrating all those customers over right after you sign them up.

Again, If you are very motivated... Hosting is not a sit back and watch them signup type of business. It's a nitch.. hit the pavement type business now days...

joekushner i've to choose one. All billing control panel manage more servers?

btw.. I want to try with my own server, i'm a system admin and i can admin my server well but i've some question yet :)
In my country there isn't too many competitions in web hosting business.. i can try. I have time to spend :)

Originally posted by Agente
I'm a newbie and I need come advice from you for starting my little hosting business.

I've windows dedicated server with Plesk.. then i've to choose for billing system but i don't understand some simple concept. When i will need new servers.. how billing system and plesk works? There will be a centralized server that manage others? I've to install plesk and billing system over all servers?
Is there a tutorial about this?

Tnx

Advice: cancel your new server, spend 4 months researching the industry, learn the market and understand how to operate a server. You cannot start any business without proper planning, and it's evident you've done none.

Originally posted by Agente
joekushner i've to choose one. All billing control panel manage more servers?

btw.. I want to try with my own server, i'm a system admin and i can admin my server well but i've some question yet :)
In my country there isn't too many competitions in web hosting business.. i can try. I have time to spend :)

Even then, WHY make things more complicated and expensive?

If there isn't much competition, you don't need a dedicated server. Just grab a nice reseller account and start learning. As you get customers, decide if you even need a dedicated server.

No point spending the $200+/month without first having a customer. Many companies fail because they don't get customers even if they have the BEST setup in the world. You NEED customers, get them!

i should be very idiot to buy a server only for provide web hosting now, you are right i'm not ready. But I've bought this server only for my sites and my business.
I've free space.. and bandwitch to use.. and so I want to set up a test platform for web hosting only for study now.

Originally posted by Agente
i should be very idiot to buy a server only for provide web hosting now, you are right i'm not ready. But I've bought this server only for my sites and my business.
I've free space.. and bandwitch to use.. and so I want to set up a test platform for web hosting only for study now.

Even on that case, a reseller account would fit.
I see reseller accounts up to 10GB, 100GB Traffic. This is sufficient to host a lot of sites.

Most of our servers do not spend 100GB traffic with 500 domains in it :)

Tnx for advice but I really want to set up all on my server ;)

Just trying to save you some bucks ;)
If you want the control of a dedicated server you can also go VPS :)

You've been given the correct advice IMHO. Start with a reseller and then move up if you need to.

To answer your questions... You will need Plesk running on each server.
You will need the billing software on a single server only, unless you want it to automatically create accounts as people sign up (in which case, I think it depends on which billing software you use, but you should consider you'll need a copy on each server if you're working out how much it'll cost to set up youur business).

Get a decent billing system like www.modernbill.com and it will setup accounts on any number of servers.

Even a cheap one like www.whoiscart.net will.

AccountLab is free and I love it.

i'd recommend whm auto pilot. free first month, second month only $1 and then usual $19.95 ..:)

but i've plesk.. :(