Currently we host with Rackspace, and we are upgrading our systems substantially. The problem we are running into with Rackspace is the expense of their systems.

Our setup currently is 1 large db server (scsi raid, the works) and 2 smaller webservers, and load balancer. I am looking into expanding this, and I would like to know if there are comperable companies out there for less. Jupiter hosting has been reccomended, but anymore suggestions would be great.

One thing nice about rackspace is the 100% uptime. I really don't want anything less.

Thanks,

John

Try EV1 http://www.ev1servers.net/hosting/load_balanced.asp You can also get a high-end SCSI+RAID box for your DB from them (see under Dedicated servers).

Do you have a budget for your setup? There are quite a few companies which can cater for your needs at a much lower price than rackspace :) I would recommend looking into one of the smaller more specialised hosts.

Drop www.data393.com a line, they're a great provider for managed hosting, just like RackSpace.

I am sure ISPrime.com can help you out and they are true managed company as well
You can also drop an email to phatservers.net,their support response time is great

I actually ditched rackspace to try ev1's load balancing myself ---- bad experience.

Rackspace costs more... they provide more, do more, and are better.

Ev1 was irresponsible, slow, and didnt give us what we paid for.

You get what you pay for, rackspace will always be superior.

Sure,you cant compare EV1 which si unmanaged with Rackspace which is managed and cost times more
Comperable companies are ISPrime.com,Natnet.net,Jupiterhosting.com,all of them cost less than Rackspace but i dont the service is worser with them..

Rackspace may be more expensive, but if you want full support, you could argue that you get what you pay for. If you feel you can do it all yourself, then pay for discount dedicated hosting such as EV1, ServerBeach, ServerMatrix, etc.

Yes but who said that ISPrime.com,Natnet.net,Jupiterhosting.com are worser ?
Up to know they were doing everything i needed with no problem,i cant imagine what else they could do for additional $$

check out and consider:

datapipe.com
servint.com
superbenterprise.net

Four years ago, I started with RackSpace. I was unhappy with a single issue and decided to move elsewhere. Over the course of the next 2 years, I went through 8 different hosting companies, spending a small fortune in expenses and setup cost. I’ve now used RackSpace for almost two years. Today we will not go elsewhere. They are the best at what they do and I can assure anyone, if you go elsewhere, you will almost certainly be in the same situation. Rackspace knows their clients, they offer amazing support and they are always up. Something so many promise but few deliver.

If Rackspace is taking good care of you stay there, why rock the boat?

If you move wear a lifejacket! :)

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Four years ago, I started with RackSpace. I was unhappy with a single issue and decided to move elsewhere. Over the course of the next 2 years, I went through 8 different hosting companies, spending a small fortune in expenses and setup cost. I’ve now used RackSpace for almost two years. Today we will not go elsewhere. They are the best at what they do and I can assure anyone, if you go elsewhere, you will almost certainly be in the same situation. Rackspace knows their clients, they offer amazing support and they are always up. Something so many promise but few deliver.

Can you please give us an example as of what kind of issues and how fast they are solving them ?
For example can you ask them to install third party scripts ?

I'd agree with Namesniper... try the big guys like Nat-Net or ISPrime.

Before you move you should ask yourself: "How much money will my business lose, if my server is down?"

It might be better to try to renegotiate the price with rackspace before risking a move from a place that is taking good care of you

they offer amazing support and they are always up

I would hardly call rackspace support "amazing". They're so far behind things that it's not funny. I've run into more than one server there that's rh9 or 8, and their enterprise servers at RHEL2 .
Not to mention the fact that if you want a control panel, you've got to go outside of their DC to get licensed for anything decent, as all they support is Plesk.

I had a couple servers with them around 2000, and cancelled those because they kept shutting them down to "upgrade" stuff that I'd already done, ignoring the fact that I said I had already kept things done.

Personally, I'd say you can find much better. EV1 is allright, but prepare for problems, lots and lots of problems (and I'm not even talking about "management" there). In the past week, I've seen quite a few problems with clients and ev1 servers, usually just after setting up. They've just got to get things together over there.