Hi I am pondering the idea of purchasing a raq(or dedicated raq) , and selling less than 100 small hosting accounts (probably less than 50). I want a raq because of the easy web interface etc. What kind of administration options will I have? I tried the demo on cobalt's website. It allows me to specify disk space per account, but what about bandwidth?(monthly transfer) Is this possible to control/monitor?

Is it true that packages can add a lot of features? are packages free?

Thanks
-Eric

Hi,

Cobalt is a lot to talk about. Sometimes they are good, most of the times they are bad....
Usually they are late with critical updates, so people start updating the servers manually.

There are a lot of cobalt specific packages available, pkgmaster.com, cobalt-aid, etc etc.

If you are an experienced linux user? Go with something else like servelinux or something like that

I'm not a very experienced linux user, not to the point where I would have customers on a linux box. So that's why I was looking at Raqs.... I want to keep this small anyway, im not looking for 5000 customers or anything.

Well you can try it then. I recommend a raq550, has better build in features. Saw a new one coming in yesterday looks very promissing. Don't do less than a raq4r, rest of the stuff is old and very low supported.

We use raq4, 4r, 550 (since today) and a servelinux (which is my favorite)

I was thinking of using a raq 3 to keep costs down but as soon as possible, upgrade to 550.


My only problem is How do i monitor bandwidth usage per account?

On the RAQ4 you can easily see how much diskspace and bandwidth is being used.
If you install mod_gzip you'll be able to reduce it on static pages.

Any disadvantages in installing mod_gzip? (CPU load / load pause!)

Originally posted by eric650
Hi I am pondering the idea of purchasing a raq(or dedicated raq) , and selling less than 100 small hosting accounts (probably less than 50). I want a raq because of the easy web interface etc.

Is it true that packages can add a lot of features? are packages free?

Thanks
-Eric

Hey Eric,

A lot of people use the Cobalt Raq to do just what you're considering. The Raq is the ideal platform for somebody "new" to the hosting business.
You will find several people here on WHT that are "linux guru's" and don't like the Cobalt Raq servers. They prefer to compile code, hack, patch, modify, etc.. directly from the UNIX prompt and this probably gives them more control of their server. There's nothing wrong with that if you know how.

If you're not familiar with UNIX or LINUX and the words GREP, CAT, or MAN mean little to you..... Then rent a dedicated Cobalt Raq from a provider that will "hold your hand" until you get up and on your feet.

yep thanks raq4less that's why Im looking at your site :)

@blacknight:


On the RAQ4 you can easily see how much diskspace and bandwidth is being used.


does it display per account or just total? I need to monitor bandwidth per account to effectively limit my customers to what they paid for.

does it display per account or just total? I need to monitor bandwidth per account to effectively limit my customers to what they paid for. [/B]
Both. I think I saw a hack or addon somwhere that would allow you to restrict users to the alloted bandwidth. Diskspace is obviously a lot easier to control

Originally posted by eric650
yep thanks raq4less that's why Im looking at your site :)

@blacknight:

does it display per account or just total? I need to monitor bandwidth per account to effectively limit my customers to what they paid for.

I've heard people use MRTG to monitor virtual sites. MRTG can be customized to monitor and Graph about anything. (even the water temperature in a Toilet tank).

I'm no expert in MRTG setup, but I do have some contacts that are.

http://forum.rackshack.net/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=1 you should bookmark this url too, and use the search funktion if you run into troubles, there are also few excellent HOW-TO for dummies ( very easy to follow)

Thanks angel, I will look into it :)

I will also look into this MRTG thing

sounds great

Originally posted by eric650

I will also look into this MRTG thing

I just ran across this Package that might do what you are requesting. Traffic Monitor (http://www.raqtweak.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=25&products_id=51)

Probably worth checking into.....

Thanks, that is indeed what I am looking for. If I were to order a bronze/silver (raq 3) from you, would this work because your raq 3's have the raq4 OS?

Hey, I just came accross this program:

http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Network_and_Internet/Web_Server_Statistics_Tools/Xenon_Cobalt_RaQ_Server_Monitor.html

It costs only $25 and is run from your windows based computer. What that means is...the cobalt raq already has the information, this program only downloads that and parses through it I guess. Since I don't own a raq yet, I can't try it out, but there is a free trial so if someone wants to try it, report how it works, and let us know, that would be great :P

This is getting better and better, this program is easy to replicate, I plan on writing my own and possibly distributing it for free if there is enough interest. It just looks at the bytes transferred for each site, and compares that with its last check.

Originally posted by eric650
Thanks, that is indeed what I am looking for. If I were to order a bronze/silver (raq 3) from you, would this work because your raq 3's have the raq4 OS?

Yes it should work since it claims to be designed for the raq 4.

Just a note, The difference between the Raq 3 hardware and the Raq 4 hardware is only the CPU and the motherboard BIOS. The BIOS is hardcoded to run the CPU at 300mhz (Even if it is a 450mhz CPU). We have some of our Raq3 servers that have 450mhz AMD CPU's inside of them, the Raq3 simply runs them at the slower clock speed of 300mhz.

Originally posted by eric650
Hey, I just came accross this program:

[url]Since I don't own a raq yet, I can't try it out, but there is a free trial so if someone wants to try it, report how it works, and let us know, that would be great :P

I will do this for you and post how it does here.

actually don't waste your time, i got it working on the cobalt demo page :)

Im going to write my own program though, I see no reason to spend $25 when I dont have to :)

Originally posted by eric650
actually don't waste your time, i got it working on the cobalt demo page :)

Im going to write my own program though, I see no reason to spend $25 when I dont have to :)

I went ahead and reviewed the software anyway. You are fortunate that you are able to code a similiar or Better software package. Most of the users here on WHT aren't programmers.

You are onto a profitable idea here. You should start a dialog of "What features do you need" and get input from others as you design this application. With proper marketing of your software, you'll rake in some cash with this project.

Best of Luck!

Originally posted by eric650
This is getting better and better, this program is easy to replicate, I plan on writing my own and possibly distributing it for free if there is enough interest. It just looks at the bytes transferred for each site, and compares that with its last check.

Hi Eric,

I think most of us 'll be interested in such a program if you would write it. The only problem is that over 100 people SAID they were going to write a program to monitor the transferred bytes per virtual site and distribute it for free, bus nobody has actually done this!

If you start the programming: good luck!

FiberOptic

I definitely will be making such a program, as i *need* it. The question remains if I should take the time and effort to make it a full blown professional tool and charge $ for it. Not sure yet.

I am thinking of merging it with offline client management software - But its hard to design it and add features needed when I do not own a raq or a web hosting business yet :(

So we'll see as time goes :)

Yeps, but for the same price you can order TrafficLight ...
Another very good program to do that stuff.

I just hate that you can't install it yourself, and have to give them your IP + rootpassword.

If you reinstall a box, simply pay again...and again...

Not to mention the extreme differances in datatransfer i see in webalizer on one hand and trafficlight on the other.
The data webalizer gives me seems more likely :(