You gotta love WHT -- I go away for a while and when I come back ThePlanet's gone from being the best there can be with nary a complaint to "the worst dedicated server company ever".

So... what happened, and when? I've had two servers with them for about 2 years and haven't had any issues, so maybe I'm just lucky... but there's obviously the tide has turned against them here. Was it the ev1 merger?

From what I've read, after they merged support has been declining rapidly, and all the good techs sensed trouble and left as well.

The one constant in the hosting industry is that everything changes. :D

The one constant in the hosting industry is that everything changes. :D
Truer words could not be spoken. :)

I always found it interesting that shortly after my "The Planet Compromised!" thread a few years back, shortly there after the person who I was threatened with a lawsuit from for slander (lance crosby) left the company, followed by a lot of other big people down there. Then the merger with EV1. For anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about here's the origional thread.

http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=370274&highlight=the+planet+staff+compromised

Maybe the planet was actually "compromised :-P"

The warning signs and red flags were going off 3 years ago. This is hardly a new story, it's just a story that has continued to follow its predicted path as time has passed.

:D Bailey

In June we closed down the last of our nine servers that were at ThePlanet, for the sole reason that we had exccess capacity @ NAC for US based systems and the majority of servers are in our own facilities in London.

In over 3 years of using them, and a number of takeovers of people with servers there, the only 2 real issues were time taken to replace a machine that had a hardware fault (4 working days was too long IMHO) and an overzealous attitude towards potential spam where they shut the switchport down, stopping us getting in to find the problem(s)

Orbit/Support was always very quick and efficient for us. With any organisation of that size, there are bound to be the odd glitch/problem, and its only people with issues that tend to post at WHT, as when things are runningfine no-one mentions it.

No, there was a substantial change in ThePlanet.

Lance crosby (CEO?) had a falling out somewhere at ThePlanet. Shortly after he left and started Softlayer. He also took with him the heavies at TP and put them to work for him. Obviously not all, but you can bet he took the best people. Why wouldn't he?

The moment Lance left things started going steeply downhill. I dind't even know he'd left, but after a few months of big problems I started poking around WHT and noticed I wasn't alone.

Then when ThePlanet and EV1 merged it went from bad to worse. I had a little over 40 servers between 3 accounts at TP when Lance left. I ended up moving most of them to softlayer, where I was very happy.

When lance started Softlayer he did so with the same superb support he ran ThePlanet with. You could immediatley tell the difference once moved.

Granted Softlayer was a really new company then, but I'm guessing you'll find the same level of service there now after a few years. I've sold off most of my customers servers that I had co-located at theplanet, and all the leased customers, so I don't do much business there anymore. But that's what I saw happen. maybe others see it differently.

So this is hardly a whim, it's been 2 years and coming since it all started

No, there was a substantial change in ThePlanet.

Lance crosby (CEO?) had a falling out somewhere at ThePlanet. Shortly after he left and started Softlayer. He also took with him the heavies at TP and put them to work for him. Obviously not all, but you can bet he took the best people. Why wouldn't he?

The moment Lance left things started going steeply downhill. I dind't even know he'd left, but after a few months of big problems I started poking around WHT and noticed I wasn't alone.

Then when ThePlanet and EV1 merged it went from bad to worse. I had a little over 40 servers between 3 accounts at TP when Lance left. I ended up moving most of them to softlayer, where I was very happy.

When lance started Softlayer he did so with the same superb support he ran ThePlanet with. You could immediatley tell the difference once moved.

Granted Softlayer was a really new company then, but I'm guessing you'll find the same level of service there now after a few years. I've sold off most of my customers servers that I had co-located at theplanet, and all the leased customers, so I don't do much business there anymore. But that's what I saw happen. maybe others see it differently.

So this is hardly a whim, it's been 2 years and coming since it all started



The reason everyone left is because the company was in financial ruins and desperately needed VC cash to keep it afloat. GI partners came in and bought it for pennies on the dollar. During those discussions I'm sure Lance, et al figured out they had no financial benefits to sticking around and left. Either that or the GI partners instructed them to leave as part of their pending purchase.

The reason everyone left is because the company was in financial ruins and desperately needed VC cash to keep it afloat. GI partners came in and bought it for pennies on the dollar. During those discussions I'm sure Lance, et al figured out they had no financial benefits to sticking around and left. Either that or the GI partners instructed them to leave as part of their pending purchase.


Sounds a far better explanation. :agree:

OWM

The reason everyone left is because the company was in financial ruins and desperately needed VC cash to keep it afloat. GI partners came in and bought it for pennies on the dollar. During those discussions I'm sure Lance, et al figured out they had no financial benefits to sticking around and left. Either that or the GI partners instructed them to leave as part of their pending purchase.

Yes, I really wish everyone would stop making Lance and team out to be the stars of running the company and it only went bad after they left....the fact is they jumped ship because it was about to sink, and sink in a BIG way.

Yes, Lance and crew are extremely good at innovating, developing and "changing the rules". I have great respect for them in this and have told them so. BUT don't give them the credit of them leaving being the reason TP went to hell, it is their actions in the first place that caused this.

What is somewhat interesting is Lance has chosen to take the two key finance guys with him, Mike Jones and Gary Kinman...surely if you were jumping from a bankrupt company you wouldn't take those people that were supposed to have their eyes on the bank accounts at all times with you?

its easy to grow a business - just sink tons of cash into cool stuff upfront - cut the market price nearly in half and disregard making a return on your money. you will own all servers in the dedicated hosting market. or at least I bet I could grow to 10000 in less than 2 years.

its a lot tougher to provide excellent service and good growth and make a net profit and good return on your money (better than just putting it in a bank account).