ServerCentral Completes Sale of WingSix Brand to UK-2 Group

CHICAGO, Jul 29, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- ServerCentral, Chicago's leader in managed datacenter solutions, announced it completed the sale of its WingSix web hosting brand to the UK-2 Group, Ltd., who will add WingSix to its portfolio of web hosting brands. The transfer will be immediate and transparent to WingSix customers.

The WingSix brand will continue to be marketed and positioned as a high-end hosting service focused on customer service. Marc Bollinger, UK-2's General Manager for WingSix, said "WingSix customers have intense loyalty to the brand, due to the excellent service they consistently received. We're excited for the opportunity to continue the outstanding service and support and further develop the WingSix brand."

Jordan Lowe, President of ServerCentral, is confident that UK-2 is the right fit for WingSix customers. "After reviewing all of our options, UK-2 was the best fit for our customers, offering a high standard of care in customer service, and a local Chicago-based team."

Having provided hosting under the ServerCentral name since 2000, ServerCentral consolidated its hosting assets under the WingSix brand in 2005. WingSix supports thousands of web hosting, reseller, and virtual private server customers in 50 countries worldwide.

About ServerCentral ( www.servercentral.net):
ServerCentral is a managed datacenter solutions provider specializing in bandwidth-intensive colocation applications. With datacenters strategically located worldwide, the company serves a diverse roster of clients, including content delivery companies, web hosting and application service providers, hardware vendors and enterprise-level clients.

About UK-2 Group ( www.uk2group.com):
UK-2 Group, a major player in the British hosting industry since the late nineties, provides domain name registration and web hosting services to many customers through its family of hosting brands - UK2.net, US2.net and Resell.biz. The group operates its services out of several state of the art, multi million pound data centers and are committed to providing reliable, secure and great value products and services underpinned with excellent support. UK2-Group is also a major shareholder in the merged Redbus Interhouse and Telecity Group, the leading European data centre provider.

Both UK2 and Server Central are good companies, you have nothing to worry about.

UK2 is going to be the Microsoft (or Parallels) of hosting :)
(ok, there are other big groups also around)

I hope everything goes well for you. When UK2 acquired the domain assets of Stargate the support was terrible for a specific issue - but have not used support since then, hope everything runs smoothly now.

Well Uk2 will run out of money (or finance) to spend eventually ....

At least if things go wrong you can always bug Ditlev on here and they do at least seem to make an effort with their customers ( see midphase giving 2 years of dedicated server for free to a customer after reformatting his server)

Hi Guys,
We have great plans for the wingsix brand! You guys just wait and see ;)

Chris M, my head IT honcho in our US operations, actually build the Wingsix infrastructure back when they started up (he was working for ServerCentral back then), and this is very much his baby. He takes a big personal interest and was so happy that we had a chance to make it a part of our family!

:)
D

eming -

It is really good news to hear that Chris M. is involved in your operation. He was very helpful when I had problems migrating some account to WingSix in 2006.

Server Central is excellent -- hope you continue to use their data center.

eming -

It is really good news to hear that Chris M. is involved in your operation. He was very helpful when I had problems migrating some account to WingSix in 2006.

Server Central is excellent -- hope you continue to use their data center.

Chris has been one of our top guys for a while @ our Chicago office - he is a good guy indeed :)

Servers are staying where they are (server central/Equinix), no current plans to change that...

:)
D

Cool is Joe going to be staying with WingSix or ServerCentral?

Cool is Joe going to be staying with WingSix or ServerCentral?

http://www.servercentral.com/Joe_Wishnoff :(

http://www.legacy.com/ChicagoTribune/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=113493196

http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=709375

http://www.servercentral.net/Joe_Wishnoff


On July 14th, the ServerCentral family lost long time employee and friend Joe Wishnoff. For the last three years Joe was battling a disease called Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). IPF is a chronic disease that causes scarring and deterioration of the lung tissue. IPF usually occurs in people aged 50-70 so it was very rare for someone in their mid-20s to be diagnosed. The cause of this disease is unknown and there are no known treatments or cure.

http://www.servercentral.com/Joe_Wishnoff :(

http://www.legacy.com/ChicagoTribune/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=113493196

http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=709375
omg, he worked at a hosting company where I first got a server back in high school and we stayed in touch over the years but I hadn't heard, that is so sad he was such a great guy!

I can't comment on whether or not this is a good move but I can offer this:

I've had reseller hosting with wingsix for quite some time now. About 2 weeks ago I had some issues (the SAME issues I've always been having and they keep having to manually fix) however this time the support was too clueless to manually fix it. I tried for days and couldn't get it right. I decided to move over my hosting elsewhere because I can't take it anymore. I've moved to HG and finding it such a pleasure.

I've tried emailing billing@wingsix.com and sales@wingsix.com and both email addresses failed (acc not found). I tried sending a mail to support@wingsix.com to let them know the other addresses weren't working and that failed too :(

ie. to date I'm extremely frustrated and upset with Wingsix. All I want now is enough time to get all my sites transferred, my domains to be off auto-charge so I can transfer them as soon as they are near expiration and any unused portion of the hosting I've paid well in advance for refunded.

Rory,

I suspect part of the initial "easy fix" was as you said, because it's been a repeating issue.

Can you please drop me an email to nick@midphase.com with details, what still needs to be done and also what issues were not handled appropriately.

I would like to give this full research and make sure you at least leave a happy customer if you are set on leaving.

I think much of WHT knows Ditlev amd I, and we are two standup guys who are never content with an unhappy client.

I am very sorry for this.

Yes, I have the same problem. GrandCentral had a classy operation and I was very happy with their service -- even made an annual payment, but now I'm going to ask for a refund.

Yes, I have the same problem. GrandCentral had a classy operation and I was very happy with their service -- even made an annual payment, but now I'm going to ask for a refund.

FlaNative,

Can you send me your issues as well so I can have a fair chance at looking into them?

There's some very good things to come for WingSix..

I have dropped you a mail Nick.

Nick, I'm waiting for your response before I cancel.

I can't comment on whether or not this is a good move but I can offer this:

I've had reseller hosting with wingsix for quite some time now. About 2 weeks ago I had some issues (the SAME issues I've always been having and they keep having to manually fix) however this time the support was too clueless to manually fix it. I tried for days and couldn't get it right. I decided to move over my hosting elsewhere because I can't take it anymore. I've moved to HG and finding it such a pleasure.

I've tried emailing billing@wingsix.com and sales@wingsix.com and both email addresses failed (acc not found). I tried sending a mail to support@wingsix.com to let them know the other addresses weren't working and that failed too :(

ie. to date I'm extremely frustrated and upset with Wingsix. All I want now is enough time to get all my sites transferred, my domains to be off auto-charge so I can transfer them as soon as they are near expiration and any unused portion of the hosting I've paid well in advance for refunded.

I've actually been experiencing the same type of issues over the last month or so. I've got several accounts with Wingsix, but they've all taken a turn for the worse, especially over the last several weeks. I've sent a few e-mails, and received credits towards my account, but still not sure if Wingsix is still an operation I'd like to rely on. They definitely were when Server Central was in charge, now it's another story...

I sent an email to Nick yesterday as he requested, but there has not been a response.

Rory - let us know when he responds to you.

I've actually been experiencing the same type of issues over the last month or so. I've got several accounts with Wingsix, but they've all taken a turn for the worse, especially over the last several weeks. I've sent a few e-mails, and received credits towards my account, but still not sure if Wingsix is still an operation I'd like to rely on. They definitely were when Server Central was in charge, now it's another story...

Jade,

The transition stage has been a little bit rough, but the long term is nothing but bright. We're bringing on additional dedicated staff for wingsix, and have MANY MANY great things in the planning stages for WingSix..

If you have any issues at all at any time, please email me directly at nick@midphase.com, it'll go to my blackberry and get my attention immediately, day or night.

I sent an email to Nick yesterday as he requested, but there has not been a response.

Rory - let us know when he responds to you.

FlaNative,

Can you resend your email? I received one from Rory and from Jade below, however, one email was accidently deleted in transition, and I think it was yours now...

Well Uk2 will run out of money (or finance) to spend eventually ....

At least if things go wrong you can always bug Ditlev on here and they do at least seem to make an effort with their customers ( see midphase giving 2 years of dedicated server for free to a customer after reformatting his server)

Are you serious? What exactly are you basing it on? They make a few purchases so you assume they are going to run out of money? Have you been inspecting their financial reports? Have you talked to their accountant? :rolleyes:

Like Rameen says, the day UK2 run out of money is the day hell freezes over.

They are major players in the UK dedicated market, infact I believe they are major shareholders in the data center they operate of.

Paul

;5305779'](...) infact I believe they are major shareholders in the data center they operate of.

Paul

Hey - just to make it clear that we have sold our shares in Telecity:
http://www.hemscott.com/news/static/tfn/item.do?newsId=65852587076048

I'd like to say...

You're in good hands :)

Congrats for the acquisition by the way :)

Ditlev is a great person and always available to help, and nickn... same! ;)

Regards

They make a few purchases so you assume they are going to run out of money? I think you misinterpreted his meaning. At some point their ability to buy (decently sized) hosts would be, at least temporarily, gone. He wasn't saying they're facing bankruptcy or something like that.

Like Rameen says, the day UK2 run out of money is the day hell freezes over. Really? How would you know that? Do they have a magic bag that never runs out of gold coins? :P

I think you misinterpreted his meaning. At some point their ability to buy (decently sized) hosts would be, at least temporarily, gone. He wasn't saying they're facing bankruptcy or something like that.

Really? How would you know that? Do they have a magic bag that never runs out of gold coins? :P

Obvoiusly no-one has endless resources.

We are currently working on two acquisitions (both under LOI) and we have yet to be in need of external financing, ie. acquisitions are funded by internal cashflow.

The acquisition market is interesting these days as buyers depending on financing has a harder time.

:)
D

I think you misinterpreted his meaning. At some point their ability to buy (decently sized) hosts would be, at least temporarily, gone. He wasn't saying they're facing bankruptcy or something like that.


I understand what he meant, however I personally saw no basis for the comment. Unless you have seen their financial reports, it's wrong to say a company is going to run out of money eventually even with constant acquisitions.

If someone was looking to make a serious business decision with UK2, and then sees that comment, they will consider the comment through a totally different perspective. I.e. "What if they keep buying and run out of money?", "what if they run out of money and can't support existing customers".

If you put in black & white: OP asks if the acquisition is a good/bad thing for WingSix.
User responds that they will eventually run out of money based purely on assumption.
It's totally negative - a sly shot at a competitor IMO..

Such a comment has a negative implication about that company and in no way relevant to the topic or nature of this thread.

dont worry :)
It's a very very small part of our clients that even know what WHT is - and even if that would change comments like these wouldnt do to much harm...

Thanks for the support though

:)
D

Seems like Wingsix has burnt to the ground...

Every single site on my reseller account is completely fscked. All just display "Index of /"
That was just now anyway, now I can't even access anything, not even WHM/Cpanel.

Emailed support twice - nothing
Emailed sales - autoreply and nothing
Clicked "support" on the main site - 404 error
Emailed Nick just now - will see if anything happens

Seems like Wingsix has burnt to the ground...

Every single site on my reseller account is completely fscked. All just display "Index of /"
That was just now anyway, now I can't even access anything, not even WHM/Cpanel.

Emailed support twice - nothing
Emailed sales - autoreply and nothing
Clicked "support" on the main site - 404 error
Emailed Nick just now - will see if anything happens

RoryAustin,

Can you PM your client ID or a ticket #? I'll make sure you are taken care of personally.

The support center is at: https://lp.wingsix.com, I will get the website updated immediately.

Marc

We are experiencing issues with the base02 WingSix server at the moment. I'm gathering as much information as I can and will keep this post updated.

At the moment, there is no indication of any data loss. Even if there were, we run nightly backups for disaster recovery purposes.

I'll post here as soon as I learn more.

Marc

EDIT: I just received word that base02 is back online. We're still running diagnostics to figure out what happened with the server. As in any situation like this, our #1 priority is to restore service, then we'll diagnose the problem.

Received this automated response over 3 hours after emailing support (over 12 hours after sites went down):
Dear Customer,

This is a standard response to let you know that we are currently having a service interruption, and that your account may be affected by this outage.

We expect to restore service shortly. Please respond here if you have further questions. Due to a high level of incoming support requests, wait times may be a bit longer than usual. We ask that you only ask
additional questions if it is vital or an emergency.

We are aware of the outage and are working to restore it.

Thank you,

--

Best regards,
Tami Mitchell
Technical Support Representative.
Hosting Services Inc




Seriously guys, I appreciate your efforts at all, I don't know what kind of disaster it is around there and I'm hoping (there better be) a bunch of people running around like mad trying to fix it.

This kind of service just doesn't cut it these days anymore. Why are there no monitoring systems and alerts etc? Why can't I go to the Wingsix site and see a notice somewhere at least giving some indication of what's going on etc?

We're actually about to launch a status blog for WingSix, much the same as we already have for midphase: http://status.midphase.com

I'm forced to agree with you here, I was not at all pleased at the manner in which this was handled this morning, and I ASSURE you that it's being discussed internally.

Problems happen, but communication is the most important part and I feel like we failed you this morning in that regard.

Please accept my deepest apologies for the service interruption, and rest assured that we're taking steps to ensure this doesn't repeat itself.

Marc

Well Uk2 will run out of money (or finance) to spend eventually ....


Obviously you don't understand business, do you? UK2 are buying PROFITABLE businesses, that way any money they invest - if they invest wisely, which I'm sure they do, they've got a lot of experience - will be made back without a short period of time, they'll also have excellent financial management, with the amount of brands they support.

Edit: I'm a moron, didn't see this was a bump. No wonder I thought that it'd been bought a while back, haha, silly me.