cholo1124
09-16-2002, 11:08 PM
I want to make clear I’m not here to bash Ronnie Moore or alwayswebhosting, though my experience ended negatively.
Since WHT led me to AWH, I simply want to give back my experience. I wish it wasn't negative, but sometimes, that’s what helps a community, y’know?
First, I want to say that setting up my domains was a snap, & staff at awh who I interacted with were very responsive & mostly knowledgeable.
Ronnie himself seems like he rarely sleeps & is obviously dedicated. I do think he needs to learn to treat customers with more dignity & honesty, but he seems energetic & mostly competent. (He loses points for saying below that he “personally” moved my files over, yet they were nowhere to be found on new server.)
In a nutshell, awh wanted to migrate customers off of old servers to their new cpanel5 server farm. Mostly a good thing, but the notice was real short. In the end, via IM, I learned from Ronnie what really happened to cause migration period to be shortened (hacked server), but at the time, I didn't have that knowledge, & felt like I was being misled.
They made it seem like it was all part of the regularly scheduled migration, which it wasn’t. And that they had given me “sufficient time.” But they hadn't. I just wish they had told me what really happened from the beginning. Yes, I would’ve ended up in the same place, but with a LOT more trust.
In an email on 9/11, Ronnie said:
=====
From: "Ronnie T. Moore" <ronnie@alwayswebhosting.com>
Subject: RE: Moving sites
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 11:59:46 -0500
Hi Johnn,
We are referring to a few weeks to a month at most for the complete migration of the server.
Yes ,you can surely more one domain then the other. I haven't installed squirrelmail on cpanel yet but you should have no problems.
Ronnie
=====
Fine by me. I could easily migrate both domains in 3-4 weeks. In a subsequent note via helpdesk system, dated 9/12, Ronnie said:
=====
Ronnie
12-9-2002-10:32
Great, thanks!
Please DO let me know also when you have finished moving your two sites to the server farm, it is urgent as we wish to turn off server8 in a week.
=====
Okay, the timeframe got cut short, but fine, one week, I could still do it.
But starting late 9/13 or early 9/14, my sites were down, so I opened a helpdesk ticket. (They had announcements about DNS issues with the server farm & also that servers 10, 12, 14 had to unexpectedly be moved immediately, with much apology, but nothing about server8, hence my ticket.) The text of that ticket is reproduced below.
Before getting to it, I just wanna say: I have no doubts that Ronnie will come on this forum & apologize for his tone & for the abrupt server move. (Or maybe not.) And that would be a good thing. But I still want to post this so folks have one more experience to weigh their decision on wrt AWH.
Speaking as a sysadmin for a high-profile institution, I can feel for AWH – frankly, there are times when things are beyond your control, & you have to make the best of it. But I always try to be upfront, whether it's my fault (especially) or not -- even if some users will never let you live it down.
p.s. Below, I’m not sure what Ronnie found “ridiculous” about my post to AWH forums. In a nutshell, I wrote there that staff may not have gotten to my helpdesk ticket yet perhaps due to stress over server moves, but I wanted to find out if any other server8 users had problems -- otherwise, I would investigate my end of things. Maybe it was “ridiculous” cuz I was their only server8 customer, but I had no idea at the time.
p.p.s. In the end, I lost all my data. I do believe it is the customer’s responsibility to keep backups, but I’m disappointed because awh did the move themselves abruptly, so I was hoping they’d at least move the files over with no problem, as it’s not a difficult task. I do have backups of my website, but I just come close to tears every time I think of all those emails my users & I lost. (They could’ve just been honest from the get-go & said, “we lost all data on that server – sorry.”)
Anyway, I believe public accountability is important, so for what it’s worth to anyone looking for more feedback, here is the final ticket between AWH (mostly Ronnie) & myself:
=====
Call ID 14270
Logged 15-9-2002-8:13
server8 down? or DNS issue?
I see your DNS note, but it says that its' for the server farm. I understand the "server farm" to be the cpanel server. But i am not on cpanel yet.
I am on server8. Is there a DNS issue for server8 too? If so, please be a LOT more clear on your notes.
If not, can you please help me figure out why ns15.alwayswebhosting.com & ns16.alwayswebhosting.com & server8 all appear to be down?
Thanks.
==
Ronnie
15-9-2002-10:41
Server issue has been fixed, thank you.
==
Johnn
16-9-2002-12:13
Still can't get to my domain. Even tried http://www.sendfakemail.com/anonbrowser This is all I got: error '80072ee7' /anonbrowser/scripts/http_inc.asp, line 14
==
Ronnie
16-9-2002-01:26
You need to change DNS to the ones I told you for the new server farm.
dns1.alwayswebhosting.com
dns2.alwayswebhosting.com
dns3.alwayswebhosting.com
and give it time to propagate. I can't be much clearer.
==
Johnn
16-9-2002-07:11
It is not clear at all. As I understand it, I only change dns to dns1/dns2/dns3 ONLY AFTER I have moved to the cpanel server. I am still on server8.
Yes, I understand we all have to move to cpanel server farm. And I plan to. And once I do, I understand that I have to change DNS to the above.
But right now, I am still on server8, so I'm supposed to keep my existing DNS (ns15/n16.alwayswebhosting.com), right?
==
Ronnie
16-9-2002-11:15
Server8 has been disconnected, you have been moved and need to change DNS.
==
Johnn
16-9-2002-12:34
Ronnie:
I want to give you a chance before I go public with this.
1) Can you explain to me why my post about server8 was deleted from the forums?
2) Why is there NO announcements for server8 like there was for server10/12/14?
3) In your email to me, you told me that we would have 3 weeks to one month. Yes, I saw the post about the unexpected move of servers 10/12/14, but nothing about server8. Why the sudden disconnect?
4) If server8 is "disconnected" how do I get the files transferred from there to the new server?
Honestly, Ronnie, I feel like I've given you more than the benefit of the doubt. Do you really just don't want my business? I mean, that's fine, but please be more upfront than doing things like removing my posts, disconnecting my server with no notice, & really, above everything, simply just not seeming to care. I mean, look at your note: server disconnected, you've been moved, change DNS. Not exactly customer-oriented...
==
Ronnie
16-9-2002-12:40
Go public, haha, ok...
1) Can you explain to me why my post about server8 was deleted from the forums?
Its ridiculous and we reserve the right to edit/moderate posts.
2) Why is there NO announcements for server8 like there was for server10/12/14?
We had trouble last time we did a mass mail for the server10 move (and it mailed everyone) and did not want to do that mistake again.
The move was urgent was we have started to notice serious problems with the rackshack.net data center that required immediate action to keep sites from being down long term.
3) In your email to me, you told me that we would have 3 weeks to one month. Yes, I saw the post about the unexpected move of servers 10/12/14, but nothing about server8. Why the sudden disconnect?
Listen sir, you were the only account remaining on server8 so we had to pull the plug. We did give you sufficient time to get migrated to the new server.
I am just tired of hearing this over and over from you, hence my previous and current tone.
I would be more than happy to cancel and refund your account John, just say the words.
==
Johnn
16-9-2002-12:50
Okay, that's all I was looking for. You never told me I was the only one left on server8 or that it needed to be moved urgently. I would've had no problems with that. I mean, that's hardly saying that I'm repeating this "over and over" -- this is my only ticket on the whole issue. All I wanted was an explanation.
I guess the only question I have left is -- were my files transferred over for both domains? I visited the links for hummer, but don't see the files.
==
Sergio
16-9-2002-1:00
All files should have been transferred over. Let us know if we can help with anything else. AWH :-)
==
Johnn
16-9-2002-1:08
Thanks Sergio. Can you give me the paths where they are located? I ftp'ed into 66.220.25.147 & used ‘xxxxx’ & 'xxxxx' for user/pass. I do see some files here, but they seem to be the generic setup files. I don't see any of the files related to my site. I tried checking in all the various sub-folders, but no go. Thanks, johnn
==
Ronnie
16-9-2002-1:11
Hi, I actually went in and manually moved all sites on server8 to the new server farm (we had sent welcome letters previously for it).
Your files should be there. Otherwise, you may have to reupload. :-(
==
cholo
16-9-2002-1:16
Ronnie: Can you give me an exact path? For both my domains, there's exactly the same things -- generic awh logos & such, but none of the files that were at either site. If you can give me an exact path for both, I'll look there. Thanks, johnn
==
Johnn
16-9-2002-1:21
Oh, one last thing:
Can I pop my mail one final time off of the old server8? If so, what are the settings to use for the POP server? I tried "server8.alwayswebhosting.com" but it doesn't seem to work.
==
Ronnie
16-9-2002-5:26
Server8 is offline, if you contact me instant messenger I can in confidence tell you more.
=====
Since WHT led me to AWH, I simply want to give back my experience. I wish it wasn't negative, but sometimes, that’s what helps a community, y’know?
First, I want to say that setting up my domains was a snap, & staff at awh who I interacted with were very responsive & mostly knowledgeable.
Ronnie himself seems like he rarely sleeps & is obviously dedicated. I do think he needs to learn to treat customers with more dignity & honesty, but he seems energetic & mostly competent. (He loses points for saying below that he “personally” moved my files over, yet they were nowhere to be found on new server.)
In a nutshell, awh wanted to migrate customers off of old servers to their new cpanel5 server farm. Mostly a good thing, but the notice was real short. In the end, via IM, I learned from Ronnie what really happened to cause migration period to be shortened (hacked server), but at the time, I didn't have that knowledge, & felt like I was being misled.
They made it seem like it was all part of the regularly scheduled migration, which it wasn’t. And that they had given me “sufficient time.” But they hadn't. I just wish they had told me what really happened from the beginning. Yes, I would’ve ended up in the same place, but with a LOT more trust.
In an email on 9/11, Ronnie said:
=====
From: "Ronnie T. Moore" <ronnie@alwayswebhosting.com>
Subject: RE: Moving sites
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 11:59:46 -0500
Hi Johnn,
We are referring to a few weeks to a month at most for the complete migration of the server.
Yes ,you can surely more one domain then the other. I haven't installed squirrelmail on cpanel yet but you should have no problems.
Ronnie
=====
Fine by me. I could easily migrate both domains in 3-4 weeks. In a subsequent note via helpdesk system, dated 9/12, Ronnie said:
=====
Ronnie
12-9-2002-10:32
Great, thanks!
Please DO let me know also when you have finished moving your two sites to the server farm, it is urgent as we wish to turn off server8 in a week.
=====
Okay, the timeframe got cut short, but fine, one week, I could still do it.
But starting late 9/13 or early 9/14, my sites were down, so I opened a helpdesk ticket. (They had announcements about DNS issues with the server farm & also that servers 10, 12, 14 had to unexpectedly be moved immediately, with much apology, but nothing about server8, hence my ticket.) The text of that ticket is reproduced below.
Before getting to it, I just wanna say: I have no doubts that Ronnie will come on this forum & apologize for his tone & for the abrupt server move. (Or maybe not.) And that would be a good thing. But I still want to post this so folks have one more experience to weigh their decision on wrt AWH.
Speaking as a sysadmin for a high-profile institution, I can feel for AWH – frankly, there are times when things are beyond your control, & you have to make the best of it. But I always try to be upfront, whether it's my fault (especially) or not -- even if some users will never let you live it down.
p.s. Below, I’m not sure what Ronnie found “ridiculous” about my post to AWH forums. In a nutshell, I wrote there that staff may not have gotten to my helpdesk ticket yet perhaps due to stress over server moves, but I wanted to find out if any other server8 users had problems -- otherwise, I would investigate my end of things. Maybe it was “ridiculous” cuz I was their only server8 customer, but I had no idea at the time.
p.p.s. In the end, I lost all my data. I do believe it is the customer’s responsibility to keep backups, but I’m disappointed because awh did the move themselves abruptly, so I was hoping they’d at least move the files over with no problem, as it’s not a difficult task. I do have backups of my website, but I just come close to tears every time I think of all those emails my users & I lost. (They could’ve just been honest from the get-go & said, “we lost all data on that server – sorry.”)
Anyway, I believe public accountability is important, so for what it’s worth to anyone looking for more feedback, here is the final ticket between AWH (mostly Ronnie) & myself:
=====
Call ID 14270
Logged 15-9-2002-8:13
server8 down? or DNS issue?
I see your DNS note, but it says that its' for the server farm. I understand the "server farm" to be the cpanel server. But i am not on cpanel yet.
I am on server8. Is there a DNS issue for server8 too? If so, please be a LOT more clear on your notes.
If not, can you please help me figure out why ns15.alwayswebhosting.com & ns16.alwayswebhosting.com & server8 all appear to be down?
Thanks.
==
Ronnie
15-9-2002-10:41
Server issue has been fixed, thank you.
==
Johnn
16-9-2002-12:13
Still can't get to my domain. Even tried http://www.sendfakemail.com/anonbrowser This is all I got: error '80072ee7' /anonbrowser/scripts/http_inc.asp, line 14
==
Ronnie
16-9-2002-01:26
You need to change DNS to the ones I told you for the new server farm.
dns1.alwayswebhosting.com
dns2.alwayswebhosting.com
dns3.alwayswebhosting.com
and give it time to propagate. I can't be much clearer.
==
Johnn
16-9-2002-07:11
It is not clear at all. As I understand it, I only change dns to dns1/dns2/dns3 ONLY AFTER I have moved to the cpanel server. I am still on server8.
Yes, I understand we all have to move to cpanel server farm. And I plan to. And once I do, I understand that I have to change DNS to the above.
But right now, I am still on server8, so I'm supposed to keep my existing DNS (ns15/n16.alwayswebhosting.com), right?
==
Ronnie
16-9-2002-11:15
Server8 has been disconnected, you have been moved and need to change DNS.
==
Johnn
16-9-2002-12:34
Ronnie:
I want to give you a chance before I go public with this.
1) Can you explain to me why my post about server8 was deleted from the forums?
2) Why is there NO announcements for server8 like there was for server10/12/14?
3) In your email to me, you told me that we would have 3 weeks to one month. Yes, I saw the post about the unexpected move of servers 10/12/14, but nothing about server8. Why the sudden disconnect?
4) If server8 is "disconnected" how do I get the files transferred from there to the new server?
Honestly, Ronnie, I feel like I've given you more than the benefit of the doubt. Do you really just don't want my business? I mean, that's fine, but please be more upfront than doing things like removing my posts, disconnecting my server with no notice, & really, above everything, simply just not seeming to care. I mean, look at your note: server disconnected, you've been moved, change DNS. Not exactly customer-oriented...
==
Ronnie
16-9-2002-12:40
Go public, haha, ok...
1) Can you explain to me why my post about server8 was deleted from the forums?
Its ridiculous and we reserve the right to edit/moderate posts.
2) Why is there NO announcements for server8 like there was for server10/12/14?
We had trouble last time we did a mass mail for the server10 move (and it mailed everyone) and did not want to do that mistake again.
The move was urgent was we have started to notice serious problems with the rackshack.net data center that required immediate action to keep sites from being down long term.
3) In your email to me, you told me that we would have 3 weeks to one month. Yes, I saw the post about the unexpected move of servers 10/12/14, but nothing about server8. Why the sudden disconnect?
Listen sir, you were the only account remaining on server8 so we had to pull the plug. We did give you sufficient time to get migrated to the new server.
I am just tired of hearing this over and over from you, hence my previous and current tone.
I would be more than happy to cancel and refund your account John, just say the words.
==
Johnn
16-9-2002-12:50
Okay, that's all I was looking for. You never told me I was the only one left on server8 or that it needed to be moved urgently. I would've had no problems with that. I mean, that's hardly saying that I'm repeating this "over and over" -- this is my only ticket on the whole issue. All I wanted was an explanation.
I guess the only question I have left is -- were my files transferred over for both domains? I visited the links for hummer, but don't see the files.
==
Sergio
16-9-2002-1:00
All files should have been transferred over. Let us know if we can help with anything else. AWH :-)
==
Johnn
16-9-2002-1:08
Thanks Sergio. Can you give me the paths where they are located? I ftp'ed into 66.220.25.147 & used ‘xxxxx’ & 'xxxxx' for user/pass. I do see some files here, but they seem to be the generic setup files. I don't see any of the files related to my site. I tried checking in all the various sub-folders, but no go. Thanks, johnn
==
Ronnie
16-9-2002-1:11
Hi, I actually went in and manually moved all sites on server8 to the new server farm (we had sent welcome letters previously for it).
Your files should be there. Otherwise, you may have to reupload. :-(
==
cholo
16-9-2002-1:16
Ronnie: Can you give me an exact path? For both my domains, there's exactly the same things -- generic awh logos & such, but none of the files that were at either site. If you can give me an exact path for both, I'll look there. Thanks, johnn
==
Johnn
16-9-2002-1:21
Oh, one last thing:
Can I pop my mail one final time off of the old server8? If so, what are the settings to use for the POP server? I tried "server8.alwayswebhosting.com" but it doesn't seem to work.
==
Ronnie
16-9-2002-5:26
Server8 is offline, if you contact me instant messenger I can in confidence tell you more.
=====