I have been a troll on this message board for a few months. I have been interested in starting my own hosting company for a while. I know my way around Linux and am very computer literate.

If I do start I plan on getting a dedicated server. I have been looking at rackshack and there 99.00 deal. Is this system good enough to start with?

I will continue reading through the messages here but does anyone have any tips?

Hi webdave, I`m currently splitting a server at rackshack with some others and the server seems to be trouble free, but the user control panel is quite bad, so you would have to install something else on it for your customers. Since this is a cobalt you may have some problems (I`m not sure), and since you know Linux I would have bought a Linux server which will offer you more control and stability. Look in the advert forum for good offers. And keep your eye open for hosts with free good control panels as they are a must.

As a shared hosting customer I am quite satisfied with the Cobalt CP (Client). It is, however, almost dead slow, but does cover my requirements.

My question is why exactly do you say that the CP is "quite bad"? The reason I am asking is because I am planning to host future clients on Cobalts, and am wondering if there is something I have neglected to realize. Are you referring to the Admin CP or the Client CP? Do you feel that the CP, in general, is`nt adequate to offer clients in a shared hosting enviroment?

Thanks, in advance, for sharing your opinions.

Wazup

I`m referring to the client CP but I have also viewed the admin panel but I can`t utelize it. It seems to me that you`ll have to do almost everything through telnet (or external scripts) except account information and restore/backup data. If my Cobalt panel is fully featured, then I think it`s very poor in terms of features. I`m using WHM and Cpanel(as a reseller) so maybe that`s why I feel it has nearly less then basic features (like e-mail and file -management). I`m wondering though if my panels are intentionally reduced in features.

I got Cobalt RaQ 4i from RackShack and I see only one problem one may have with Cobalt CP. The process of adding a new site is simple but not automated, so if you want to add say 100 sites it will take few hours to do.

BTW, you can test-drive Cobalt CP here:

http://demo.cobalt.com/demoraq.html

Hehe, if I had 100 sites to add, I would happely sit the extra hour or two, at the same time think about all the money I will earn on the new clients. Just joking, I see your point.

Anyone know if there are scripts written to automate the prosess? I have no knowledge about the Cobalt API`s and if they are easy to interface to.

Wazup