I've been hunting for a web host running Windows 2003 or 2008 that fits my needs and I have been struggling to find something that meets exactly what I need. I currently have 6 domains hosted off GoDaddy and their SQL Server 2005 management is horrible. I have had nothing but issues with it, so I need to make a change.

I am currently only actively supplying content for 2 of the 6 domains, so as long as I can get 2 domains out of it, I'm fine with that.

I code most of my pages in ASP and my databases are all in SQL Server 2005. If they weren't so large, I would consider changing them to something a bit more common on web servers, but it is too much work at this point in time.

My base requirements are:
Windows Server 2003/2008
SQL Server 2005/2008 w/ at least 100 MB of database storage
ASP 2.0 support
2 domains minimum
10 gigs HD storage
Monthly bandwidth isn't a huge concern, but I do host some streaming media off one domain, so speed is somewhat important(Located in Chicago, IL)
I'd like to keep my budget upwards of $30 a month

The SQL Server is the huge snag, because I haven't seen a ton of hosting options out there that offer good packages that offer that along with everything else I'm looking for without spending $100+ a month for a dedicated server, or else I'm just not looking in the right places. Since these sites are mostly for private uses and have no resale value, the cost is out of pocket each month, so I need to keep my monthly cost somewhat low.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Have you considered VPS as an option for your requirement? You might be able to get one under $50. If that will be on a higher side for you, you'd need to look for Shared hosting accounts.

I looked into it, and yeah, most of the packages were around the $50 range, which they DO have pretty much everything that I would be looking for, just a little higher than I was looking for. If it came down to it, I could always eat a little extra cash...but since it is all out of pocket, I'm trying to avoid it.

I did recall one other feature that is an absolute requirement, and that is remote connection access to SQL server. I have 2 .exe services that run automated processes that updates about 2000 records a day. That is one of the biggest reasons why I am moving off GoDaddy. Sometimes it works, most of the time, it won't connect. I really don't want to have to update the database manually every day.

Well, Remote connections on SQL Server shouldn't be an issue as most of the web hosts are providing it.

Hello,

IMHO you should consider a VPS hosting solution for your needs, and you could easily scale your needs in the future.

Regards

I did recall one other feature that is an absolute requirement, and that is remote connection access to SQL server. I have 2 .exe services that run automated processes that updates about 2000 records a day. That is one of the biggest reasons why I am moving off GoDaddy. Sometimes it works, most of the time, it won't connect. I really don't want to have to update the database manually every day.


The remote access is primarly meant for administrative/development functions. Are these services running on your premises?

Get a VPS and install MSSQL Express on it. Should be doable for under $30 per month.