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  1. #1

    Running A File Hosting Site

    Hey going to be starting a file hosting site, i know that the main problem on these sort of sites for the owners is Bandwith and HD space. Just want to know some perhaps some advice on how to run this kind of business as far as the hosting part of it goes.

    Do i just keep purchasing servers lets say at midphase for example they offer 10TB 250 Gigs of hdspace at 200 a month, so if i go over do i just keep purchasing servers and then load balance the site across all the servers i get? is that the basics ?

    When sites start to consume massive amounts of bandwidth is their cheaper alternatives then just going with the normal BW that hosts offer, like working out deals with certain companies that specialize in giving BW deals, would CDN networks be an option?

  2. #2
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    save your energy and don't.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by citricsquid View Post
    save your energy and don't.
    I agree. I ran one for a while, and was too lazy to even create my own site, I use YabSofts' premade site.

    I started to have legal issues fast. People would upload illegal files. I would attempt to filter those out, but without knowning the achive password its impossible. So if a company like Adobe finds that your hosting a keygen of Photoshop, you bet they will get mad.

    In the end, it was not worth my time to keep it up. I had people contacting me all the time about illegal files.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by ZinkHosting View Post
    I started to have legal issues fast. People would upload illegal files. I would attempt to filter those out, but without knowning the achive password its impossible. So if a company like Adobe finds that your hosting a keygen of Photoshop, you bet they will get mad.

    In the end, it was not worth my time to keep it up. I had people contacting me all the time about illegal files.
    But thats essentially how all file hosts make money, look at Megaupload and Rapidshare's business model, it relies on people uploading illegal files. For them, I guess they make enough that the inconvenience of dealing with takedowns is not too great.

  5. #5
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    It's same way with Photo sites now...

    Copywritten material issues all over the place, just not worth the effort anymore unless it's pay for play.

    Amazing how people can abuse just about service put online...

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  6. #6
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    Yeah, but all it takes is one company to get very angery, and you could be ruined. I don't care who you are. The amount of money you make Vs. a big company like Adobe that actually decides to do something and sue you? You would lose. They have more money than your File Sharing company.

    All it takes is one example and its over.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by ZinkHosting View Post
    I don't care who you are. The amount of money you make Vs. a big company like Adobe that actually decides to do something and sue you?
    Your still protected by the DMCA Safe Harbor provision as long as you delete the file after a takedown has been issued, or am I missing something?

  8. #8
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    Indeed, a host is protected by the Safe harbour provision as long as they respond to a take down and actually take the file down.

    Since I'm guessing none of the people above know the OP's business model (which could well be pay to upload) then I will take the time to actually answer your question.

    In short, yes, you could run a file upload service like that. But it would eventually become quite expensive. You might find a cheaper route going through co-location where you can have over 8tb of storage per server (although I would also suggest getting an unmetered 100mb/s port with that as well).

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    Last edited by bear; 09-22-2008 at 03:54 PM.

  9. #9
    Thanks for the responses everyone

  10. #10
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    Use FDC servers, the give you unmetered bandwidth and are cheap/reliable.

    Peace,
    Testing 1.. Testing 1..2.. Testing 1..2..3...

  11. #11
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    Fact is, the more data transfer you require, the closer you'll get to the real cost of it, as the data center actually expects you to use what you buy. So, quite likely, before it gets cheaper, bandwidth will be getting more expensive for a while (at least compared to the offer you were looking at).

  12. #12
    For starting the business don't waste your money, and start it with a VPS!! with 2 to 3 TB bandwidth, after you find you need a better system you can jump into Dedi-server with large bandwidth providers like FDCservers. any way it is not easy as you think!

  13. #13
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    Lightbulb

    Quote Originally Posted by Hannan View Post
    For starting the business don't waste your money, and start it with a VPS!! with 2 to 3 TB bandwidth, after you find you need a better system you can jump into Dedi-server with large bandwidth providers like FDCservers. any way it is not easy as you think!
    i think VPS will never handle file hosting site, loading, cashing ,, etc , etc as we all know VPS is process shared.
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  14. #14
    Why don't you consider having it offshore somewhere that allows the less legitimate content some users might upload? I could see it solving a whole bunch of problems.

  15. #15
    it doesnt matter where the server is hosted. its where the person running it is from. If i run an illegal site in some offshore country I can still be sued/taken to court in the uk/us/canada etc where I live.

    the uploading of illegal contect is something you'll just have to deal with and aslong as you comply with c+d requests you will be fine.

    i wouldnt keep buying lots of 250gig servers though as they will fill up fast. might be better off getting a bunch of server with 4tb space and then a 100mbit connection. it aint cheap though but im sure you already know that
    BX

  16. #16
    File hosting problem is income. You will need lot of servers, space get filled in weeks. Google don't like such sites and will get your account deleted. So you need to depend on other ad networks that pay less. Abuse is not much problem if you take down the content with out much delay.

  17. #17
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    you will need servers and ALOT of them also ridiculous amounts of bandwidth, also spend alot of money on custom system thats reliable

    forget about doing this on shared hosting or vps you will be doomed from the start

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dday View Post
    Why don't you consider having it offshore somewhere that allows the less legitimate content some users might upload? I could see it solving a whole bunch of problems.
    YOU would also have to be off-shore.

  19. #19
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    no you dont

  20. #20
    if i get a server with 100 MBIT connection unmetered bandwith does that essentially mean i can use all the Bandwith i want on that server, example being 50 TB and be fine?

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by izwar View Post
    if i get a server with 100 MBIT connection unmetered bandwith does that essentially mean i can use all the Bandwith i want on that server, example being 50 TB and be fine?
    You should be able to, but thats something you should ask the host. They may put on a "pooled connection", meaning many severs share a certain amount of capacity, instead of a dedicated 100mbit. If its not dedicated, you may not be able to push the full 100mbit at all times.

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by izwar View Post
    if i get a server with 100 MBIT connection unmetered bandwith does that essentially mean i can use all the Bandwith i want on that server, example being 50 TB and be fine?
    lol ok

    the maximum you can physically push on a 100mbit dedicated is ~30TB a month

    alot of the offers here are 100 mbit shared which means you will get anything from 5 to 15TB depending on provider, this is a question you will have to ask them before buying, exactly how much can i push with this server

    to give you an idea of the price range you are looking at, will be ~1000$ / month to rent a server on 100mbit dedicated connection, you might get it cheaper if you buy in bulk of course
    Last edited by dfh_ie; 09-24-2008 at 05:10 AM.

  23. #23
    Mihd, doesn't OVH have a dedicated 100mbit connection on all of there servers? Same have 1gbit and are only 120 pounds or so a year including vat.

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dday View Post
    Mihd, doesn't OVH have a dedicated 100mbit connection on all of there servers? Same have 1gbit and are only 120 pounds or so a year including vat.
    OVH ahahahhahaha

    ok lets do an experiment

    you buy one of them servers and comeback to us in a month (provided you haven't gone gray after chasing their lying scumbags of customer support reps) and show us how much bandwidth you used

    OVH are the Epic Fail of the dedicated market and thats talking from personal experience

  25. #25
    Mihd that was meant to be 120 pounds a month btw. I have never used them before what is so bad about them?

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