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  1. #1
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    nginx + php-fpm shared hosting

    I am opening this thread to get an idea of how many people might be interested in this idea.

    We are currently building a new web hosting company from scratch using custom code for our billing/checkout system plus a custom coded openvz control panel. Our platform runs on Gentoo Linux with custom kernel builds instead of the standard CentOS/RHEL deployment that many webhosts currently use.

    We've decided to take our platform a step further and extend the same 'from scratch' concept to our shared hosting platform. Our shared hosting servers will run nginx + php-fpm (with per user socket connections for security and stability) instead of the standard apache+mod_php or litespeed webserver configuration.

    We are even able to offer a fully integrated control panel called Froxlor (which is a fork of SysCP) that already supports this type of platform quite well.

    We feel that this platform is superior in many ways including performance, stability, security, scalability, etc.

    How does everyone else feel about this kind of web server configuration?
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  2. #2
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    It's an interesting idea, but is it practical?

    We've decided to take our platform a step further and extend the same 'from scratch' concept to our shared hosting platform. Our shared hosting servers will run nginx + php-fpm (with per user socket connections for security and stability) instead of the standard apache+mod_php or litespeed webserver configuration.
    Compatibility issues?

    We are even able to offer a fully integrated control panel called Froxlor (which is a fork of SysCP) that already supports this type of platform quite well.
    Most people are used to cPanel, so they will most likely stay with cPanel. How do you think you can compete with that fact?

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  3. #3
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    Well, we haven't actually said 'no' to a cPanel platform which we will need to implement down the road eventually (or even DirectAdmin) but we plan to start with this platform and gear ourselves towards perhaps a more tech minded audience.

    We actually have a poll on our site that asks potential customers which control panel should we implement next, so we are thinking about it.

    As far as compatibility goes, in my experience any php webapp that runs on apache will run on nginx. Even the Wordpress.org guys use it to host their site and I believe so does Hulu.com

    Any other thoughts?
    Last edited by AltruHost; 01-29-2011 at 01:43 AM.
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  4. #4
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    I think in general most of what you are talking about will go right over the heads of many people who are looking for web hosting. Most people I encounter on a daily basis (at least when it comes to people looking for web hosting) do not even know what nginx is.

    With that being said, i think its an interesting approach and if you have specific audience you are trying to target, then go for it. If not, then I would recommend sticking with the more popular platforms (ex: Apache, Cpanel, Litespeed..ect)
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  5. #5
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    We use Nginx + PHP-FPM to serve our main website + forums. It is leaps and bounds faster than our old setup with Apache, however I think this type of hosting would definitely be more geared toward the technical people out there. We also run cPanel on this server.

    I haven't looked at nginx in a while but I know one major drawback from a customer standpoint was the lack of access to .htaccess. We have a ton of rewrite rules for our forums (vbseo) and website that had to all be converted directly into the conf file for the vhosts.
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  6. #6
    nginx is worth learning. I don't even mess with a-patch-ee anymore, however like what was said about cPanel - people are used to it, why reinvent the wheel (constructive criticism) unless it's that much innovative? The reinvent the wheel question is something you have to ask yourself sometimes because rather than reinventing the wheel locally with web design, I just do custom Wordpress themes for my clients which have ran the $1000-1500 site design people out of town. I do it for considerably less and even include a year's worth of hosting.

    I decided not to reinvent the wheel if you understand what I'm trying to say ;-)

  7. #7
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    Sounds like you could have something good on your hands if you can market it well.

    The one issue I would mainly have with Nginx is that of rewrite rules. You want to solve problems for people - make things easier for them; not make it harder, so you'll have to think along the lines of "What problem does this platform solve?" and market it along those lines.
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  8. #8
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    There is defiantly an advantage for a hosting company to move to something like Nginx, your going to get a better service consolidation rate, especially with a large customer based.

    However as some others have said the hardest part is going to be building the solution in a way thats as simple as cPanel, while also marketing the advantages to clients.

    I also suspect that a large number of shared hosting clients aren't too interested in the speed benefits...

    However best of luck and will be interesting to see how it goes
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  9. #9
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    one major drawback from a customer standpoint was the lack of access to .htaccess
    Fortunately PHP has addressed this issue when using PHP 5.3.0 and later. You can now create a file called .user.ini in webroot (or any directory) that will override the default php.ini configuration on a per directory basis just like .htaccess. Follow this link for more details:

    http://www.php.net/manual/en/configu...e.per-user.php

    This should address 95% of the user's need to customize their vhost just as .htaccess does on an apache platform.
    Last edited by AltruHost; 01-29-2011 at 09:50 AM.
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  10. #10
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    The above won't address issues with mod_rewrite, but it's definitely a step in the right direction.

    In any event though, go ahead and ignore everyone who is telling you to use cPanel, etc. because it's more well known - these people just don't understand how business works. Why compete with all the other providers and just offer the same thing? It is all about the niche markets, and I think you've got that covered. Good luck with your venture.

  11. #11
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    I appreciate everyone's feedback as there are a lot of good points being made. We will continue to pursue this style of shared hosting because it will be something unique that very few hosts are able to offer.

    A more traditional style of shared hosting will follow eventually but we want to stand out from the crowd.

    Updates will be posted here so check back from time to time.
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  12. #12
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    These guys have done it with Plesk: nginxhosting.com

    It'd be interesting to see how you break into web hosting with your platform. If I were you, I'd market this to the "Web app" crowd where they're generally more tech savvy.

    By the way, we were in a relatively similar situation with Varnish. I think you should focus on a couple of advantages of your platform over the typical LAMP setup and market it that way.

    Regards
    Joe / UNIXY
    Last edited by UNIXy; 02-26-2011 at 09:57 AM.
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  13. #13
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    Thank you UNIXy for your comment.

    I am curious though, and PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I AM SOMEHOW WRONG, but if they're using nginx with Plesk, doesn't that mean that their simply using nginx as a reverse proxy to a web server other than nginx (most likely apache or lightspeed)?

    If this is the case than this is hardly the same thing. Some may argue that using nginx as a reverse proxy is the way to go, but in reality the only purpose for this is to try to use nginx for performance while retaining customer ability to create their own mod_rewrite rules in a .htaccess file. This would explain how they're able to use an apache based control panel like Plesk and still advertise that they host using nginx...

    What we are offering is pure nginx webhosting as a true web server combined with php-fpm for extremely fast and reliable php application hosting. Eventually we will add ROR (Ruby On Rails) support to our platform via mongrel cluster instead of mod_rails (passenger) because mongrel does not impose the loading lag that passenger does.

    As far as those pesky mod_rewrite rules are concerned, we are working on a solution for our Froxlor control panel and eventually will have a patch to allow the ability for customers to make their own rewrites using a strict rewrite generating form in the control panel. Until that happens (during our public beta) we will require a support request in order to create custom rewrite rules.

    I wouldn't mind contacting nginxhosting.com in order to confirm their nginx configuration. I have tried to use the contact form on nginxhosting.com twice now but I keep receiving a bounceback message from a qmail server stating:
    Code:
    This is a permanent error; I've given up. Sorry it didn't work out.
    
    <info@nginxhosting.com>:
    Sorry. Although I'm listed as a best-preference MX or A for that host,
    it isn't in my control/locals file, so I don't treat it as local. (#5.4.6)
    They even have a 'HelpDesk' link on their 'Contact Us' page but that link just takes me back to their main home page every time I click on it...

    Am I missing something nginxhosting.com??
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  14. #14
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    We don't do webhosting for customers but we use a similar setup to what your planning to sell. nginx, node.js, php-fpm and have in the past (and will likely again soon) setup Ruby on Rails.

    I haven't use apache in a world facing web-site for years now and don't miss it!
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  15. #15
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    I don't see an easy / safe way to allow users to rewrite their vhosts. And not trying to spoil it for you but the vast majority of tech savvy nginx users probably have servers/VPS of their own. Also doubt a regular joe wordpress would want to spend time on rewrite rules for supercache and the sort. The way I see it now, Apache + varnish would work just as well or better without all the hassles of having nginx/reverse proxy in place. Regardless, hats off to you if you find a good way to pull this one off


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  16. #16
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    DeanoC-

    Although the only mention of nginx I can find on your website is a single post on your blog, it appears that you may be the first person who could actually be offering a similar webhosting product.

    You are welcome to try our public beta, and I would not mind having the opportunity of testing your platform as well.

    What control panel are you using? I am interested in talking with someone in a similar situation as us. As you already know by reading this thread, we had to go through a significant amount of programming in order to integrate an nginx platform into our billing system.
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  17. #17
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    We will no longer be posting to this thread as we have received a warning from WHT staff due to Self-Promotion in the wrong forum.

    We will now be posting in the advertising forums.
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  18. #18
    Correct me If I am wrong are you going to make every thing on your own?

    Its very difficult as well as interesting to've everything on our own, but I am still confused please clear me first.

  19. #19
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    Responded to no69_2007's question via PM.
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  20. #20
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    I am actually getting 2 servers setup something like this right now... believe it or not... We're using our custom wordpress distro as the panel, xubuntu nginx and php-fpm... and I see the man in the terminal right now already commented on this thread, hah, and I was looking for last minute tidbits to see if there was anything else I should suggest to him... haha.... Yes, I think this is a good idea OP, this be one of those things that's lurked in the shadows, but somebody gone done went and turned the light on.... I may be interested in collaborating on your project in a business sense, if you are interested.

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