Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Running a Web Hosting Business : Running a web host - the different choices

[ginhev]

Hello!

I have found a market and I have got a lot of customers that are waiting for my "specialty" and to hire my hosting, but the thing is I don't know what to choose.

These are the different hosting choices (I think):

* Reseller hosting
* Hire a VPS and host from there
* Hire a Dedicated server and host from there
* Buy a dedicated server and co-locate it
* Buy a dedicated server and manage everything myself

I guess those are the options, am I right? Or are there any other options?

So yeah, now these are the questions I have, which one of those are the best and in which way should I go? If I buy a dedicated (or hire) would I need to do everything myself? What is it that you exactly have to do? Install apache and WHCMS? I see that WHCMS is included in hostgators servers but I didn't see a cpanel and cpanel itself costs like 450$ for a year..

I have around 440 customers waiting and these are the plans they would like:

210 * 10GB space/100GB Bandwidth
93 * 5GB Space/50GB Bandwidth
137 * 1GB Space/10GB Bandwidth

I am going to offer them something noones else has and that is why I have so many that would like to purchase from me.

What suits me best? What do I do when I expand? I was thinking of reseller because it seems to be the cheapest and easiest but the thing is it would quickly run up and I asked the hostgator support if I can have like two diamond reseller hosting packages linked into one account but they said no..

And another thing, say that I buy 2TB from any of the options (reseller, dedi or whatever) and I have WHCMS installed, can I then register accounts with like 10GB each and have like 250 of those accounts (total 2.5TB) on the 2TB disk? Because we all know people don't use up everything.. Is that possible or does WHCMS only allow what you actually have? (So the max you can write onto accounts is 2TB in total..)


Oh well, please help me.. I'm new to this forum Excuse me for my bad english.

So basically, can I fill up a disk with accounts that has more disk and what type of hosting fits my needs best?

[relichost]

Hi

if you want to maintain your customers, ie not pass them onto another company, the you need a Big VPS or probably a dedicated Server. (colo if you are close to your DataCentre)

Also in WHMCS you can setup accounts, but on Cpanel you can restrict people to using 10Gig in space, but you have to see if most people are going to use that, if so then you'll need bigger hard drives. if not say each one uses only 1 gig then you can fit them on the server.

Dedicated is best in my opinion, because the provider looks after the server for you, and you then wont have to pay to fix any hardware issues. Also choose a good provider, for instance the server prices may range from 100USD to 300USD depending on your spec. but often the cheapest price wont work out the best for you.

Good luck with your search.

Andrew

[ginhev]

Okay, but what work do I have to do if I buy a dedicated server? I mean, what do I have to install? Update? upgrade? etc.

And do you know any good providers?

I was actually thinking to start off with a reseller company, just to get a grasp on how the functions etc. work, play around and get some customers (the customers I mentioned are willing to wait a year) and try around.

Then once I'm ready move onto a dedicated server, but what are the requirements from my side to have my own dedicated servers? I know that it's cheaper than a reseller account but it also consumes more time.

I also know that hosts with their own servers are more desirable, so yeah, it's good but I would like to start as a reseller just to know about every function.

So, what do I exactly have to do if I buy dedicated servers?

Thanks!

[relichost]

Hi

Your original post indicated you had customers already. so if you have no customers then yes a reseller account is best to start with.

If you look in the offer's sections on this forum, you'll find lots and lots of deals. and at a later date getting a dedicated from the same company if its worked out with them would be the next logical step.

Thanks

[ginhev]

Okay, but what do I have to do if I buy a dedicated? What is my responsibilty and what is the people I hire it froms responsibilty?

[relichost]

Not sure I get you to be honest.

If you go unmanacged then they look after the hardware and thats it, if its managed, then you look after selling your space.

Thanks

[tacgrp]

400 customers calls for a dedicated server. Though it sounds like you only have a list of people "interested" and you will at best only close 1/2 of them and more likely 1/4 from my past experiences. People simply like to know what is coming and see the latest and greatest.

[ginhev]

Originally Posted by dallas - zoom active

400 customers calls for a dedicated server. Though it sounds like you only have a list of people "interested" and you will at best only close 1/2 of them and more likely 1/4 from my past experiences. People simply like to know what is coming and see the latest and greatest.

Thing is I am the only one who can supply them and meet their requirements as it's unique what I'll be providing them.

But, okay, I see that dedicated is the choice, but what do I have to do if I buy one? What software is required? Or can I do the thing people call managed, what is that?

[HostGamma]

Originally Posted by ginhev

Thing is I am the only one who can supply them and meet their requirements as it's unique what I'll be providing them.

But, okay, I see that dedicated is the choice, but what do I have to do if I buy one? What software is required? Or can I do the thing people call managed, what is that?

If you are asking those questions then I don't think you are ready to get a dedicated server on your own yet, managed or unmanaged. It might be worth it, at least for now, to hire someone to assist you on the technical side, while you handle the marketing and the customers.

[SenseiSteve]

Originally Posted by cycomholdings

If you are asking those questions then I don't think you are ready to get a dedicated server on your own yet, managed or unmanaged. It might be worth it, at least for now, to hire someone to assist you on the technical side, while you handle the marketing and the customers.

I do agree with cycomholdings. I think you need some technical help, at least up front, until you get a handle on your new business.