Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Dedicated Server : Suggestions required for quad core Windows server

[Saibal]

Hi,

I am looking for the following:

1. Unmanaged Quad core Windows server (preferably Xeon E3-1230)
2. 8GB/16GB DDR3 RAM
3. Software RAID1
4. 100 Mbps port, minimum 2TB bandwidth (more the better, unmetered is best)
5. Minimum 500 GB SATA II hdd
6. Windows 2008 Standard Edition with Plesk 10 (100 domains license) is also needed.
7. Good connectivity is needed to USA, Europe and South Asia (India, China).
8. Reliable support. 24 X 7 support, preferably with phone support. Phone support is not a necessity if support ticket response time is within 5-10 minutes.

My budget is within $150-$190 per month with no setup fees (inclusive of Windows and Plesk license). I have looked around and found some hosts and need some recommendations:

1. SecuredServers.com
2. Alnitech
3. HostDime
4. TalentHouse
5. SpeedySparrow
6. Hivelocity
7. LeaseWeb
8. TailorMadeServers

Out of the above, Alnitech has a great sale going on now but doesn't offer Windows or Plesk licenses. How much would it cost for Windows 2008 Standard Edition and Plesk 10 for Windows license? Instead of Plesk 10, should I go for WebsitePanel control panel?

So, I have to choose between the above. Which one would be appropriate for me? If I am missing some host then I would be grateful if someone could point it out to me.

Thanks,
Saibal.

[BalticServers Andrius]

Impossible: Good connectivity is needed to USA, Europe and South Asia (India, China).

Maybe it will be good with Eu and US, but do not expect good speed with India and China..

[Saibal]

OK then, I will be happy with US and Europe

[mehboobashraf]

Your budget is relatively good for your requirement. Did you look into the offer section?

[Saibal]

Yeah, I did. I wanted to go with Alnitech but they don't provide Windows or Plesk licenses and I don't know what to do about that. I tried looking up prices for them and they are too costly for me. That is why I am not wondering what to do. Plus, I wanted to know which host people would recommend out of the ones I listed (or if there are others I missed out on).

[Softsys Hosting]

Well, what you mentioned is relatively achievable in your budget - you can consider WebsitePanel which will save you few $ monthly as there is not license fee with it. Since you are in need to Windows Server, I'll recommend going for Hardware RAID rather than Software RAID.

[Saibal]

Is Software RAID unreliable on Windows?

[Softsys Hosting]

I've seen several instances of things getting wrong with Software RAID on Windows. You can consider SM onboard RAID but I'd still recommend getting hardware raid card if you need better reliability & performance.

[Saibal]

Thanks for letting me know. I will keep this in mind

[storminternet]

Hi,

Very true, a hardware RAID would be a good choice for better recovery of your data in case if anything goes wrong with Primary HDD's

WebSitePanel (which was previously known as DotNetPanel) have several issues, we noticed in past that its lil bit vulnerable and now it has been announced that its a open source control panel.

Plesk would be always a better option as it works perfectly on Windows. We have several Windows servers running with Plesk, never seen any major problem with Plesk on Windows if you manage it properly

[Brian_R]

+1 for hardware RAID.

For location, if US and Europe are your primary markets then stick to North Eastern US/Canada or Western Europe and you'll be fine.

[Sago Dave]

On Windows, I would third the call for hardware RAID.

Also, you can obtain the license from the provider directly, or license resellers such as licensecube. You would just need to ensure the provider allows external licensing.

[Saibal]

I couldn't find any Windows 2008 Server license resellers. Any suggestions?

[Brian_R]

Originally Posted by Saibal

I couldn't find any Windows 2008 Server license resellers. Any suggestions?

Yes - get it from the server supplier - if they can't even supply Windows then your chances of getting any meaningful support on it when you need it are nil. I know you are looking for unmanaged, but even so, you never know when you might need a helping hand....

[RSNET-John]

We personally have never had a single issue with software based RAID in Windows. If it's setup correctly and you have all of the monitoring software in place from the get-go then you won't have any problems. Hardware RAID will give better performance on the drives though.