Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Running a Web Hosting Business : multiple servers 1 host

[ravegti1]

I am a web designer that provides hosting through my cPanel Reseller. I have so many clients now that my server is full. Now I need to purchase another server and start loading new clients on that account. My question is kind of hard to put into words.... How can I use multiple servers for my hosting? Like point multiple servers to my 1 hosting solution. Anyone get what I mean?

[cis4life]

For one, If you have that many clients, I would really suggest looking into a dedicated solution. Resellers are fine to me, (to get started) but once you have some clients, get a dedicated. But if you want to stay with the reseller accounts, I say order another reseller plan your host, OR get a similar reseller plan from another host. But I would try to order another reseller plan from your current host, due to you already know what they offer support and plan wise.

Cedric

[DynamicHost]

Originally posted by ravegti1
I am a web designer that provides hosting through my cPanel Reseller. I have so many clients now that my server is full. Now I need to purchase another server and start loading new clients on that account. My question is kind of hard to put into words.... How can I use multiple servers for my hosting? Like point multiple servers to my 1 hosting solution. Anyone get what I mean?

I would recommend looking at a dedicated managed solution, the best thing to do would be to contact your current provider right now if you're happy with them, I know we frequently have resellers who outgrow their accounts, we'll often either just upgrade them to a larger reseller account or even move them to a dedicated server and provide management services so they still don't have to worry about managing the server themselves. I'd recommend contacting your current host and working out something through them, they should be glad to hear you're growing!

Cheers,
Matt

[DSD]

If you don't want to become a full time webhost, and be tied to a pager everytime a server goes down, I would recommend that you keep your reseller account.

If you are happy with you current provider, upgrade to the largest package they have. If you are already there, buy a second reseller account. If your main company is webdesign.com, purchase webdesign.net, and set all new clients up on that account.

In my experiance, it is much easier to stay with reseller accounts, and the price of a trully fully managed server will probably be about 300 a month. Once you are spending the same on reseller accounts as you would be for a dedicated (meaning you can save money) then make the switch.

[cdgcommerce]

Try to work it out with your current host if you are happy and comfortable with them.

Otherwise, get a dedicated server if the cost of additional reseller storage would be higher or equal to the cost of your own server.

You can gain a significant economy of scale in *most* cases by having your own dedicated server. Just depends on the plan and pricing you have as a reseller right now, there are definitely some very competitive reseller plans on the market right now.

[eddy2099]

The economy of scale is one thing but I guess he might not have gone dedicated in the first place could be because he might not be versed in managing the server. I believe most reseller's account are managed and you probably cannot equate the cost of an unmanaged dedicated server to a managed all-inclusive reseller's account.

To the original poster, yes you can have more than one account or host your customers on more than one server if needed as long as you know who is where..

[ravegti1]

I appreciate all the feedback, and I do wish to stay with a reseller account. I have the highest plan my host offers, so upgrading is not an option. I guess my questions are... How can I get 2 machines to act like they are 1? How do I organize clients when they are in 2 different physical locations? I know I should start using subdomains, like server1.mydomain.com and server2.mydomain.com, but how does that work?

[DSD]

Why do you need to have 2 servers act as one?

I'd just buy another domain name, and setup a reseller account as if you were starting from scratch. Then setup all new clients on your new reseller account, with the new nameservers.

[ravegti1]

well how do hosting companies use 1 set of nameservers for all their servers? the way ive seen it being done is a hosting company will set up clients on, for example jupiter.mydomain.com and pluto.mydomain.com and mars.mydomain.com, and always use the same ns1.mydomain.com and ns2.mydomain.com nameservers. Each subdomain are on different boxes, right?

[eddy2099]

You can use one set of name servers from one machine and use that to server as name servers for the accounts on the other machine. It is just an issue of pointing an IP address. If it is outside the box than you point to an IP address outside the box.

Pretty simple to do.

[AMD72]

I've wondered about this myself, so I'm going to throw out a theory and see if this would work.

Let's say I have two reseller accounts and one is up and running and I've just opened the second. I'm already using ns1.mydomain.com and ns2.mydomain.com. With the new host, can you use the IP addresses they give you to point them to ns3.mydomain.com and ns4.mydomain.com? Even though "mydomain.com" might not be sitting at their server, if I set up nameservers using those IP addresses, it would work. I figure you have to create some sort of MX record as well, although I don't really get that part.

Could that work? And if so, what else would need to be done? I was thinking of doing something similar, so now I'm curious as well.