Dedicated server or Reseller? Advice on WHAT not on WHOM

edgecrusher · #1 10-15-2003, 10:11 PM

THE BACKGROUND:
Hi, currently I´m the webmaster of two sites, both owned by the same company, one is a the Corporate site, and the other is a little Portal related to what the company does..

Now the "boss" (not Bruce, just my boss)... is merging with another company... that has three other sites.. and they are planning on growing and making more internet content and sites... and they want me to admin all that...

THE CHOICES:
What would you reccomend I should do... get a big reseller package? or go with a dedicated server?

THE QUESTIONS:
I´m a simple dreamweaver, flash, PHP dude... I´m not really into servers and all that.. (although I did installed a local apache for testing my sites [ejem... on windows]) I know I can manage a multidomain or reseller hosting...

1.- But what about a dedicated server? Is it complicated to admin one? Or can my background make it easier to manage. How steep is the learning curve?

2.- Money is not really a problem.. but would a dedicated server be an overkill?
Content of most of the sites is graphic heavy.. and a few videos are going to be needed....

3.- In case I do go with a dedicated server... What should I look for? What do you reccomend? In terms of hardware... OS.... Server, etc...

4.- Extra advice is welcome..

Thanx

RahulS · #2 10-15-2003, 10:19 PM

If the sites are very important and need to be on their own then I highly recommend a dedicated server else a reseller hosting will do fine.

1.) Well you could get managed dedicated servers for really cheap nowadays which should be good in your situation. If you know how to manage a server then you should be fine. Regarding your personal position I really couldnt tell because it is all based on personal experiences. I would say if you are confident then give it a shot

2.) For about 10 sites and if it is not very important then yes a dedicated server would be an overkill.

3.) Well depending on the programming style of the websites although I think you will be better off with a Linux server with standard features and cPanel/WHM since it is easier to manage than a windows server. Look for at least 512MB Ram.

Hope everything works out for you

Good Luck

edgecrusher · #3 10-15-2003, 10:53 PM

Thanx for the answer...

I´m confident enough to try a dedicated server...

Most of the programming and sites are and will be classic PHP-Mysql for dinamic stuff.. and plain HTML and SWF for the rest... nothing fancy or too processor intense... No .NET, or ASP or Acces, or anything like that...

The only thing will be the video stuff..I know they can eat transfer very fast... and I mean VERY fast...

About the overkill... well I guess if my "boss" doesn´t really know too much about it.. I could get some experience with servers...

Steve Saw · #4 10-16-2003, 12:07 AM

If you can handle the costs, go for a dedicated -- always. It's like renting a car or owning your own. Well, actually, it's like renting a car or driving a rented car that you didn't rent, than ... I give up.

Dedicateds are just generally the way to go if you want the extra flexibility, though reseller's can be good, along with cost-effective, should you be able to manage on one.

akashik · #5 10-16-2003, 02:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by edgecrusher
I´m a simple dreamweaver, flash, PHP dude... I´m not really into servers and all that.. (although I did installed a local apache for testing my sites [ejem... on windows]) I know I can manage a multidomain or reseller hosting...

Go for a reseller account. Administrating a dedicated server is a vast step up from a reseller account. Your boss is going to have your entrails cut out if the server goes down and you can't get it back up.

A reseller account means you have someone else doing the dirty work behind the scenes, while you can concentrate on the websites themselves.

Unless you know your way around the command line you're going to be in for a world of hurt.

Str · #6 10-16-2003, 03:50 AM

Try to get a fully managed dedicated server, even a semi-managed server would help but try not to start with an unmanaged dedicated server though.

Website Rob · #7 10-16-2003, 08:42 AM

1.- But what about a dedicated server? Is it complicated to admin one? Or can my background make it easier to manage. How steep is the learning curve?

Having experience with a multidomain or reseller account is good start -- but with which Control Panel? Not only do you need to know how to use it, so does anyone else using it -- or the features provided by it. Once you know; to use Linux or Windows Hostings and how much Data Transfer per month is required, you are on the path to answering your "Server or Reseller" account question. A multidomain account, IMHO, would be too limited for the needs you've described.

2.- Money is not really a problem.. but would a dedicated server be an overkill?
Content of most of the sites is graphic heavy.. and a few videos are going to be needed....

Money is never a problem -- Time & Knowledge is what will get you.

It doesn't sound like you want to spending a few hours (minimum!) each day, maintaining the Server. Odds are, your new Boss(es) will want you to focus on the Web sites and other duties involved with each Web site. Even maintaining a Reseller account for a busy company can take up a lot of your time. And with a Reseller account, you are still going to be the "Tech Guy" for the company. So along with your own deadlines you will be dealing with people having various problems.

3.- In case I do go with a dedicated server... What should I look for? What do you reccomend? In terms of hardware... OS.... Server, etc...

See answer to question #1.

4.- Extra advice is welcome..

Go with a Control Panel that you understand and will be User friendly for others within the company. Data Transfer is what you need to focus on and more can usually be purchased. Once all Web sites have been operational for a few months, you'll have a better idea as to these type of requirements.

Don't get side-tracked by file types. Images can be compressed and also, to a degree, any Video or Sound files. I presume you will be using Streaming Media? Might as well get the best bang for your buck and, although that format makes little difference in Data Transfer, site Visitors will sure appreciate it.

dandanfirema · #8 10-16-2003, 11:36 AM

I would recommend getting a managed dedicated server. Just be sure you pick a company that really does manage it proactively and is willing to help out with tech questions and is willing to do a little hand holding.

Mark_TVI · #9 10-16-2003, 12:01 PM

I would agree with those that say Reseller account first. Even with a fully managed dedicated you will be missing a lot of the pieces to administer everything. With a Reseller account you can start out slow and learn some of the ins and outs.

After say 6 months or more with a Reseller, you should be able to move to a fully managed dedicated server.(ServInt would be a good choice)

Walk before you run...

edgecrusher · #10 10-16-2003, 05:25 PM

Thanks for the input...

Now what about this decision?:

I think that I will follow the "logical" learning way..

1.- I´ll go for the Reseller and do that 6 months/year test... (I do not want to spend all day making the sites.. and then all night struggling with the server.)

Once the new sites are up and running smoothly, and all I have to do is some database maintainance and general site lookup (I do not create the content).... then:

2.- I´ll try to go with a managed dedicated server.
During this time I shall learn enough to go for:

3.- An upgrade to an unmanaged server... and manage it myself...

I mean... I want to have the Server Admin experience and knowledge... But don´t have much time or money to go to school... (don´t like schools very much anyway, I´ve a degree on pedagogic sciences and I know what I´m talking about.. but that´s another story).

This Server Admin experience will increase and improve my tech knowledge... and I know that sooner or later "the boss" is going to grow enough, so that the company needs it´s dedicated server.. and I want to be the one in charge of it... and not have a new guy come and take my salary and status away...

So to those of you who manage your own server.. How do you guys learned it?

Thanx again

AdY · #11 10-16-2003, 06:35 PM

I'm not sure if 6 months will be enough (don't get me wrong - i'm not saying that you are not a fast learner or something like that), but if you find a serious company that will manage your servers (like Watcher_TVI said) then it will be no problem.
Let me just recommend you oreilly.com (or maybe http://safari.oreilly.com/) - you can start with RedHat Linux (learn the basics, install it yourself), then Apache (install/ configure/ re-compile) then some security-related stuff, then some sendmail (or even before), then do your homeworks about DNS and here you go. Remember to keep yourself updated - each time there is something new released.

Hope it helps. Kind regards, Adrian.

edgecrusher · #12 10-16-2003, 07:17 PM

Well that´s 6 months / 1 year / 1 decade .. or whatever it takes for me to be ready... (I´m a really fast learner though, especially when it comes to getting the bucks to pay for food and all that)...

Of course that if the reseller thing goes smoothly I don´t think we will move from there.

Still I will like to deal with the big bad penguin, the apache killer, and the attack of the killer bugs (I think I´ve killed quite a few of those in the last 12 years)...

So thanx for the link..

Dedicated server or Reseller? Advice on WHAT not on WHOM

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