Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Web Hosting : Much call for FTP hosting?

[JayUK]

I Was thinking of doing a package for FTP hosting, what are your opinions?

[pshepperd]

Hmm, You mean like backup hosting?

Basically you have to beat 1$ per gig, and provide full transfer speeds from most of the major datacenters.

I have thought about this for a long time.
Bqinternet.com , aka bqbackup.com do this. They do it well, and in fact the only reason I don't use them more is because I can't get full transfer speeds (> 500KBps) and they don't support FTPS aka FTP over SSL or TLS.

If you could guarantee some kind of security, and reliability, with a slightly higher cost, you might have a viable business.

The next logical step is to have a software client programed that does backup from windows boxes.

Like I said I have been thinking about this, and actually doing it to some extent.



Further considerations would be that the bandwidth for backing up with ftp is rather high when compared with something like rsync. It may not matter to you if you get unmetered connections, but for example if i have a dedicated server with 1000gigs/month I would use rsync, or the datacenter's FTP because they don't count transfer (ususally), across their own switches.

There is an emerging market for low cost FTP backups, and if you could get a reliable FTPS client software that works good, you could make a go of it.

Remember it doesn't take a great idea to make a lot of money, it just takes following through with a mediocre one.

I might also add that I might be willing to help you with this, though most of my budget is currently tied up in other things.

[JayUK]

Nope, not backup hosting. Just a place for people to store their files. It's not something that you see every day unlike web hosting. I wouldn't be doing to make a mint, in fact any kind of profit would be a bonus to be honest.

[pshepperd]

Um.... its one and the same my friend.

I really dont see how storing files on an FTP could be anything other than backup hosting?

I mean its kinda like having a hard drive, away from a hard drive.

What else can you use it for?

I can store 100gb of files on bqbackup with darn near as much transfer as I need for 20.00$ a month.

I also have a layeredtech one of 10gb for 10.00 a month with unlimited transfer....

So i mean I guess I'm just too dense to see what your getting at, sorry .

[JayUK]

Nah, I'm the dense one :p.

My "plan" is only a rough one at that, I got the idea because I've seen some people selling FTP accounts like 55 bucks p/m for only 125MB. Maybe I've misread something but how can these people compete with the peeps you mentioned?

[vidahost]

Unless you're selling backup space on high-spec RAID systems you're just selling crippled hosting accounts, which are therefore useless

[pshepperd]

I have no idea, how they can possibly sell that, if you can sell that I will provide you with "unlmited FTP space" and we will both be millionaires.

[JayUK]

Well the server shave 4 x Seagate 160GB 8MB SATA HDD
3Ware 9500S-4LP 4 Port Raid Card (RAID 5)

[vidahost]

I would use SCSI if any real load will be placed on it, but to begin with that's fine.

Corporate backup is where the real money is if you have the expertise