How to determine if host is overselling the server

cpsitesaver.com · #1 10-27-2006, 12:30 AM

Most of us here are concerned about oversold or overselling of shared hosting or VPS servers. Most people know how it deteriorates server performance and how it affects the customers as a whole. But I am not sure if we, as a customer, can determine ahead of time if the server we are planning to be hosted on is oversold or not?

So, I have 2 questions regarding this:

1. Is it ethical for a host decline or ignore answering your questions regarding how many sites/domains are hosted on their particular server?

2. Is there an online tool that can check in real-time how many domains are really hosted on a particular server if say I plug in a domain name or IP address of the server? If there is one, please provide URL.

Please advise.

Thanks very much in advance.

ITHost-KoreyR · #2 10-27-2006, 12:52 AM

The best indicator if your or any host is overselling is the prices & packages

for example: http://www.xstatichosting.com/

If you see something like this red lights should be going off in your head.

dwrunyon · #3 10-27-2006, 02:18 AM

You can look up your domain at domaintools.com and it will tell you how many sites are hosted on your ip.

Segey · #4 10-27-2006, 02:39 AM

For a host who doesn't oversell there's nothing to be afraid of the question about the number of sites on the server. I think that's a clients' right to know that, as it will not only tell you about the fact of overselling, but will also give some idea what to expect in terms of RAM and CPU. However, I'm afraid there's no way to controll your host if he's not inclined to tell you this, as using domaintools you can only find out sites at your ip, and what if someone uses dedicated ip?

trish75 · #5 10-27-2006, 02:56 AM

cpsitesaver.com, you can figure out if the hosting oversells or not just only looking at the package plans and the prices. If the hosting offers much traffic for a very low price it's quite clear that it oversells.
You know the greater part of hosting companies don't tell the truth about overselling. It's not profitable for their business.
As far as I know there are services that can show you how many domains are hosted on your server but I don't know their URLs. Maybe you may find them in Google.

NameServer · #6 10-27-2006, 03:06 AM

I took an experiment.... I asked one of the hosters to give me as many as their package included (bandwith, space etc). They were very surprised. And they refused me...

RiverDweller · #7 10-27-2006, 03:43 AM

It's arguably ethical to refuse to tell a customer how many domains or accounts share his server. However, I'd be inclined not to trust a hosting company that wouldn't give me that information. But even if they do answer, how do you decide whether or not to believe them?

Also the number domains doesn't really tell you that much. You might be sharing the server with several hundred domains that are lucky to get five hits a day. Or you might be sharing with half a dozen domains that reallly need their own dedicated servers. A line graph or histogram of CPU usage would be much more useful.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Segey

For a host who doesn't oversell there's nothing to be afraid of the question about the number of sites on the server. I think that's a clients' right to know that, as it will not only tell you about the fact of overselling, but will also give some idea what to expect in terms of RAM and CPU. However, I'm afraid there's no way to controll your host if he's not inclined to tell you this, as using domaintools you can only find out sites at your ip, and what if someone uses dedicated ip?

Yes, or you might be using a dedicated IP.

If you have shell access, sometimes you can go to the top level and see how many domains are on the server.

NameServer · #8 10-27-2006, 03:57 AM

But hosters give shell by request

RiverDweller · #9 10-27-2006, 04:20 AM

Some do, some don't.

Can you explain the experiment above, NameServer. I'm not sure how you'd ask a host to give you as much bandwidth as their package allowed. I'd be surprised too if someone called up and said, "My package has 500GB/mo of bandwidth. Would you please send me 500GB of bandwidth?" Or do you mean you asked them to give you the package for free? That's not likely to happen, but some hosts have a money-back trial period.

NameServer · #10 10-27-2006, 04:33 AM

I did it as experement

Segey · #11 10-27-2006, 04:35 AM

I wonder if there are hosts out there who have been asked the question "How many...?" Do you feel obliged to answer it? and answer it correctly? Usually, they say that they try not to use more than 50% of the server.

NameServer · #12 10-27-2006, 04:39 AM

Clear up please with "50% of the server"

Dave Zan · #13 10-27-2006, 05:44 AM

It's not 100% accurate (but then what is?), but this free site can give you a rough
estimate:

http://whois.webhosting.info/

Type the domain name or IP address, preferably the latter to see how many are in
that server and what domain names are hosted in it.