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Thread: Growing of a Hosting Business
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06-24-2002, 07:50 PM #1Web Hosting Guru
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Growing of a Hosting Business
Well, I guess I'm just looking for input on where we are heading. We got a dedicated server mainly becuase I bought a website that required it.
We have set our "watershed line" (for lack of a better word), which is the point in which we will need to make some kind of expansion decision, at either 90% server capactiy or 1700$/year (our costs + a little bit extra).
Anyways, we did all our documenting (TOS, PP, AUP, etc, etc, etc), setup our plans (decent), did the design, setup forum, setup trouble ticket software, etc so I think we have those bases covered.
Now, 10 days after opening our doors we have 1788$ worth of commitments, and 760$ worth of actual clients.
All of a sudden we are having to look at some of these decisions very closely.
We are currently on a RackShack server, which is actaully going okay for us. We looked at RackShack but the bandwidth was rather small, they referred us to ServerBeach, etc... RackShack has a nice little Compaq server with unmetered access which looks attractive... So, which server to get as a second server or to upgrade to is one issue.
Our next issue is what Control software we want. We're running Ensim, along with AWStats as our stuff right now. Ensim is pants, AWStats is aright. We looked @ Alabanza, but I don't think we are at that level yet. Plesk seems to be crap. H-Sphere and CPanel seem to be the two biggies, though our tech doesn't like CPanel because of how unstable it is... So, is H-Sphere worth the cost?
Finally, we are needing to decide things like if we should offer Windows hosting as well (as our second server, which it seems would make H-Sphere with it's centralised cross-OS support to be the best option for the previous point), whether we should just sit on our haunches for a few months...
I guess I'm rambling but also asking for advice from those who have already gone through some of these doors. In one respect I have to say "if our formula is working, why break it", but in anotehr I know we aren't providing our customers with everything we could be (and in some ways should be) providing)...::: Jeremy C. Wright :::
http://www.ensight.org
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06-27-2002, 04:51 PM #2Web Hosting Guru
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Any input really is appreciated...
::: Jeremy C. Wright :::
http://www.ensight.org
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06-27-2002, 05:03 PM #3Web Hosting Master
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Don't fix what isn't broken. Ensim works. Keep it. Rackshack works. Get another server. Don't offer Windows until you have enough techs to support the whole new issues that will come from Windows environments.
Also,We looked at RackShack but the bandwidth was rather small, they referred us to ServerBeach, etc...
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06-27-2002, 05:06 PM #4Web Hosting Guru
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RackSPACE, yes *L* Wow, that was fun And, yes, tthey did.
::: Jeremy C. Wright :::
http://www.ensight.org
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06-27-2002, 05:38 PM #5Web Hosting Master
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Just in case you haven't noticed yet, there are a number of threads on Alabanza lately. You will do well to read them.
Peter
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06-27-2002, 05:39 PM #6Web Hosting Guru
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If this was just about Alabanza then I would be reading those.
::: Jeremy C. Wright :::
http://www.ensight.org
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06-27-2002, 05:41 PM #7Web Hosting Master
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I am not sure what you mean. Please specify what you mean by "this" and "those."
Peter
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06-27-2002, 05:42 PM #8Web Hosting Guru
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Alabanza was one word in the entire post, which contained numerous questions and comparisons.
::: Jeremy C. Wright :::
http://www.ensight.org
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06-27-2002, 05:44 PM #9Web Hosting Master
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Originally posted by Jeremy W.
RackSPACE, yes *L* Wow, that was fun And, yes, tthey did.
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06-27-2002, 05:45 PM #10Web Hosting Guru
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Because they couldn't fulfill the bandwidth requirements and I told them I was currently with RackShack. They recommended this other company as better tahn rackshack.
::: Jeremy C. Wright :::
http://www.ensight.org
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06-27-2002, 05:49 PM #11Web Hosting Master
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Originally posted by Jeremy W.
Alabanza was one word in the entire post, which contained numerous questions and comparisons.
I try to contribute however much I can. I suppose I shouldn't try to help unless I have "all" the answers to your numerous questions.
Sorry for trying to be helpful while ending up being unhelpful.
Peter
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06-27-2002, 06:59 PM #12Web Hosting Master
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Originally posted by UmBillyCord
Don't fix what isn't broken. Ensim works. Keep it. Rackshack works. Get another server. Don't offer Windows until you have enough techs to support the whole new issues that will come from Windows environments.
I believe that it's easier to administer servers that are all set-up the same rather than a multitude of different software.
Sounds like you're doing good, congrats!You may delay, but time will not. --- Benjamin Franklin
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06-27-2002, 09:14 PM #13Web Hosting Guru
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Thing is that Ensim may not be broken but it isn't really (those who use it I'm sure understand) doing the job, ya know?
In fact, it's a bit of a royal pain to work with, to be honest.
ckpeter, I wasn't coming down on you, but your solution wasn't helping. It could be my fault for not communicating it clearly enough or whatever and if it is I'm sorry.::: Jeremy C. Wright :::
http://www.ensight.org
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06-27-2002, 09:30 PM #14Web Hosting Master
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Originally posted by Jeremy W.
Thing is that Ensim may not be broken but it isn't really (those who use it I'm sure understand) doing the job, ya know?
In fact, it's a bit of a royal pain to work with, to be honest.
Slightly off-thread, but could you please elaborate on your problems with Ensim? I was actually looking to try Ensim on an upcoming project. What specific problems am I in for ?
Thanks, in advance, for your reply.
</very_curious>You may delay, but time will not. --- Benjamin Franklin
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06-27-2002, 09:32 PM #15Web Hosting Guru
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Well, take a look at what you as a user generally like in a hosting package.
Ease of MySQL admin
Good stats
Ease of maintenance
Stability
Speed
Ensim has none of these. Good software? Yes, I don't regret our decision to go with it as we were (and in a lot of ways still are) very new to all this. Is it hindering us? Oh yeah.
There's no billing, no trouble ticket stuff, no stats, no integrated products to offer customers. It is a very basic package, but it isn't bad. I mean, it came with our server so how can I complain?::: Jeremy C. Wright :::
http://www.ensight.org
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06-28-2002, 12:41 AM #16Junior Guru Wannabe
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4solutions,
I recommend checking out rackshack's Ensim forums over at forum.rackshack.net for specifics on Ensim.
abrazell
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06-28-2002, 01:02 AM #17Web Hosting Master
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Thank you, Jeremy and abrazell. I'll look further into it as I have been hearing some good things lately about Ensim's stability. Can't believe everything you hear till you've used it in combat, huh?
You may delay, but time will not. --- Benjamin Franklin
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06-28-2002, 01:06 AM #18Registered User
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Oh god yet another hosting company. It's amazing how easy it is to start one "did all our documenting (TOS, PP, AUP, etc, etc, etc), setup our plans (decent), did the design, setup forum, setup trouble ticket software, etc "
Hey if you get lucky you might get posted on f*ckedcompany.com
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06-28-2002, 07:02 AM #19Web Hosting Master
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Originally posted by Shyne
Hey if you get lucky you might get posted on f*ckedcompany.com
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06-28-2002, 07:37 AM #20Web Hosting Master
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Re: Growing of a Hosting Business
Originally posted by Jeremy W.
I guess I'm rambling but also asking for advice from those who have already gone through some of these doors. In one respect I have to say "if our formula is working, why break it", but in anotehr I know we aren't providing our customers with everything we could be (and in some ways should be) providing)...
Just make sure that any changes you make, your cashflow can afford it. So don't over extend yourself for the sake of "improvement".• WLVPN.com • NetProtect owned White Label VPN provider •
• Increase your hosting profits by adding VPN to your product line up •
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06-28-2002, 07:45 AM #21Web Hosting Guru
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Originally posted by Shyne
Oh god yet another hosting company. It's amazing how easy it is to start one "did all our documenting (TOS, PP, AUP, etc, etc, etc), setup our plans (decent), did the design, setup forum, setup trouble ticket software, etc "
Hey if you get lucky you might get posted on f*ckedcompany.com::: Jeremy C. Wright :::
http://www.ensight.org
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06-28-2002, 09:05 AM #22Newbie
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Originally posted by Shyne
Oh god yet another hosting company. It's amazing how easy it is to start one "did all our documenting (TOS, PP, AUP, etc, etc, etc), setup our plans (decent), did the design, setup forum, setup trouble ticket software, etc "
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06-28-2002, 09:35 AM #23Newbie
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Re: Growing of a Hosting Business
Originally posted by Jeremy W.
We have set our "watershed line" (for lack of a better word), which is the point in which we will need to make some kind of expansion decision, at either 90% server capactiy or 1700$/year (our costs + a little bit extra).
Anyways, we did all our documenting (TOS, PP, AUP, etc, etc, etc), setup our plans (decent), did the design, setup forum, setup trouble ticket software, etc so I think we have those bases covered.
Now, 10 days after opening our doors we have 1788$ worth of commitments, and 760$ worth of actual clients.
We are currently on a RackShack server, which is actaully going okay for us. We looked at RackShack but the bandwidth was rather small [..] RackShack has a nice little Compaq server with unmetered access which looks attractive... So, which server to get as a second server or to upgrade to is one issue.
The bandwidth rackshack offered was rather small? Uhm, excuse me, but what bandwidth dimensions are you intending to enter?
Finally, we are needing to decide things like if we should offer Windows hosting as well (as our second server, which it seems would make H-Sphere with it's centralised cross-OS support to be the best option for the previous point), whether we should just sit on our haunches for a few months...
In one respect I have to say "if our formula is working, why break it", but in another I know we aren't providing our customers with everything we could be (and in some ways should be) providing)...
Greetings,
Duchz
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06-28-2002, 09:45 AM #24Web Hosting Guru
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Thanx again, this is turning into a very valuable thread!
When I said capacity I literally meant disk space/bandwidth, as opposed to CPU load. If it goat above 40-50% load on a regular basis I would be very concerned.
4 99$ servers... True that.
Well, RSpace allows all of 40-50GB of bandwidth. If we went with our current plans, that would allow all of 25 small accounts.
As far as windows hosting, it wouldn't actually be that much "more" work. I don't work with the xNix machine cause I don't know unix. I know windows machines (it's what I do at work) though, so it's not like it's an extra weight really.
Is there a demand? I would say so, especially considering the amount of ASP COM objects we would be able to install cause we've written so many (50+)::: Jeremy C. Wright :::
http://www.ensight.org
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06-29-2002, 05:06 PM #25Registered User
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Originally posted by Duchz
As long as it is successful I can't see a problem with starting a business. Ever heard of the rule "survival of the fittest" , Shyne ? If you are not willed to take the risk of entering a (honestly) crowded market, please don't bash anyone.
nm then.