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  1. #1

    Question how to pretend at web hosting!?

    Hi,

    I'm currently planning to launch a small webdesign business in about 6-9 months. Just a local thing at first, nothing big or fancy. Dipping my toes in, so to say.

    My plan is to refer my clients elsewhere for hosting.

    BUT... just for fun...this webhosting stuff looks quite interesting to me, and I'd like to find out a little more about running your own webhost.

    SO, my question is - if you wanted to practise at being a webhost, how could this be done??

    - of course, I don't wanna spend money - this is only for the learning experience.

    - do you know of any guides, which discuss the things that need to be thought through?

    - whatabout software? which free SW can I use on my local server, which will allow me to test the tools the real hosts use?

    - is it possible, to actually have a 'webhost' system running on my local server, for practise?

    Thanks.

    PS. please remember - I'm not saying I actually wanna start a business just yet... but I just wanna learn by doing! Any tips would be great.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    London
    Posts
    4,931
    Err... web hosting isn't a game. What do you intend to do by "practicing at it" ?
    Matthew Russell | Namecheap
    Twitter: @mattdrussell

    www.easywp.com - True Managed WordPress, made easy

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    431
    Well this is a good place to start. Hosting is only about 20% hosting and about 80% knowing how to run and operate a business. And of course you cant do any of it without knowledge of what you are selling so if your planning on using Linux servers - you better get started learning that If you go to plesk.com they have a 1 domain "wet your feet" control panel or I believe you can get a trial of CPanel at cpanel.net. It is NOT as easy as it may look! <<WARNING BELLS>> Also if you don't think you can dedicate about 12 hours a day minimum for the first year at least to your business, you are getting into the wrong thing;-) If you have the energy, and are willing to put the effort in, and you spend some time learning about Linux, customer service, business management, marketing, accounting, control panels, a little programming probably, than you will be set, maybe
    Jordan Bouvier

  4. #4
    thanks for the info serversonic!

    matt.... let me put it another way. I want to see which tools are used in the running of a host. Any of those tools which are available as open source or trial - then i wanna try them.

    As I originally wrote: I'm not saying to you "Hey I wanna open a hosting company! Tomorrow! What should I do!" hell, if I were to start hosting myself - it wouldn't happen for another 18 months minimum.

    I'm saying... ignoring the business side of it... how can I get my hands dirty at the techy side?

    it sounds like the first thing I should look at, is the control panel stuff...
    http://www.mojave3online.com

  5. #5
    Originally posted by voxtreme-matt
    Err... web hosting isn't a game. What do you intend to do by "practicing at it" ?
    Life's a game Matt!

    Actually, if you are happy to outlay $20 or so per month, I would recommend getting a reseller account with voxtreme and testing it out and getting familiar with WHM and cpanel. The've got a nice thriving community of users on their forums too. Then when you feel confident, you can start putting your customers web sites onto your account. You will make a few more bucks from offering the hosting and - of course it is fun!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    London
    Posts
    4,931
    I thought life was a rollercoaster, not a game

    If you do want to learn the techy side of stuff, get your hands wet by installing a variant of Linux (assuming you want to do Linux based hosting) on your home machine, and get used to it - then try setting up Apache to host a few of your own websites, etc.
    Matthew Russell | Namecheap
    Twitter: @mattdrussell

    www.easywp.com - True Managed WordPress, made easy

  7. #7
    ok, realise - "I can't see the woods for the trees"... i know NOTHING about webhosting!

    here's my skills(more jack-of-all-trades, than master of one):

    windows server skills - ok - can setup and admin a network no problems. Linux I must learn - only know the basics at the moment).

    web programming, sql stuff - pretty good.

    consumer support - it's my job

    i already have apache running on my home server, with a bunch of my websites running of various databases etc. So, the basic running a website thing is no problem for me.

    I'm interested in how a hosting company handles their user accounts etc. As from what I can see, they use these control panels to help admin this, right? And so this would be something of interest to me.... just to play around with.... just for fun!

    thanks guys!

    ps. the thought came to me: I don't know the questions to ask, because I don't know the problem. I'm trying to understand the problem!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    431
    I user phpManager to manage my clients as far as billing and support goes. CPanel/WHM is used as the control panel which handles a lot of the administration of the hosting itself. However, I would highly reccomend that any person going into this only use the control panels as a tool. You should DEFINITLY know how to administer any of the programs that the cp is in fact handeling for you without using the CP. IE - if your control panel goes bust one day, you better know how to fix it yourself:-D
    Jordan Bouvier

  9. #9
    i agree jordan!

    I like to learn, by using, then taking apart and then reproducing... phpmanager has a trial version... I think i'll try that out first...!

    thanks everyone for you comments
    http://www.mojave3online.com

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    Ann Arbor, MI
    Posts
    2,979
    Isn't there a game you can use to try it out?

    SimDataCenter or something?
    -Mark Adams
    www.bitserve.com - Secure Michigan web hosting for your business.
    Only host still offering a full money back uptime guarantee and prorated refunds.
    Offering advanced server management and security incident response!

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    TO, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    372
    Originally posted by bitserve
    Isn't there a game you can use to try it out?

    SimDataCenter or something?
    LOL

    Web hosting games will soon be coming out by MS I can see it now

    Just a bit of advice edk, get use to riding bikes without a seat because nothing is "easy" in running a hosting business. As mentioned above, unless you can seriously deliver 10-12 hours of support a day then don't get into it. You're just going to be upsetting clients with bad support. Being able to deal with stress is probably one of the major factors, if you don't mind loosing your hair at your current age,unless you don't have any , then get yourself started and read everything you can.

    In the end it all comes down to keeping your customers happy and providing honest support. If you can't manage customers and be a tech guy at the same time then don't give up your day job

    Make sure you're completely serious about getting started and really make sure you don't mind having 0 social life..err well unless you count looking at WHT a social life

    Cheers and best of luck!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Miami,FL
    Posts
    616
    true

    i lost my hair at 22 years old!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    344
    How to pretend at webhosting?
    Have a look around.... the answer is closer than you would think.
    Last edited by GlideTech; 08-13-2002 at 12:04 AM.
    Chris Miller
    PromoPunch
    Custom Imprinted Promotional Products
    www.promopunch.com 1-800-750-8530 x221

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    1,802
    Are there other programs like phpManager that are free?

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Posts
    3,734
    None like phpmanager, no. There's Perldesk, which is a very good free, open source, support ticket system. But as far as billing management software, there isn't much (if anything) that's free.

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