Results 1 to 25 of 25
  1. #1

    Web host for Moodle site

    I need advice for a new web host as my contract with JustHost will expire next month.

    I added Moodle to my JustHost site - installed it through Fantastico - and learned the admin and course creation part of Moodle, but I am clueless when it comes to php and databases. I've spent a lot of time on the Moodle forums and know updating Moodle is necessary for security purposes, but there can be issues associated with an update that I'm not able to handle. The folks over at Moodle.org recommend a Moodle partner, but there is a huge gap in what they offer - on the low end, affordable teacher accounts that are too restrictive for my purposes; or costly accounts for large organizations. Nothing for a sole practitioner just starting out.

    I don't anticipate a huge number of users. I am a software trainer and continuing education provider for a niche group of professionals. If I have 5 trainees accessing my Moodle site per month, I will consider it a success.

    Each of my courses will consist of Flash .mp4 videos, 5 to 10 minutes in length, between 6-12 MB, with associated .html and other files; simple .html pages; and a quiz. Each course will only be 2-3 hours in length, and I will allow trainees access for 30 days (for those who actually want to learn the material as opposed to going through the motions to get their CE credits).

    Eventually I'd like to have at least 12 courses, but it will take probably a year - I have to build the course, request approval from the accrediting board, wait for feedback, make required changes, etc.

    My budget to start is $15 per month, and if I generate enough traffic and revenue, I expect to pay more if upgrades are needed. If help with Moodle updates and databases is not included, I'd appreciate a reasonable fee for that kind of service. (I read on the Moodle forums that a Moodle partner charges a $400 minimum. There's no way I can afford that!)

    So, if you are a hosting provider who has a familiarity with Moodle, and you are honest and fair with your customers - in other words, the opposite of JustHost - or you know of one, please advise.

    Thank you.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    2,469
    Quote Originally Posted by KayT View Post
    I need advice for a new web host as my contract with JustHost will expire next month.

    I added Moodle to my JustHost site - installed it through Fantastico - and learned the admin and course creation part of Moodle, but I am clueless when it comes to php and databases. I've spent a lot of time on the Moodle forums and know updating Moodle is necessary for security purposes, but there can be issues associated with an update that I'm not able to handle. The folks over at Moodle.org recommend a Moodle partner, but there is a huge gap in what they offer - on the low end, affordable teacher accounts that are too restrictive for my purposes; or costly accounts for large organizations. Nothing for a sole practitioner just starting out.

    I don't anticipate a huge number of users. I am a software trainer and continuing education provider for a niche group of professionals. If I have 5 trainees accessing my Moodle site per month, I will consider it a success.

    Each of my courses will consist of Flash .mp4 videos, 5 to 10 minutes in length, between 6-12 MB, with associated .html and other files; simple .html pages; and a quiz. Each course will only be 2-3 hours in length, and I will allow trainees access for 30 days (for those who actually want to learn the material as opposed to going through the motions to get their CE credits).

    Eventually I'd like to have at least 12 courses, but it will take probably a year - I have to build the course, request approval from the accrediting board, wait for feedback, make required changes, etc.

    My budget to start is $15 per month, and if I generate enough traffic and revenue, I expect to pay more if upgrades are needed. If help with Moodle updates and databases is not included, I'd appreciate a reasonable fee for that kind of service. (I read on the Moodle forums that a Moodle partner charges a $400 minimum. There's no way I can afford that!)

    So, if you are a hosting provider who has a familiarity with Moodle, and you are honest and fair with your customers - in other words, the opposite of JustHost - or you know of one, please advise.

    Thank you.
    Howdy KavT,

    I'm not sure why they recommended a Moodle Partner, but as you said Moodle can run on any host. They just need a basic understanding of how it works. Medium sized companies will usually be more helpful then larger organizations such as JustHost. Some hosts do have experience with Moodle while as others do not, I would recommend asking their sales team and ask for a demo if they help run one. I would start with a small plan then scale up as needed.

    As far a host, try to stay away from anyone offering "unlimited" disk space or bandwidth.

    Best of Luck!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    WNC
    Posts
    1,142
    Agreed. You don't need to host with a moodle partner. You can run moodle on any host. Like GCM said above me, stay away from hosts that offer "Unlimited Disk space and Transfer", because it's impossible to offer. Your best bet would be to go with a small to medium size web host, because they would be more willing to help you with the issues in regards to moodle.

    Check the offers section here on WHT. There are plenty of web hosts who can offer you exactly what you are looking for.

    Good luck with your web host search, and let us know who you choose.
    Carolina-Host - The final stop for ALL your web site needs!
    US & EU Datacenters | 100% Money back Guarantee | 99.9% Uptime | Weekly Site Backups
    cPanel w/ Softaculous | Webalizer/Awstats | Site.Pro Website Builder | Lite Speed
    Poarch & Associates - Accounting, Tax Preparation, & Payroll Services since 1985

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Posts
    10,629
    I need advice for a new web host as my contract with JustHost will expire next month.
    "Unlimited Juice"

    I added Moodle to my JustHost site - installed it through Fantastico - and learned the admin and course creation part of Moodle, but I am clueless when it comes to php and databases. I've spent a lot of time on the Moodle forums and know updating Moodle is necessary for security purposes,
    It's not just Moodle, mostly all other products need to be upgraded on new releases for security reasons and each has their own way of upgrading - it's just understanding how.

    Databases can be a bit of a pain, however, once you understand how they work it becomes a little more easier to manage and maintain, generally you won't need to touch them.

    but there can be issues associated with an update that I'm not able to handle.
    You will not know there is a problem until it happens, as long as you follow the proper procedures you should not have many issues. If you run in to an issue you can contact the webhosting provider for assistance or you could check the forums and or contact the Moodle support team to get more information on errors or problems that arise with upgrades of your moodle.

    The folks over at Moodle.org recommend a Moodle partner, but there is a huge gap in what they offer - on the low end, affordable teacher accounts that are too restrictive for my purposes; or costly accounts for large organizations. Nothing for a sole practitioner just starting out.
    I cannot really speak for there partners in the industry, it's just as good as finding a Wordpress hosting provider that just primarily deals with the setup and upgrade of Wordpress software.

    http://docs.moodle.org/en/Upgrade_fr...iki_upgrade%29

    ^ This is a base idea however to upgrade your Moodle sotware.
    - Seems you can contact their support team and their community for assistance which might come in handy seeing as it's a free program.

    http://moodle.org/

    I don't anticipate a huge number of users. I am a software trainer and continuing education provider for a niche group of professionals. If I have 5 trainees accessing my Moodle site per month, I will consider it a success.
    Ah, in that sense you really are not requiring much at all. JustHost is offering you unlimited resources and you really do not need it - sure it looks very exciting and very enticing though you will never fulfill those alloted resources

    As Axigy said above your better off finding a Medium sized hosting company and one that does not oversell there services heavily, search a service and product that fits around your needs.

    Each of my courses will consist of Flash .mp4 videos, 5 to 10 minutes in length, between 6-12 MB, with associated .html and other files; simple .html pages; and a quiz. Each course will only be 2-3 hours in length, and I will allow trainees access for 30 days (for those who actually want to learn the material as opposed to going through the motions to get their CE credits).
    In such instances it will depend on the concurrent connections to the site and how many people are streaming the .mp4 videos - I assume they are streamed online rather than a download?

    In any respect this can cause load with constant hits, however, as this seems to be very limited you should be fine with both flash and streams on a shared environment.

    Eventually I'd like to have at least 12 courses, but it will take probably a year - I have to build the course, request approval from the accrediting board, wait for feedback, make required changes, etc.
    Alright, sounds like you have it sorted.

    My budget to start is $15 per month, and if I generate enough traffic and revenue, I expect to pay more if upgrades are needed. If help with Moodle updates and databases is not included, I'd appreciate a reasonable fee for that kind of service. (I read on the Moodle forums that a Moodle partner charges a $400 minimum. There's no way I can afford that!)
    I believe you have a fair budget for what you want to achieve, I would recommend a Shared Service to start off with and upgrade your package as your site expands - no need to pay for what you do not need from the beginning otherwise it's money lost and burited for nothing.

    So, if you are a hosting provider who has a familiarity with Moodle, and you are honest and fair with your customers - in other words, the opposite of JustHost - or you know of one, please advise.
    I do not know any of these webhosting providers, you could contact a few and see if they can assist you. Going with a Moodle partner is a recommendation, however, it is not neccesary.

    Talking from some experience you do not need a host that entirely understands Moodle, more databases if it's regarding upgrades - though some experience would be advised.

    Thank you.
    Sean
    l Dedigeeks Shared Wordpress Dedicated Established 2006
    l Leading AUSTRALIAN Hosting Provider Sydney & Melbourne Datacentres
    l cPanel/WHM R1Soft Backups 24/7/365 Support SMS Hosting Alerts*
    l www.dedigeeks.com Managing Director Service Superstars

  5. #5
    Thank you all for your replies.

    I have an understanding of the "unlimited" issue. I haven't needed an "active" website (visitor interaction as opposed to static "about me" html files) for over eight years and discovered the hard way that web hosting has changed to the detriment of consumers.

    It's my understanding that the folks on the Moodle forums advise using a Moodle Partner because Moodle Partners contribute a portion to the Moodle cause, and because they can deal with all Moodle upgrades and issues.

    Unfortunately, the Moodle Partners do not have anything available for the little folks like me.

    Yes, my Flash videos will be streamed. I won't even upload a PowerPoint presentation because I don't want it downloaded. Unfortunately, in a small niche market, you have to protect your work product.

    I have investigated the web host offers on this forum and it's pretty overwhelming. <snipped>
    Last edited by ldcdc; 07-19-2010 at 10:00 PM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    1,386
    They are recommending you to a Moodle Partner because a lot of web hosts will not offer support for scripts that are installed via Fantastico, Softaculous, or Installatron.

    If you find a Moodle Partner host, you will get the support you need in order to understand the functionality. If you go with any web host, they will probably be doing the same thing as you. Browsing Moodle forums to understand what it does and how to support you with it.

    I would ask if anyone knows of anyone that has any experience with Moogle, and have the users here point you in the right direction. You know what you need as far as disk space and bandwidth. So now you just need to be pointed to the right place. I have no idea I just thought I would tell you why they are suggesting a Moodle Partner. If the Moodle Partners don't have or can't work with you on giving you what you need then you will need to do what you are doing and search for a host here that knows how to use Moodle. And believe it or not, there are hosts here that will learn for you as they are good companies (most of them).

    I can recommend you a few hosts, ones that I use. I am not sure if they can support you but I can tell you that they have great support and I have had a great experience with all of them. Sean from SpeedySparrow hosts one of my sites. He just gave you a boatload of info. EZPZHosting.co.uk hosts a reseller package of mine. DMEHosting.com (probably the last choice you should go with) and then MDDHosting.com (great customer oriented company)

    Best of luck in your search!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    WNC
    Posts
    1,142
    Here is a post that I made in another thread here at WHT. It gives information and tips when choosing a web host. Hope this helps you a little.

    Thread can be viewed at (2nd post):
    http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showth...ght=AdeptHosts

    Quote Originally Posted by AdeptHosts View Post
    1. Great up Time! (I always check to see if the server speed is good/online during different times of the day. Checking server speeds during peek hours and random hours helps to ensure your website will always been available)

    2. Money Back Guarantee (I like to see that money back guarantee symbol. Whether its 15, 30, or 45 days its nice to have the option to cancel your hosting plan and get some sort of refund on it.)

    3. Good Support (Doesn't have to be 24/7 support, but I like to have my issues/questions answered in a reasonable time frame. I don't want to submit a ticket and 48+ hours later I have an answer to my question.)

    4. Reasonably Priced Hosting Plans (I like to see plans that are actually reasonable. When you have companies offering 25MB of space for $10 a month it makes you question. Also when you have companies offering 200GB of disk space for $5.00 it makes you question as well.)

    5. No Unlimited Disk Space/Transfer (This is just false advertisement. It's impossible to offer unlimited disk space and transfer plans. I don't like seeing this because it's not possible, and theres always limits in there TOS. I like the company to be upfront.)

    6. Website Looks Professionally Done (I like to see a professional website. Not something that was done in a web template creator. I understand everyone has to start somewhere but I like to see a professional, and clean website design.)

    7. Been in Business for a Bit (I realize hosting companies start every day. But I want to choose a company thats been in business for a little bit, so I know that there not going to just quite out of the blue the next week after I sign up.)

    8. Multiple Support Options (I like to have the ability to either chat live with someone, or submit an email/ticket. It gives me multiple ways to contact the hosting provider and ask the questions.)

    9. Phone Support (Phone support is a really big plus, but I don't require it.)

    10. Good Reviews (Most companies if they have been in business awhile will not always have good reviews. I realize you can't please everyone. But if all you see is negative reviews about the company/owner thats a different story.)
    Just look in the offers section, find a couple hosts that you like. Contact the hosts and see which you get a good vibe from. After that, follow the steps/tips listed above and you should be alright.

    Good luck with your search!
    Carolina-Host - The final stop for ALL your web site needs!
    US & EU Datacenters | 100% Money back Guarantee | 99.9% Uptime | Weekly Site Backups
    cPanel w/ Softaculous | Webalizer/Awstats | Site.Pro Website Builder | Lite Speed
    Poarch & Associates - Accounting, Tax Preparation, & Payroll Services since 1985

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    517
    I would say go with a known name like Host Gator, Dreamhost, etc. Don't just go by the name but there are plenty of people who can help here at WHT!
    TWC, LLC - USA based w/ three teams behind us!
    We will beat any web development or design quote

    http://totalwebcentral.com/

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    1,386
    In her case thename of the company means nothing. She needs a host thatwill sit down and help her with the necessary software. She can not find a host that will support her MOODLE so she is going to have to get a host that will research and help.

    For abnormal support @ hostgator, just host, or any large companies she will pay a fortune!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    1,386
    Any luck? Hve you found a host yet?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    UK: Oxford
    Posts
    1,259
    Just look for a host that gives you a limit and isn't too pricey for you. Easy-peasy.
    Garbott Ltd - Exceptional web development, hosting & consultancy services

  12. #12
    @ldcdc - Thank you for editing my post. I still haven't found an edit option.

    @HS-CB Matt - I'm just getting back to this, so I haven't found a host yet. I'll be making some inquiries today - after I read your blogs!

    Thank you, everyone, for all of your help!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    52
    What exactly are you trying to do with moodle. Are you looking for help to install it, or do you need help to configure it.

    Hosting will matter alot, but what about how much space and bandwidth do you think you need.

    Also, like it was said here a lot, Dont let the word unlimited fool you. Go for something that has limits. You can even go with a cheap plan like slicehost to get your site up.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    76
    As others have shared, unlimited is a marketing hyperbole, there is no such thing as an unlimited hard drive.

    I'd make sure you go with a smaller host that can provide you with custom support, beyond the fantastico automated script installs. You're probably going to want a host that also offers development services, and has some experience with the LCMS you've selected (Moodle).

    What version of Moodle are you planning on using?
    Circle Tree, LLC
    High Performance WordPress Hosting, Custom Design, Interactive Marketing
    View WHMCS addons here
    Orlando WordPress Hosting and Website Design

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Boston
    Posts
    411
    I once did hosting from an "unlimited" place and they pretty much shut me down after I was using "potentially high bandwidth". They told me they projected my usage too high for their servers.

    Just be wary, what you pay is what you get. A more expensive "unlimited" plan will probably have a higher limit than the cheaper ones
    •••••••••••••••••••••••••
    | | | |**The Top Web Hosts**
    ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
    Cheap Hosts Quality Hosts Coupons Save $$$

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by mirvine View Post
    What exactly are you trying to do with moodle. Are you looking for help to install it, or do you need help to configure it.
    I installed it on my site with JustHost via Fantastico, although the people who contribute to Moodle do not recommend doing it that way. I'd probably figure out how to install it myself. There's plenty of documentation at moodle.org.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by bobbravo2 View Post
    What version of Moodle are you planning on using?
    Probably 1.9.9. I don't think 2.0 has been released yet.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by startsphere View Post
    I once did hosting from an "unlimited" place and they pretty much shut me down after I was using "potentially high bandwidth". They told me they projected my usage too high for their servers.
    I've never had my account with JustHost suspended, but one time I submitted a support ticket because I was getting 404 errors for pages that I knew were there. This was their reply: "The server was a bit overloaded because of some customer's scripts
    That customer's account was suspended and forwarded to our billing department in order to proceed its cancellation so the similar problem shouldn't happen any more."

    When I asked how I could prevent that from happening to me, I got a lot of non-answers. When I asked whether I'd be notified or just automatically suspended, I got no answer.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    52
    @KayT

    If you get the host, then i can help you to install and configure it.

    Do you know if you require SSL?

  20. #20
    Hold on while I look up "SSL"...

    Nope.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    2,469
    Quote Originally Posted by KayT View Post
    Hold on while I look up "SSL"...

    Nope.
    Exactly, you don't need SSL sinc you aren't doing any transactions of any kind.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    52
    It was a fair question to ask, I know of a few site that never sell anything, but still have ssl for some sections because of personal information.

    I myself uses ssl for my sites customer area

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    76
    Quote Originally Posted by KayT View Post
    I installed it on my site with JustHost via Fantastico, although the people who contribute to Moodle do not recommend doing it that way. I'd probably figure out how to install it myself. There's plenty of documentation at moodle.org.
    Steps to install moodle

    1. Download latest moodle release
    2. unzip it to your desktop computer (or use SSH to 'unpack' directly on the server)
    3. Upload files to your server
    4. Setup a database using your host's control panel
    5. Configure moodle to use database
    6. Done!

    It's pretty easy in practice, the only gotchyas include the background info that goes into working on the web: FTP, SSH/control panels, Ports, MySQL, PhpMyAdmin, etc.

    You're in the right place to learn!
    Circle Tree, LLC
    High Performance WordPress Hosting, Custom Design, Interactive Marketing
    View WHMCS addons here
    Orlando WordPress Hosting and Website Design

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    52
    Quote Originally Posted by bobbravo2 View Post
    Steps to install moodle

    1. Download latest moodle release
    2. unzip it to your desktop computer (or use SSH to 'unpack' directly on the server)
    3. Upload files to your server
    4. Setup a database using your host's control panel
    5. Configure moodle to use database
    6. Done!

    It's pretty easy in practice, the only gotchyas include the background info that goes into working on the web: FTP, SSH/control panels, Ports, MySQL, PhpMyAdmin, etc.

    You're in the right place to learn!
    If he uses cPanel, then database and ftp are solved. all he has to do is create.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    2,469
    Quote Originally Posted by mirvine View Post
    If he uses cPanel, then database and ftp are solved. all he has to do is create.
    Quote Originally Posted by bobbravo2 View Post
    Steps to install moodle

    1. Download latest moodle release
    2. unzip it to your desktop computer (or use SSH to 'unpack' directly on the server)
    3. Upload files to your server
    4. Setup a database using your host's control panel
    5. Configure moodle to use database
    6. Done!

    It's pretty easy in practice, the only gotchyas include the background info that goes into working on the web: FTP, SSH/control panels, Ports, MySQL, PhpMyAdmin, etc.

    You're in the right place to learn!
    Agreed. If she uses a one click installer such as Fantastico or Installatron it is much easier.

    Best of Luck on your search KayT!

Similar Threads

  1. Established Web Host and Web Design Web Site for Sale
    By calande in forum Other Web Hosting Related Offers
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 03-15-2008, 01:06 AM
  2. Moodle and web host
    By DKMOnline in forum Web Hosting
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 06-14-2007, 04:56 AM
  3. Advertising for: Web Host and web related site (Top Host Site)
    By cscertified in forum Other Offers & Requests
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 05-17-2004, 10:18 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •