Hosting advice?

[hambil]

Okay, my board has grown, and grown. It uses about twice the bandwidth of most boards it's size because we have lots of images, and we allow spam in some forums, and other reasons.

We recently hit the cealing with our current host, and we've had other issues with them as well. We need to move to a better, bigger host and I thought this would be the prefect place to ask for recommendations and suggestions.

[bashy]

What are you looking for?
Type of hosting?
Cost?
Linux or windows?
Minimum requirements, e.g. whats the minimum email, database, ftp and so on, that you require?
Control panel preference?

Whats ya sites stats?

[hambil]

Around 325 active members, 50 - 100 on at the same time peak, plus upwards of 100 bots at times (mostly yahoo slurp and google).

We're on linux now, and that's fine with me.

I don't care much about the cPanel as long as it supports phpMyAdmin, a dozen email accounts or so, and about that many ftp accounts.

Bandwidth usage about 31gigs a month and climbing by about 5gigs a month every month.

[bashy]

Ok...this is who im with atm, i am on a Semi dedicated but will be upgrading to a fully dedicated very soon...

There support is very good, i am incontact with them pretty often with regards to server loads and what have you, there quick at responding...

Not sure how much tou want to spen, but there Dedicated start at $149.99 with $49 setup fee

Obviously they do shared hosting at a reasonable price and theres the semi dedicated again at about $70 i think im paying....

These are call www.westhost.com dont you dare say thats who ya with now lol

I do have a few more if needed!!

[hambil]

Nope, we're not with westhost :)

And we're currently paying 300+ a year for a shared server.

[bashy]

Ok i am assuming thats dollars...
I think you would be best on a semi dedicated like what im on atm..
As long as you dont use VBShout then the resources shouldnt be an issue
I use vbshout but for my staff only....

The reson a i am saying semi dedicated is to save you upgrading again in the future, if you can afford it then do it!! with westhost its a virtual server with is better than a shared server, theres less sites sharing for 1 and 2 you get a lot more resources......Have you had a browse, what do you think?

heres a few more to look at...keep ya options open :)
http://devotedhost.biz/ (shared shoting)
http://jumpline.com/vds_hosting.php VDS (Virtual dedicated) cheaper option to full dedicated
http://www.redwoodvirtual.com/ Prices seem ok, but there site looks a little mickey mouseish
http://webhosting.lycos.co.uk/expert/comparevds/ (lycos VDS) pretty good from what i can see
http://www.wedohosting.com/website-hosting/virtual-dedicated.htm (VDS again)

[hambil]

Have you had a browse, what do you think?
I think dedicated servers are expensive, ouch.

*Sigh*, looks like I'll just have to pony up, or find a better shared server.

[Zachery]

What is your budget and I'll try to give you some recomendations and places to look for hardware.

[hambil]

We could maybe go as high as $500 or $600 a year.

[bashy]

You should be able to get VDS for that, which is a cheaper option to the fully dedicated :)

There is also www.hostgator.com there ok...

[Zachery]

We could maybe go as high as $500 or $600 a year.
That really only leaves room for 45/50~ ish a month, which won't be dedicated.

you might be able to swing VPS. But if you really want a dedicated server they start around 100 a month.

[bashy]

Is VPS the same as VDS Zachery??

[Zachery]

Virtual Private server / Virtual Dedicated server, fancy names for a differnt type of shared hosting.

[bashy]

Ah right so they are different....i actually thought they were 2 different names for the same thing lol...Oh well, I am using a VDS atm, seems ok but you do still get issues as it is a shared server, although not as many on it as a normal shared hosting.....

I have had probs of late with other sites on the server using too many resources, this has but up my server load to sommat like 15.00% - 20.00% my host support is very good and they found a couple of sites on the server using too many resources...Issue hopefully resoloved when the said sites upgrade.....

I would reccomend westhost.com or hostgator.com if your UK based then i would reccomend http://heartinternet.co.uk/

Virtual Private server / Virtual Dedicated server, fancy names for a differnt type of shared hosting.

[Zachery]

Most of the time they are still oversold, but you have control over your own space so things are slightly better.

[bashy]

I still think i need to go fully dedicated though....I am just trying to figure out/justify the $149.99 per month out of my own pocket, although i can recopu some of it back by reselling some of it :)

[Zachery]

150 a month for what?

[bashy]

Fully dedicated with the peeps im with now

[COBRAws]

isnt VPS and VDS the same thing with a diff colour? :P Sorry but I believe it is. Correct me if I am wrong.

[Cromulent]

Yep, I'm pretty sure its the same thing.

[Mr Chad]

im paying $1,200 a year for my server its a dedicated managed server. (only good if you make good money)

50GB and 2.5TB of bandwidth Linux with plesk 8.0 installed.

[Zachery]

im paying $1,200 a year for my server its a dedicated managed server. (only good if you make good money)

50GB and 2.5TB of bandwidth Linux with plesk 8.0 installed.
too bad you have plesk.

[bashy]

I have only used plesk once, someone elses site...
So is there a problem with plesk?

I am currently using control panel (Site Manager)
and i fnd it boring lol.. cPanel is ok i did like using that 1...

Anyway..looks like westhost have an offer on atm
http://www.westhost.com/june-special-plan.html

BTW not sure if i get anything from reccomending but
just in case please mention me as every little helps....
bashys-place.com :)

Who are you with Chad?

im paying $1,200 a year for my server its a dedicated managed server. (only good if you make good money)

50GB and 2.5TB of bandwidth Linux with plesk 8.0 installed.

[Zachery]

I have only used plesk once, someone elses site...
So is there a problem with plesk?

I am currently using control panel (Site Manager)
and i fnd it boring lol.. cPanel is ok i did like using that 1...

Anyway..looks like westhost have an offer on atm
http://www.westhost.com/june-special-plan.html

BTW not sure if i get anything from reccomending but
just in case please mention me as every little helps....
bashys-place.com :)

Who are you with Chad?
Plesk, along with ensim, are horrible control panels. cPanel is the best in my expirences. Both in administrative control, and in user friendly features.

[bashy]

I am 90% sure from what i have been reading...
VDS and VPS are not the same....well only by a margin.....lol

Virtual Private server, can have many accounts
Virtual Dedicated Server, Only has upto 20 accounts

This is using westhost.com now hostgator.com only had about
4 -5 accounts per server, maybe smaller servers, i dont know but
it looks like the main differnce between the 2 is the amount of
accounts the server has, i would say virtually the same lol

I could be totally wrong but this is from what i can make out....




Yep, I'm pretty sure its the same thing.

cheers for clarifying...i take it this is really down to personal preference?

Plesk, along with ensim, are horrible control panels. cPanel is the best in my expirences. Both in administrative control, and in user friendly features.

[Zachery]

Yes and No, I'd really suggest giving them all a try, but in all of my expirences cPanel has been much easier to deal with as well as much easier and more effective as an administration tool.

[Mr Chad]

I have only used plesk once, someone elses site...
So is there a problem with plesk?

I am currently using control panel (Site Manager)
and i fnd it boring lol.. cPanel is ok i did like using that 1...

Anyway..looks like westhost have an offer on atm
http://www.westhost.com/june-special-plan.html

BTW not sure if i get anything from reccomending but
just in case please mention me as every little helps....
bashys-place.com :)

Who are you with Chad?
I was reading a PC magaizine and they had some kind of special offer. So i went to 1and1 and looked over it and bought the server.

I have had no major problems, their tech support is pretty bad for dedicated servers tho. They expect you know everything.

Uptime and speeds are great the plesk 8.0 lets you set up to 100 domains in your package.

They do not have my specific plan anymore but they have these (http://order.1and1.com/xml/order/ServerRoot;?k_id=8234053). Yes im using a root server.

[Zachery]

Avoid 1&1 like the plauge!

[bashy]

Must admit, i just went through the sign up motions and they dont
take peeps outside the US or Canada, although they used to as 1 and 1
was my 1st hosting Co. They also dont take paypal for dedcated....

but, they have a dedicated server for $99, now that aint too bad if ya dont live outside the US/Canada

[COBRAws]

I think Im moving to Dedicated now Dual Opteron 246 SATA (http://dedicatednow.com/servers.php?pack_id=189)

Seems a good value. Anyone tried it? Webhost seems good too, but 150Gb transfer aint that much tho.

[bashy]

Ouch...your either loaded or your forum/s have a good return..
I have no chance on affording that sort of money nor can justify it atm :(
Does look like a pretty good setup though :)

[Southpaw]

You should check out Layered Technologies. I heard good things about them.

You can probably get the basic dedicated server with your price range.

http://www.layeredtech.com/

[hambil]

Thank's everyone. We're looking at layered - they seem to have the best deal. I'll be talking to their sales/support staff this week to make sure we're getting what we think we're getting, and there won't be any TOS problems.

[Erwin]

I've looked at layeredtech - good prices. If you want multiple high end servers, try some of the smaller boutique providers. I use webnx.com myself.