Looking for Dedicated Server Hosting... Cheap but cool

[roosevelt]

Hello everyone,
For a while I have been thinking about starting a web-hosting business. I have two choices get a dedicated server or a reseller. After doing some calculations I found out getting a dedicated server would be a better choice. So, can you guys recommend some dedicated server hosting companies? I searched in google, ask-jeeves and found couple. But for some reason I can't really trust those guys. I am looking for cheap but quality service. And what is the difference between managed, and un-managed dedicated server hosting?

[ChrisLM2001]

Just look at WHT. It's easier, and you'll get to read the gripes and raves from customers to know a host's real value (compared to just referrers giving thumbs up reviews).

I've used The Planet and Server Matrix and they're good. But I'm sure there's other hosts out there that can offer a server almost as cheap, with better service (one thing about TP and SM, don't try to call for service during the billing cycle!! They're swamped).

Chris

[Joshs]

Hello everyone,
For a while I have been thinking about starting a web-hosting business. I have two choices get a dedicated server or a reseller. After doing some calculations I found out getting a dedicated server would be a better choice. So, can you guys recommend some dedicated server hosting companies? I searched in google, ask-jeeves and found couple. But for some reason I can't really trust those guys. I am looking for cheap but quality service. And what is the difference between managed, and un-managed dedicated server hosting?

You will need a business plan: http://joshstein.com/biz.htm

Just look at WHT. It's easier, and you'll get to read the gripes and raves from customers to know a host's real value (compared to just referrers giving thumbs up reviews).

I've used The Planet and Server Matrix and they're good. But I'm sure there's other hosts out there that can offer a server almost as cheap, with better service (one thing about TP and SM, don't try to call for service during the billing cycle!! They're swamped).

Chris

Ditto on WHT. Ditto on TP / SM. However, I disagree with the billing cycle statement. Tech support has nothing to do with what accounting / sales deals with in regards to billing.

[ChrisLM2001]

Josh, during billing week TP and SM are swamped. I tried to order 2 SSL certs there, and called customer service after a week it wasn't processed, and they said they were swamped. Called a month later on another matter, during the first of the month (their billing time), got the same response.

Rest of the month it's not so bad, but that first week :shudder:

Chris

[Joshs]

Josh, during billing week TP and SM are swamped. I tried to order 2 SSL certs there, and called customer service after a week it wasn't processed, and they said they were swamped. Called a month later on another matter, during the first of the month (their billing time), got the same response.

Rest of the month it's not so bad, but that first week :shudder:

Chris

Oh yes, for ordering add-ons I can see that being an issue, but I wanted to make the point that Tech Support wouldn't be swamped with billing issues.

[ChrisLM2001]

Not only add ons, Josh. It's well known that TP and SM can over extend themselves -- especially when their in the expand mode.

TP and SM offer cheap servers and good bandwidth, but their customer service can be ify at times. Took weeks, between back and forth exchanges with my sys admin and myself about a bad DRAC card [simply didn't work], before the server was pulled and a new one replaced it (TP and SM don't just put in a new card, they put in a new replacement server instead).

WHT has spotty threads about similiar instances of hardware failure going unfixed. If your server is fine, you'll probably enjoy TP and SM, but if you have hardware failure, it may take a while before it gets fixed -- especially during the billing week (the joke photo [actual graph from my former server] below shows what I mean, check the dates on the bottom, it's the billing week)...

http://home.comcast.net/~chrisxperience/images/dell.png

Chris

[roosevelt]

Thanks guys for your suggestions. I was wondering is it safe to buy dedicated server or reseller packages from ebay.com? Does anyone have any experience with such deals.... because on ebay there's always unlimited reseller hosting package for cheap price.

[Joshs]

Thanks guys for your suggestions. I was wondering is it safe to buy dedicated server or reseller packages from ebay.com? Does anyone have any experience with such deals.... because on ebay there's always unlimited reseller hosting package for cheap price.

Good question. The answer is try to avoid buying hosting on eBAY at all costs. Almost everyone will agree with me on this.

Also, there is no such thing as "unlimited." I highly recommend against buying from any company that is offering unlimited disk space and unlimited bandwidth. Takes any credibility (if any exists) away.