Anybody got any good web host recommendations? I currently use Aplus but all the download issues over the past few days have really shook my faith in them. I've had angry e-mails from users, demands for refunds and understandably frustrated customers just trying to download something they've paid for. Christmas - perfect timing!
For now, the main Scrivener download is on the Amazon S3 servers. I may leave it there.
I'm thinking that I don't want to go through the hassle of having a dedicated server (even though I'm paying for one that I don't use at the moment). I just don't have the time to program, support Scrivener and write a novel and teach and then, on top of all that, learn how to set up a server and maintain it with updating the software monthly etc.
So, all I need is a web host that is suitable for a small business with a sizeable PHPBB forum.
It needs to allow for at least 200GB monthly bandwidth, and not be limited to 4 PHP connections. 1and1.co.uk look hopeful (they allow for 18 concurrent PHP connections). But if anyone has any recommendations, I'd be grateful.
Thanks!
Keith
Web host recommendations?
12 posts
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Jaysen
- Posts: 6305
- Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2007 4:00 am
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- Location: East-Be-Jesus-Nowhere SC, USA
Ah-ha! Something that I KNOW about...
Does it need to be UK based? I just have to ask because i know the US market better and can offer more suggestions there. It will take me a day or two to get stats and specs on UK based services.
The other big factor is $$. If you message me with a ball park figure that will narrow the field quite a bit. If you want you can email that number to me directly.
Jaysen
Does it need to be UK based? I just have to ask because i know the US market better and can offer more suggestions there. It will take me a day or two to get stats and specs on UK based services.
The other big factor is $$. If you message me with a ball park figure that will narrow the field quite a bit. If you want you can email that number to me directly.
Jaysen
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xiamenese
- Posts: 4630
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- Platform: Mac
- Location: London or Exeter, UK.
Keith,
I don't know if this is what you are looking for, but have a peep at easily.co.uk
I moved our domain over to them 18 months ago. We had ended up with NDO, because of a line of take-overs from the IP I had signed up with about 10 years earlier. They were then taken over by another company and I found we were going to be paying a vast amount of money for minimal web services, and mail-boxes which we couldn't use because of being on NTL cable when they required users to be directly connected which meant BT copper! Service quality virtually nil!
NTL didn't provide web-hosting and domain name serving, but put me in touch with Easily. I have found them extremely helpful and responsive, and providing flexible services. We had very little problem with transferring the domain name, and what there was came from the dilatoriness and unhelpfulness of the previous IP ... who continued trying to bill me one year after I had moved our account!
Basically, Easily charges what struck me as an extremely reasonable fee for transferring my domain and setting up the account. Annual charges seem very reasonable and you can set your own level of space required and you pay for an amount of bandwidth, then they send you a warning when it is getting low so you can purchase more through a very simple and efficient on-line system.
I don't have a bulletin-board, so I don't know that side of things, but, as I said, I have found them very responsive and helpful. Take a look ... they may suit you. http://www.easily.co.uk/
Mark
I don't know if this is what you are looking for, but have a peep at easily.co.uk
I moved our domain over to them 18 months ago. We had ended up with NDO, because of a line of take-overs from the IP I had signed up with about 10 years earlier. They were then taken over by another company and I found we were going to be paying a vast amount of money for minimal web services, and mail-boxes which we couldn't use because of being on NTL cable when they required users to be directly connected which meant BT copper! Service quality virtually nil!
NTL didn't provide web-hosting and domain name serving, but put me in touch with Easily. I have found them extremely helpful and responsive, and providing flexible services. We had very little problem with transferring the domain name, and what there was came from the dilatoriness and unhelpfulness of the previous IP ... who continued trying to bill me one year after I had moved our account!
Basically, Easily charges what struck me as an extremely reasonable fee for transferring my domain and setting up the account. Annual charges seem very reasonable and you can set your own level of space required and you pay for an amount of bandwidth, then they send you a warning when it is getting low so you can purchase more through a very simple and efficient on-line system.
I don't have a bulletin-board, so I don't know that side of things, but, as I said, I have found them very responsive and helpful. Take a look ... they may suit you. http://www.easily.co.uk/
Mark
KB wrote:Anybody got any good web host recommendations?
You could try Clook. http://www.clook.net
UK based (Preston) although they have a US arm, very reliable, comes with lots of recommendations from satisfied customers.
Have look at the forums. http://www.clook.info/forum/
Any sales questions will be answered there, and no doubt some satisfied users will chip in with an account of their experiences.
History is a nightmare from which I am trying to escape
I know nothing about this personally, but Merlin Mann over on 43folders recommends A2. There's a 20% lifetime discount code "43f20" if that helps.
There's a blurb about it in the sidebar to the right.
43folders
Don't know if you need to be in the US for that or not. As I said, I know nothing about this sort of thing other than what I read.
Just thought I'd pass the info along.
There's a blurb about it in the sidebar to the right.
43folders
Don't know if you need to be in the US for that or not. As I said, I know nothing about this sort of thing other than what I read.
Just thought I'd pass the info along.
On the app downloading side, you may be better off just leaving it with S3. It's stable, solid, and as you only pay for what you use, it's not like you'd be paying for excess any months where the download isn't what you'd expected.
Cabel Sassar from Panic wrote an interesting post about using S3 when they launched Coda.
Cabel Sassar from Panic wrote an interesting post about using S3 when they launched Coda.
Antony Johnston
antonyjohnston.com
antonyjohnston.com
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Jaysen
- Posts: 6305
- Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2007 4:00 am
- Platform: Mac + Windows
- Location: East-Be-Jesus-Nowhere SC, USA
I would also recommend offloading the download to amazon. That will reduce your bandwidth use and hence some cost.
Keith, I would be willing to migrate your systems to a new server. we can discuss this via private communications. Once you determine where you want to move LandL to we can make formal plans. You can also tell me to bugger off if you want.
To the rest of the scriv community: As a new user I don't have as much invested in the forums as you do. While it is feasible to migrate the whole forum content (historical) there is likely to be some loss and certain to be some downtime. We need to be patient . We will also need to assist with testing the new server once Keith has identified who the hosting provider will be. Interested parties look for a thread to that end a little later (assuming I don't get the bugger off message).
Jaysen.
Keith, I would be willing to migrate your systems to a new server. we can discuss this via private communications. Once you determine where you want to move LandL to we can make formal plans. You can also tell me to bugger off if you want.
To the rest of the scriv community: As a new user I don't have as much invested in the forums as you do. While it is feasible to migrate the whole forum content (historical) there is likely to be some loss and certain to be some downtime. We need to be patient . We will also need to assist with testing the new server once Keith has identified who the hosting provider will be. Interested parties look for a thread to that end a little later (assuming I don't get the bugger off message).
Jaysen.
i've had years of good service here. But it might be more than you need
http://e3servers.com/cpanel-reseller-hosting.htm
the techs are always fast and friendly when needed.
AN Hosting is well regarded and low cost if you want a simpler set up
http://e3servers.com/cpanel-reseller-hosting.htm
the techs are always fast and friendly when needed.
AN Hosting is well regarded and low cost if you want a simpler set up
If you set up a new forum on a new host, but with the same software (ie pbpBB) and if you export and import the database of this forum over to the new location, then the only lost posts should be any made after the database was copied from here ready to move, right?
Which would be quite acceptable if the move was within 12 or 24 hours, and any losts topics could be remade, or the forums could close for maintenance during that time.
I'd be quite happy to help with testing if there was anything that I could do.
I don't have any recommendations, since no hosting that I do caters for downloads, but on the basic hosting side, I would recommend a small orange, because of their customer service. They quickly solved problems for me that were actually my responsibility in terms of software installation. They were quick and responsive and followed up afterward.
Which would be quite acceptable if the move was within 12 or 24 hours, and any losts topics could be remade, or the forums could close for maintenance during that time.
I'd be quite happy to help with testing if there was anything that I could do.
I don't have any recommendations, since no hosting that I do caters for downloads, but on the basic hosting side, I would recommend a small orange, because of their customer service. They quickly solved problems for me that were actually my responsibility in terms of software installation. They were quick and responsive and followed up afterward.
Now writing: random bloggy stuff
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Jaysen
- Posts: 6305
- Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2007 4:00 am
- Platform: Mac + Windows
- Location: East-Be-Jesus-Nowhere SC, USA
pink wrote:If you set up a new forum on a new host, but with the same software (ie pbpBB) and if you export and import the database of this forum over to the new location, then the only lost posts should be any made after the database was copied from here ready to move, right?
Which would be quite acceptable if the move was within 12 or 24 hours, and any losts topics could be remade, or the forums could close for maintenance during that time.
I'd be quite happy to help with testing if there was anything that I could do.
In theory you are right. What happens in the real world is often a bit divergent from reality. My experience is that we will find a few issues with the export/import process that will spin around content issues and version upgrades for infrastructure.
in english that would be "we may need to modify or delete some posts to account for changes on the other provider"
KB and I have not had any further communication so I don't know his status on accepting my offer. I have started a quick plan on the migration based on the last large data center move I did. My goal is to 100% data retention with only a small window where new posts/replies would be turned off. the archives would be readable and searchable, just no additions.
KB should I email you?
Jaysen.
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KB
- Site Admin
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Hi Jaysen, sorry about that - just the New Year celebrations and family etc have gotten in the way of me thinking about this in any further detail as yet; I'm going to think about it again in the next few days. And I am very grateful for your help, thank you!
Best,
Keith
Best,
Keith
One I use a lot for different types of websites is 1and1
http://www.1and1.com/?k_id=15249980
They have really good prices, excellent tech support, tailored packages and really offer a lot for really low prices. I also like their support on audio, video, ftp, and mysql databaes.
Easy to set up and very easy to use. Also they are very FAST which is a plus. I have hosted multiple small to medium size commercial websites with them and use them rather frequently. Good for FTP offsite backup storage also.
There transfer volumes are massive
Example a $4.95 a month package allows 1,200GB of transfer volume with no extra charge. The $9.95 package gives 2,500 GB of transfer.
You could buy one account for strictly downloading the app and use another account for Forum usage that way you can keep the two separate. Or you can always rent a whole server if need be.
You can call them and ask them all the questions you want.
(Nice People)
I like the fact that you can set up a daily backup of your MySql database(s) and have them emailed to you for those moments of "just in case"
My 2 bits
http://www.1and1.com/?k_id=15249980
They have really good prices, excellent tech support, tailored packages and really offer a lot for really low prices. I also like their support on audio, video, ftp, and mysql databaes.
Easy to set up and very easy to use. Also they are very FAST which is a plus. I have hosted multiple small to medium size commercial websites with them and use them rather frequently. Good for FTP offsite backup storage also.
There transfer volumes are massive
Example a $4.95 a month package allows 1,200GB of transfer volume with no extra charge. The $9.95 package gives 2,500 GB of transfer.
You could buy one account for strictly downloading the app and use another account for Forum usage that way you can keep the two separate. Or you can always rent a whole server if need be.
You can call them and ask them all the questions you want.
(Nice People)
I like the fact that you can set up a daily backup of your MySql database(s) and have them emailed to you for those moments of "just in case"
My 2 bits
The wheel is turning but the hamster is still dead.
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