Fully managed dedicated host experiences, anyone ?

[needhelp338]

Most of the board's discussions seem to focus on shared hosting plans.

I am starting this thread hoping to get some feedback on fully managed dedicated server experiences.

Please post your good and bad reviews of fully managed dedicated servers, with the name of the provider, that would be very helpful. I can't decide which company provides reliable tech support and which ones I should avoid.

I have been reading WHtalk too, but since I am planning to install a vBulletin forum on the new server, I thought I would post here and get some feedback as well.

Thanks

[RedWingFan]

Hate to add a "me, too" post, but I'm shopping also. I like our current host, but for the money we have (via donations), we can only afford Celeron-level servers there, and we're struggling right now on our web server.

I need the host to offer secure FTP and SSH login access--none of that Cpanel crap, in other words.

[express]

What issues are you having with cpanel? We have 1000's that use it and works well for them.
There are always adjustments and tweaks that can be made if neccessary.

Joey

[---MAD---]

Interesting that no-one has replied with any good dedicated server providers yet.

[encryption]

There are a handful of datacenters in the US who are solid in terms of their network uptime and quality of hardware. SuperbServers and HostMySite are 2 that I have personally worked with and can recommend. Reviews I've read more good than bad include Softlayer, ASmallOrange and Layered Tech.

Since I manage all our own servers, cant really recommend on managed dedicated servers though I have used HostMySite a lot (our office rents a dedicated box from them) and their phone support is spot on.

[---MAD---]

There are a handful of datacenters in the US who are solid in terms of their network uptime and quality of hardware. SuperbServers and HostMySite are 2 that I have personally worked with and can recommend. Reviews I've read more good than bad include Softlayer, ASmallOrange and Layered Tech.

Since I manage all our own servers, cant really recommend on managed dedicated servers though I have used HostMySite a lot (our office rents a dedicated box from them) and their phone support is spot on.

Yeah we currently use layered tech for both our servers.

[SoftDux]

I hope I'm not going to violate forum rules, but

Take a look @ http://www.Beachcomber.net, http://www.softlayer.com/ & http://www.layeredtech.com/

[---MAD---]

I hope I'm not going to violate forum rules, but

Take a look @ http://www.Beachcomber.net, http://www.softlayer.com/ & http://www.layeredtech.com/

Your not .

MAD

[alemcherry]

LayeredTech is value for money, but they dont even offer phone support. It is not managed hosting, they offer selfmanaged. Softlayer may be a better option, if you consider support.

Liquidweb is one of the best, in terms of support and price. If you have lots of money, rackspace will workout very well.

Godaddy, 1and1, Liquidweb etc. are good if you know how to mange your server. They are cheap, good network and offer basic support.

[RedWingFan]

At one host I'm using, all we can get are Celeron CPUs at the $199-$249/month price level, and currently we are spread across two servers.

Looking at SoftLayer, we could have a single server:

Xeon Dempsey Series
• Processors: 5050
• 4 x 2MB CPU Cache w/ HT
• 2GB FB-DIMM 533 / 667 ECC Reg RAM
• KVM over IP Access / Reboot
• 2000GB Public Bandwidth
• Unlimited Private Network Bandwidth
• 5 Public IP Addresses
• Windows / RHEL / CentOS

With the 15k SCSI option, it would cost $299/month. I don't know if we could run our forum on one server again, but our peak usage was about 450 users, a month ago (and I'm sure some of them were searchbots spidering our site). If this single box would "do us", I'd possibly consider changing hosts for this one forum. I just don't know how vB runs on different hardware platforms (other than it running mediocre on a Celeron *sigh* ).

I do need managed servers, plain and simple. All of us have "day jobs" and can't babysit a server 24/7. We were at EV1 back when it was Rackshack, and were hacked once. The former admin had to deal with them on the phone for hours to get it resolved...

[Wayne Luke]

I currently use Liquidweb.com for my server and they offer fully managed systems.

https://www.liquidweb.com/cart/content/dedicated/

Best that I have ever had.

Oh... You can use SFTP and SSH with CPANEL installed on the computer. Most hosting providers simply don't give your accounts shell access or if you create it yourself, you have to check the box in WHM when you create the account if not using packages with shell access predefined.

[RedWingFan]

Thanks, Wayne!

I do prefer shell access for everything I do--as long as it is available as an option, I'm happy. I'm just an old command line fanatic at heart, I guess.

Anyway, is this a good place to ask if certain hardware configurations would fit our needs, or is that better asked over in the Server Config area? LiquidWeb's offerings look really nice...thanks for pointing them out.

I currently use Liquidweb.com for my server and they offer fully managed systems.

https://www.liquidweb.com/cart/content/dedicated/

Best that I have ever had.

Oh... You can use SFTP and SSH with CPANEL installed on the computer. Most hosting providers simply don't give your accounts shell access or if you create it yourself, you have to check the box in WHM when you create the account if not using packages with shell access predefined.

[Wayne Luke]

Server Configuration would probably be best.

OT: Personally, I am a GUI person and only go to the command line when all else fails. Not somewhere that I want to spend a lot of time but a good backup if needed.

[alemcherry]

LW is the best option, if you do not want to spend for rackspace
You may consider hostgator, they have just few offers but good support.

[RedWingFan]

Server Configuration would probably be best.

Done, and in progress!

OT: Personally, I am a GUI person and only go to the command line when all else fails. Not somewhere that I want to spend a lot of time but a good backup if needed.

GUI is a big part of my daily operations, but there are still a few things that are more easily done with a couple of choice command line entries vs. a lot of drag-and-drop or remote manipulation. I am trying to work with one client right now who wants the site hosted at her current company, and they don't have shell access...it really hampers things.