Hosting Shared or Dedicated

[staceman]

I host some of my clients sites through a hosting company and have some questions. I have client who had a designer build a site using Storefront, a CGi based shopping cart, using asp pages for the site. I usually host using UNIX accounts, but I assumed she would need a windows account for asp pages, so I moved her over to a windows account. The site works, except the cart system as apparently I cannot run custom CGI scripts from a shared account. Does this sound right? Will I have to go with a dedicated server for this system? Does it have to be Windows or can it be Linux? Will a Virtual Dedicated Server with RedHat on it work?

I don't mind moving to dedicated if I feel I can justify the cost by moving all of my resold domains to the server (there are only 5 or 6 others).

[Evic]

I don't have any experience with CGI, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. My understanding is as long as you have some sort of Perl processor on the server it will.

Why use a CGI shopping cart when you could use an ASP one and not have to worry about it though?

Also, why move to dedicated hosting if you are just going to turn it into shared hosting by moving the other resold domains to it?

The only advantage you'll have on a dedicated host is control over what software is installed and how that software is configured.

If you're websites are running very processor intense functions, then yes you may need to move to dedicated. Otherwise, stay on shared - more bang for your buck.

[nottheusual1]

Originally Posted by Evic

The only advantage you'll have on a dedicated host is control over what software is installed and how that software is configured.

Which in itself is enough reason to have your own dedicated server - if some bozo you have no relationship with/control over loads up some nasty CGI's, etc., it can effect everything else you do.

I've got 5 dedicated servers of my own just for this very reason. I know everything that goes on them and have them configured to do what is unique to me, not something cookie-cutter to protect the "unwashed masses" from themselves or people with nefarious intent. And I never let the customers load software.

BTW - there are ASP solutions for *nix boxes. ChiliSoft comes to mind, but I remember reading that they have a security issue....... Mono also comes to mind. Very good community.

;not_the_usual1
[you decide]
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All in my opinion, which, when combined carefully with a $1 bill, gets you a cup of coffee at the corner store.

[ADAM Web Design]

That sounds like one of two things:

1) A misconfiguration with the ASP hosting. Custom CGI scripts should run as custom ASP scripts (which are basically the same thing, but in a different language) would. This is all true unless 2) applies.

2) Custom CGI/COM/other objects and programs (not the scripts themselves, but actual objects and programs) need to be installed. Most hosts tend to charge a premium for this type of thing, if they offer it at all.

I don't know much about CGI or how it works (since I've never used it), but from my understanding of it, you're just scripting for the most part with it. And there are Windows plans out there that do support CGI and allow multiple accounts.

Sectorlink's Enhanced hosting plans do this. I have my dedicated server with them (since I have over 50 domains and install custom stuff a lot of the time, it just made the most economic sense), and I've been with them over 3 years. They're stable, reliable, and everyone I've referred to them have had no problems as well. It'll be cheaper for you to go this route than go dedicated.

[cyanide]

I really wouldn't put an asp site on a nix box, Windows would be the way to go.

Find another Windows shared host. Most have 30-day money back guarantees anyhow, so there's no harm trying a different host for this client


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