Dedicated Hosting In The UK

[jordanmcclements]

Anyone have their own server with a UK host?

Any recommendations?

I am considering one from register1.net at present as I have had shared hosting with them for some time and they have been very good. But having said that, their dedicated servers are *fairly* expensive...

[speed]

I've got several servers in the UK, so in no particular order a2b2.com or poundhost.com, both are unmanaged.

[jordanmcclements]

DO you mind me asking how much they are and how happy you are with them?

[speed]

Price depends on what you want, they both have stock configurations on their site, bigger disks, RAID and so on is extra.

I use a server at a2b2.com for hosting first person shooter game servers so if you know how picky gamers are over network latency and stability there's not really anything else to say. poundhost is the same it just works.

For me poundhost have the advantage as they have Dell machines with 3ware RAID cards.

The only problem with both companies as with lots of others is they don't have remote reboot ports or permanent KVMoIP. poundhost will connect a KVM when asked and it works well, I installed my last server using it as I wanted a specific configuration, I think a2b2.com can now also connect a KVM when asked but you'd need to ask to be sure.

Poundhost defiantly won't help you with the software config on your server and I'm fairly sure a2b2 don't offer managed either so if you're not comfortable configuring and hardening a Linux (or Windows) server then you'll need to get a 3rd party management company. This isn't a problem for me and I actually prefer they just look after the network and hardware leaving software and backups to me.

Overall I'm happy with both, if I wasn't I wouldn't still be with them and I defiantly wouldn't mention their names on a forum.

[kgun]

Re: Dedicated Hosting In The UK


Anyone have their own server with a UK host?


You mean a colocated and not a dedicated?

The new is grid hosting and it may be more cost effective than a dedicated server.

Google

grid hosting

if you don't find what you are looking for, I can give you some links.

[jordanmcclements]

Very interesting...

Though I hate to be at the 'cutting edge' of technology (have you ever seen the cartoon where the caveman is using the new technology of the bow and arrow and is about to shoot himself in the eye?)....

Though it does warrant further investigation.

And I DO mean 'dedicated' - my own complete physical (not virtual) server - with no one else getting access to it...

[kgun]

Grid computing is a serious topic that involves large companies. I think that grid hosting has come to stay.

I am an economist, so cost minimization is an important part of profit maximization.

A dedicated server has final capacity. As far as I have understodd Grid hosting, growth is more flexible. Capacity growth is more smooth than the stepwise growth of adding a new dedicated server.

As always you have to be careful with the provider you select.

[jordanmcclements]

Thanks.

[jordanmcclements]

One further question for anyone who knows anything about linux / apache / ensim pro for linux...

I currently have about 150GB/month bandwith being used, and less than 10,000 visitors per day - but I hope to more than double that in the coming year.

I use php, but not MySQL, although I might install Wordpress in the future.

My question is, considering that the server only has a 100Mbit port anyway - is it worth getting more than 2GB of RAM? (Extra RAM is charged at extortionate rates by my host)... (I would even stick to 1GB if I thought I could get away with it!)

Thanks in advance.

[speed]

If you've got lots of PHP and use an opcode cache of some sort then RAM could speed it up. However as there's no database I would think it would be fine with 2GB. If as you grow you find you need more RAM then just have them fit it.

[jordanmcclements]

I am not sure what an opcode cache is... :-) And I hate the thought of the server being down while new RAM is fitted - but I think I will try and get away with 2GB!

Thanks.

(And thanks for your comprehensive previous reply which I somehow missed the last time I looked at this thread) - NB - I DEFINITELY need someone to configure the server for me - which Register1.net will do....

[speed]

I am not sure what an opcode cache is... :-)
eAccelerator - Trac (http://eaccelerator.net/) or XCache - Boost PHP Performance - Trac (http://xcache.lighttpd.net/) to name a couple.

They simply remove the need for PHP to parse/compile the file for each page view by storing the compiled byte code.

And I hate the thought of the server being down while new RAM is fitted - but I think I will try and get away with 2GB!
My experience is adding RAM only takes a couple of minutes, generally no worse than a reboot for a Kernel update.

[speed]

NB - I DEFINITELY need someone to configure the server for me - which Register1.net will do....
You can get 3rd party companies to manage servers for you, that can give you more freedom to choose the server supplier.

Off the top of my head (Note: I've never used any of these):

http://rack911.com/
http://www.platinumservermanagement.com/
http://www.seeksadmin.com/

[jordanmcclements]

Speed, thanks.

One very last question - is it worth paying an extra £25 per month for a Cisco Firewall on my port?

As I understand it - Linux/apache is pretty much hacker proof anyway...?

[kgun]

Speed, thanks.
One very last question - is it worth paying an extra £25 per month for a Cisco Firewall on my port?


There is always an option to selfinsurance your car aside from what is required. If you put £25 / month in the bank, compunded over 2 / 5 / 10 / 20 years, that is a fairly large amount.

Is the situation comparable? What does the Cisco Firewall protect your against and does it slow down the connection and require additional resources that reduces efficiency? Like increased security, reduced efficiency also has a cost.

Personally I surf without an antivirus program, but will not recommend other people to do it. And I only use the firewall that is inbuilt in my router and OS.

Online Web security is much more advanced so you have to talk to a network security specialist.



As I understand it - Linux/apache is pretty much hacker proof anyway...?

Hm.

Soft- and hardware is no more hacker safe than that version. It also depends on the people operating your dedicated server.

[speed]

You have the option of running a software firewall such as CSF (ConfigServer Security & Firewall (http://www.configserver.com/cp/csf.html)) it integrates well with cPanel and also Webmin.

It blocks various ports from external access as well as stopping the outgoing use of ports unless specified.

A stock Linux install will allow remote SSH connections and people will probe it to attempt a brute force login, CSF normally bans the IP after a few attempts. Personally I block all access to SSH to stop these attacks.

It can also watch cPanel, FTP, POP, SMTP logins and mod_security logs, banning IPs as required.

If you've got the spare cash and are running a high profile site then it may well be worth a hardware firewall but again you can start with a software Firewall as many people do and then if you find you need more add the hardware firewall later.

You do of course have daily offsite backups with several days history, don't you, so should the server be compromised at worst it's a reload and restore.

[jordanmcclements]

Thanks.

In that case I'll start with software firewall, and disable SSH access (I don't really know enough about linux to be SSHing into the box anyway)...

[cw1865]

I use galaxygig for some of my websites, you can throw up any number of domains for a low monthly price. Serious savings over godaddy if you have many domains. If its just one, then it makes no sense....