Server

[Fred Weiss]

You'd have all the same options and access on a VPS, just saying. It's worth price comparing. Check your loads and see what equiv. load virtualized servers would cost.

When I first read about virtual servers, I contacted our server management contractors for their opinion. They handle both virtual servers and traditional dedicated servers. Their opinion was that the disadvantages far outweighed the advantages. Since they have delivered me AAA service and advice for more than five years now, I ended my interest in virtual servers for my needs.

I'm not informed enough to debate it with you and what you say may or may not have merit. All I know is when my primary advisors on such topics gives a strong thumbs down to something, I am not going to waste my time considering it.

 

[qmr55]

When I first read about virtual servers, I contacted our server management contractors for their opinion. They handle both virtual servers and traditional dedicated servers. Their opinion was that the disadvantages far outweighed the advantages. Since they have delivered me AAA service and advice for more than five years now, I ended my interest in virtual servers for my needs.

I'm not informed enough to debate it with you and what you say may or may not have merit. All I know is when my primary advisors on such topics gives a strong thumbs down to something, I am not going to waste my time considering it.

Hey Fred do you happen to have a list or a comparisons sheet on how they came to this conclusion? Just for my own personal knowledge I'd like to see what they had to say!

 

[signswi]

It's possible from looking at their page they aren't set up to run VPS well so they sold you hardware (which has higher markup). That's devil's advocate but it's common. Running a VPS service takes a big, extremely technical company which is why there are only a dozen or so that do it well (that will sell to the little guy anyway). Assembling and reselling a co-located hardware server is child's play compared to operating a VPS service.

A CDN service ( maxcdn.com as an example) would probably eliminate a huge chunk of your server load and speed up visitor experience, something also worth looking into and to be aware of.

There's also static precaching, both server side and externally through a service like cloudflare.com (check out the free package...).

It's great that you're happy (relationship is as important as tech specs, as you well know) I'm just throwing some things out there that are worth consideration for anyone who is entering the hosting arena.

 

[Fred Weiss]

Hey Fred do you happen to have a list or a comparisons sheet on how they came to this conclusion? Just for my own personal knowledge I'd like to see what they had to say!

No but you might want to contact them directly.

 

[Fred Weiss]

It's possible from looking at their page they aren't set up to run VPS well so they sold you hardware (which has higher markup). That's devil's advocate but it's common. Running a VPS service takes a big, extremely technical company which is why there are only a dozen or so that do it well (that will sell to the little guy anyway). Assembling and reselling a co-located hardware server is child's play compared to operating a VPS service.

A CDN service ( maxcdn.com as an example) would probably eliminate a huge chunk of your server load and speed up visitor experience, something also worth looking into and to be aware of.

There's also static precaching, both server side and externally through a service like cloudflare.com (check out the free package...).

It's great that you're happy (relationship is as important as tech specs, as you well know) I'm just throwing some things out there that are worth consideration for anyone who is entering the hosting arena.

No, that's not at all the case. here's a statement from their home page:

We support any Dedicated Server, Cloud Server, or VPS running a Linux OS and CPanel.

They are in the business of monitoring and managing servers for their clients ... basically performing all the things a host would do for their customers. They do this for $29 a month and have had nothing to do at any time with who I rent my dedicated server from. Their reply to me was based on the problems and, as I recall, some security issues they have encountered while managing all three types of setups.

 

[signswi]

Ah, so they resell and monitor services? Makes sense, nice to have an intermediary I guess.

Like I said, great that you're happy, I'm just throwing out info for anyone who it may benefit.

 

[Tovis]

I think I am going to give this a try. Thanks for all of your help, let my know if any of you have advise....

http://www.howtoforge.com/perfect-server-centos-5.5-x86_64-ispconfig-3

 

[njshorts]

ispconfig is a pain and really isnt necessary... but if you insist.

imho, if you're just doing ftp and in-house stuff, install proftpd/LAMP... or go with webmin if you insist on a GUI. also, consider CSF- www.configserver.com... very useful firewall/LFD software.

 

[Tovis]

I installed it along with webmin, neat little program. I also have Samba all set up. I can view my windows computers on the network but cannot get into them because it seems to require a domain. Windows 7 doesn't seem to allow me to enter a domain. Do any of you know of a workaround or resolution.

I also made the public folder on linux public and cannot see anything on windows regarding the centos public folder.

 

[njshorts]

the domain would be the machines name, if you are not on a true windows domain.

are you having issues getting from the workstations to the linux box or vice-versa? in a perfect world, set up your samba users/groups and copy files from the desktops to the server, leave the server alone and shut the gui off until you need it again (runlevel 3)

 

[Tovis]

Well, I am able to look into windows computers, I figured out I have to start the samba server back up in webadmin after rebooting.

I still cannot see the public folder on Centos from clicking on network in windows.

 

[TheJaspMan]

I installed it along with webmin, neat little program. I also have Samba all set up. I can view my windows computers on the network but cannot get into them because it seems to require a domain. Windows 7 doesn't seem to allow me to enter a domain. Do any of you know of a workaround or resolution.

I also made the public folder on linux public and cannot see anything on windows regarding the centos public folder.

The Samba server acts as a windows domain server. You can access drive space on the server, but not typically access workstations from the server.

Webmin is a snap for doing stuff remotely. You can set Samba (and other system stuff) to automatically start on reboot via the bootup and shutdown commands.

 

[Tovis]

What do I do to make it act as a file server then so I can put and pull files off it.

Or perhaps I should just use a windows machine as a fileserver and throw a few hard drives into it and continue using outside hosting, email, and ftp.

 

[Tovis]

Got it running on my home machine, pretty nifty, this dyndns.org is also kind cool since I don't have a static IP at home.

Thank you all for your help, I feel I got a quick class in networking, port forwarding, subnets, gateways, dns, and ipv4.

 

[smdgrfx]

For ease of use, we use Windows Home Server 2008. Very easy to setup and easy to manage. Not as robust as others (cannot run programs from it), but as a file server, ftp server, and backup - it is great. And did I mention....easy to use.

 

[njshorts]

Got it running on my home machine, pretty nifty, this dyndns.org is also kind cool since I don't have a static IP at home.

Thank you all for your help, I feel I got a quick class in networking, port forwarding, subnets, gateways, dns, and ipv4.

please please tell me you're not sharing over the web using dyndns... very insecure. if so, use hamachi from logmein.com for a cheap/easy start until you can learn openvpn.

also, to start samba...

chkconfig smb on

as root. this will make samba start when the machine starts.

 

[Tovis]

No, I just used it to test things until I could get it running, they have a static ip at work to install on. I'll give those a look though if I set an ftp up long term.

 

[signswi]

There's seriously no reason to run an ftp anymore in the age of cheap cloud storage and ftp-like SaaS applications.