Hosting Needs

[divya]

Hi all,

 

I am looking for a hosting provider that will allow me to do the following:

 

- Use Mozilla Composer to publish my static pages

- Allow me to host a Forum so I can build an online community - what are my options here?

- Allow me to host the forum over HTTPS

- Help me to transition an existing domain from another hosting provider

- Back up my forum data periodically

- Provide a way to use SCP to copy files to/from the hosting service

- Provide monitoring tools so that I can have detailed monitoring of the usage and traffic to the site

- Do we have Web Based e-mail Readers? Can these be provided over HTTPS?

 

Also, any chance that IMAPS or POP3/SSL is available?

 

I couldn't get to the CPANEL demo yesterday, so I am sure that some of these questions are answered trivially.

 

(Also, does the person who referred me to TCH get any love from TCH? If so, I want to make sure that he gets the credit - thanks Malcolm D).

 

Regards

 

Divya Sundaram

divya@avnika.com

[TCH-Andy]

Hi Divya,

 

 

- Use Mozilla Composer to publish my static pages

Yes

 

- Allow me to host a Forum so I can build an online community - what are my options here?

Most people here probably use IPB (like this forum) or phpBB

 

- Allow me to host the forum over HTTPS

 

Yes, you can use the shared SSL on most accounts (we do not provide shared SSL on reseller accounts)

Edit: I forgot to add, if you purchase an SSL certificate for you domain name, then of that can be used for HTTPS hosting

 

- Help me to transition an existing domain from another hosting provider

If your current host is cpanel based, we will try and move it for you. If not, then the forum here will try and help you out with any problems you have.

 

- Back up my forum data periodically

You can backup the forum via cpanel regularly. We do backups ourselves, but the ultimate responsibility for your data lies with you.

 

- Provide a way to use SCP to copy files to/from the hosting service

We do not provide shell access, but you can use cpanel to upload files using https.

 

- Provide monitoring tools so that I can have detailed monitoring of the usage and traffic to the site

Awstats are provided in cpanel. You can download the raw log files to your own computer if you want to use your own stats package.

 

- Do we have Web Based e-mail Readers? Can these be provided over HTTPS?

Yes, Horde, Neomail or Squirrel mail

 

- Also, any chance that IMAPS or POP3/SSL is available?

Yes

 

- I couldn't get to the CPANEL demo yesterday, so I am sure that some of these questions are answered trivially.

I'm sorry, cpanel demo is run by cpanel themselves, so we have no control over the uptime availability of that demo.

 

(Also, does the person who referred me to TCH get any love from TCH? If so, I want to make sure that he gets the credit - thanks Malcolm D).

Everyone in the TCH family is loved :hug:

Edited September 29, 2004 by TCH-Andy

[divya]

Hmm, that's great news.

 

So, what steps do I take for making the transition? Do you have a checklist?

 

Also, I'd like to find out about the two Forum software packages. Is there a comparision anywhere that I can use to see which one suits my needs best?

 

As far as backups are concerned, is there any extra cost for backups?

 

I also want to find out whether there is information about your processes for handling upgrades. You are running RedHat Linux 7.x. What's the upgrade path? How do you handle requests like "I need version x of Perl and version y of the FooBar Module", etc.

 

I read some e-mail about you not liking excessive mail traffic being generated. Any ideas on how that will impact the way the forum may work? The forum that I envision will be by invitation only, but I don't want to make choices that will put me out of compliance with your service terms.

 

Can I have multiple domains aliased to the same "location". I.E. I'd like to get the domain avnika.net. But when someone types in http://avnika.com, I'd like to have them directed to http://avnika.net. Is this possible? What about for e-mail? Can email addressed to divya@avnika.com be resolved to go to divya@avnika.net (or vice versa) provided TCH is hosting both domains? Do I need to purchase multiple accounts to enable this to happen? [ I am thinking of using this as a means to transition my existing site - which has many mail accounts, but minimal web load ]

 

Does e-mail have catch-all accounts?

 

What is your SPAM policy - how do you scan for or manage incoming SPAM?

 

You didn't answer the question about referral credits? Will Malcolm get a credit when I sign on?

 

Also, your answers implied that SCP connectivity is not available - you prefer transfers using HTTPS. Is that an accurate statement?

 

Thanks

 

Divya

[Madmanmcp]

Will Malcolm get a credit when I sign on?

(Also, does the person who referred me to TCH get any love from TCH? If so, I want to make sure that he gets the credit - thanks Malcolm D).

Everyone in the TCH family is loved

 

In other words, no.

[jandafields]

Actually, the servers are running RedHat 9.

 

IPB and phpBB are both very popular and good forums. You could install others as well if you wanted to.

 

No extra cost for backups - you take care of them yourself from cpanel.

 

You can park multiple domain names to the same website - yes.

 

Yes to the email redirection as well.

 

The email has a catch-all account if you want to use it - it is optional.

 

zero toleralnce spam policy (for sending spam)

 

Spam Assassin is an optional free program used to filter and delete incoming spam.

 

No referral credits.

 

There is no SCP. You can use FTP or HTTP or HTTPS or Perl or PHP - your choice. FTP is the easiest.

[TCH-Bruce]

How do you handle requests like "I need version x of Perl and version y of the FooBar Module", etc.

 

The version of Perl is 5.8.0

 

Additional modules to be added would require that you submit a help desk ticket and the techs will determine if it can be installed without any detrimental effects on anyone else.

 

Of course if you decided to purchase a dedicated box you could add what ever modules you desired as well as have shell access if you absolutely require it.

[LisaJill]

I'll try to answer your other questions. =)

 

So, what steps do I take for making the transition? Do you have a checklist?

 

There's no checklist. If your other host was cpanel based then you can submit a ticket and tech can try (not all host's allow that connection, so it's not gauranteed) - if not you need to ftp down everything from your old host to your computer then ftp it up to your site on our servers. If you have mysql databases you'll need to export then import here.

 

Also, I'd like to find out about the two Forum software packages. Is there a comparision anywhere that I can use to see which one suits my needs best?

 

Google phpbb vs invision. =)

 

As far as backups are concerned, is there any extra cost for backups?

 

The normal server backups there is no cost, and there's no cost for you to run your own backups.

 

I also want to find out whether there is information about your processes for handling upgrades. You are running RedHat Linux 7.x. What's the upgrade path? How do you handle requests like "I need version x of Perl and version y of the FooBar Module", etc.

 

What hosting package are you looking at? On a shared hosting package (web hosting and reseller) then you're not going to have flexibility here. Whatever is installed is whatever cpanel installs. The exception here is that tech is often very willing to install CPAN modules on request.

 

If you are on a dedicated MANAGED server then you can request installs I believe - though I'm not familiar with that particular hosting. If you are un a dedicated UNmanaged server then you can do whatever you please. =)

 

I read some e-mail about you not liking excessive mail traffic being generated. Any ideas on how that will impact the way the forum may work? The forum that I envision will be by invitation only, but I don't want to make choices that will put me out of compliance with your service terms.

 

Most forums handle this very well and I haven't seen a problem with it. But if you are going to do mass mailings then you can't spam (can read the AUP on that) and you need to use a system that can send the mail over a period of time, if it's more than 50 recipients.

 

Can I have multiple domains aliased to the same "location". I.E. I'd like to get the domain avnika.net. But when someone types in http://avnika.com, I'd like to have them directed to http://avnika.net. Is this possible? What about for e-mail? Can email addressed to divya@avnika.com be resolved to go to divya@avnika.net (or vice versa) provided TCH is hosting both domains? Do I need to purchase multiple accounts to enable this to happen? [ I am thinking of using this as a means to transition my existing site - which has many mail accounts, but minimal web load ]

 

For what you describe yes you can do that. You can have unlimited domains pointing to the root of your site - and you can have email addresses for them. What you could not have (which is not in your description) is a domain pointing to a subdomain of your site - for that you need multiple accounts or a reseller account.

 

Does e-mail have catch-all accounts?

 

Configurable by you, it can. =)

 

What is your SPAM policy - how do you scan for or manage incoming SPAM?

 

The server does not scan for spam automatically. You can enable Spam Assassin and do what you will with it.

 

You didn't answer the question about referral credits? Will Malcolm get a credit when I sign on?

 

No. =)

 

Also, your answers implied that SCP connectivity is not available - you prefer transfers using HTTPS. Is that an accurate statement?

 

Yep. =)

 

Hope that helps!

[divya]

Hmm,

 

Thanks for the detailed answers.

 

But one comment of your's piqued my interest - Reseller Accounts. I tried to follow this link from your FAQ page:

 

http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/web-hosting-reseller.html

 

but got a Web Site Not Found Error.

 

Where can I get more details on this? Although I am NOT planning on being a reseller, I'd like to be able to map one or more of my other domains to a sub URL of my primary domains. In fact, I'd like to do this to allow me to manage these sites better.

 

Thanks

 

Divya

[TCH-Bruce]

The correct link should be: http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/web-hosting-resellers.html

 

Thanks for pointing out the mistake.

[TCH-Don]

Although I am NOT planning on being a reseller,

I'd like to be able to map one or more of my other domains to a sub URL of my primary domains.

In fact, I'd like to do this to allow me to manage these sites better.

This is the same thing as pointing a domain name to a sub-domain, folder or file

and still not allowed for a regular account.

You need a reseller account to do this.

 

If you have multiple domains, a reseller account will give you a lot of flexibility

[divya]

Ok, you have me sold.

 

Thanks for all the answers.

[TCH-Rob]

Well welcome to the family then. Thumbs Up Glad to have you aboard.