Looking for a good web hosting service

[markw10]

We are looking for a new web hosting service for our websites.
We have two websites on separate domains.
The first site is an e-commerce website where we use Authorize.net for transactions. We already have a SSL also on our current website that we'd switch over to this new website. If possible we'd like one that offers assistance with switching a current live website to the new host. Also, in this bad economy we want one that is financially stable and has good support. It would have to be one that runs on Linux using Apache with the current versions of MySQL and PHP.
The second website is a basic Wordpress blog so the e-commerce features are not as important. For SEO we prefer to have them on separate hosting services but since it's a blog and not an e-commerce website we won't need the type of hosting service that we need for the first site.
Does anyone have any suggestions? The only one I'm really familiar with is Go Daddy.

[jpf]

AABOX (from the same people that brings you osCMax) or you could use Future Point. - (I even delt with "1and1" some time ago and seamed not bad)

Both are hosting in MAJOR data & service centers with massive backup/redundancy systems and have a multitude of connection to several different backbones of the internet.

I know the place I deal with – at last inspection – just for power has 3 different backup systems with redundancy – power connect to 2 different electrical grids – 3 sets of generator (a backup for the backup of the main one) – plus massive DC to AC & battery bank. Then on the internet side – mostly Fiber connections – at least 5 backbones and at last check 27 separate OC3 lines plus a few lower copper based ones. I can’t even get into the site security… It is much easier to break into a bank….

Reliability - -both are top notch. My provider – now several years ago and much smaller(well not that small) – when lighting took out he main power transformer outside the main building. Took just over a week to replace properly (it even destroyed the cement pad it was on – a new one had to be pored). A week on generators – not a lost of a single server. In fact they where worried that the “in place generators” could possibly quit and have to rely on just the backup one. He rented a Trailer size generator ---- Just in case. Thus all sites now has 3 or more generators now. Shortly after – they purchase a whole whack of adjoining land and 6 months of negations later got a second power grid main line installed.

I am, in no way, profit from ether of these.


Everyone else...please comment on your providers! I know there are other good or excelent hosting serivces out there. (Go Daddy IMHO is not)

[primetime]

I currently use Startlogic and am looking to move. My site seems very very slow and when tring to admin my store ( currently developing) it takes a long time to update and refresh the admin page. I am thinking this all has to do with my host.

www.heavyweightcorals.com

[michael_s]

Originally Posted by primetime

I currently use Startlogic and am looking to move. My site seems very very slow and when tring to admin my store ( currently developing) it takes a long time to update and refresh the admin page. I am thinking this all has to do with my host.

www.heavyweightcorals.com

I am the owner of AABox, so if you have any questions about our service PM me... It is fast and tuned for osCMax hosting, plus we know the code inside and out.

I just checked your site and it is painfully slow to load! Ouch. Our focus is e-commerce and the #1 rule of any commerce site = LOAD FAST! If it is slow, you are going lose the visitor before the first page loads.

[jpf]

Test - your server:

- 16 hops from MAJOR server to your site - which is high, so there are more points of failure
- Max Response time is 12ms - Which is good
- Avg hop time is 4 ms- which is good
- The Max packet LOST along this route is 10% - which is indicative of problems
- DNS Lookup is 2ms - normally due to caching.
Host comment:
Avg. Customer Rating for Startlogic (2.2 Stars):
Number of Reviews: 123

Don't buy the hype!
"This web host is good only for blogs!! .... If you want to use them for a business site, DON'T!"
Reviewer: Wayne from Concord, CA USA Nov 05, 2008

No Refunds... Don't even think about using these people. "
Reviewer: William from Colorado Oct 27, 2008

The WORST host I've ever had
Reviewer: Not Happy from USA Oct 23, 2008

10% DOWN TIME
Reviewer: Gerardo Sanchez from Mexico Oct 20, 2008

Customer Service Crash & Burn
Reviewer: T Lamb from San Diego, CA Oct 08, 2008


AABOX:
- Hops 12 - which is low
- Max Response 80ms - which is good
- max for any hop is 31 ms
- packet lost 0%
- DNS lookup 2ms or less
No public bad reviews....

Future point:
- 11 Hops
- Max response time 40ms
- avg hop 14 ms
- packet loss 0%
- DNS lookup 2ms or less
Tech support been having problems lately - a bit slow.

Bob, 04th 2008f June, 2008
They were good in the beginning with their old owner. Never had phone support but email was quick. Now their email is so slow.

IMHO - GO for AABOX.

The choice is yours - there are MANY good host out there - cost and service vary greatly - but it all depends on what you want and need. If you want a full server - then going direct to Level3, Rackspace, RackShack, The Planet or 1and1.

[met00]

okay, I will speak up for 1and1...

We host no more than 2 stores on a server because, as has been pointed out, speed is of the essence. For a managed server that would be about $100/mo with 2 stores. Our testing shows that we can go as far as 6 stores without problems (caveat: we recommend not loading six stores that have the same seasons, but spread the stores for seasonal sales load balance - thus you may have a swimming pool store, a winter sports store, a jewelry store, a Christmas store and a school supply store.)

If you can manage your own server, self manage. If not 1and1 offers managed server support. In 5 years on 1and1 we have had 99.999 (5-nines) uptime. with the exception of being hacked on one of our servers once, due to it being an old CRELoaded store.

[primetime]

Ok I am convinced. How would I go about moving my store from Startlogic to another host? Hopefully I do not have to start over.

Thanks everyone!!!

[michael_s]

AABox will move your entire site free of charge (all files and databases). When you sign up, just check the "Free site migration" checkbox so that our support staff knows to contact you regarding migration.

[jpf]

Steps to mover your store from ONE server to another. (or from one host to another)

1 - Use the Admin BACKUP TOOL option to backup your database.
2 - Archive your site (all files). Or FTP files off the server
3 - Move that to the NEW host. Make/Keep a copy for your self.
4 - Restore/unarchve it on the NEW server. Or FTP the file up to the NEW server
5 - Use the normal INSTALL script to create your configure.php files. (you MAY have to use a the TEMP URL the host gives you untill the domain name is transfer/pointed to the correct server - edit these files when this is done - NORMALLY 24-48 hours - some times 60 hours to properly propergate though the internet. Edit files later if need be.)
6 - Login using the DEFAULT use name.
7 - Use the Admin BACKUP TOOL option to RESTORE your database.
8 - Done.


You can repeat 1 and 7 when your new host goes "live"...- but you have to down your old store when you do that.