Web hosting under 10.04

[dieselpwr4life]

I've decided to start a new project/second business. Namely, I want to create my own website hosting/design service and I need to know where to start. I've been reading up on some topics related to this, but as far as implementing my idea, I still have some questions. Should note here that previously, my only experience with hosting was putting a page up for a friend via godaddy.com....

I've gotten my hands on a Poweredge 6800, 4 processors 2.8 gHz, (currently) 4 73 gb u320 hard drives. I know that I want to run a RAID setup that allows for redundancy (not sure if I should just set up the 4 drives as 2 disks with mirroring or not). I also for the forseeable future will have to run everything off of one server. With the server came Windows Server 2003 disks and license.

From what I've seen/read, it seems a LAMP server would be the way to go. My main question is this: Since I am running everything off of one server for now, am I right in thinking that Ubuntu Server would be the better way to go for ease of use, and reduced resource usage? Also, is it simpler to use a static IP address from my ISP or the dynamic IP addresses they give you? The final question is this: while I like the idea of H-sphere, are there better all in one hosting apps/control panels that don't have as high a learning curve/hardware requirements?

Any other suggestions, links, FAQs are greatly appreciated. Also want to apologize in advance if I missed postings where this was already covered.

Thanks in advance guys.

[gordintoronto]

Ubuntu Server is a good choice, until a potential client demands that you support a Microsoft technology. (I have a friend who has an immense web site using Microsoft Front Page...) Your computer is fine until a client loads up his site with videos. If the business takes off, you can deal with those issues.

Static IP is the right answer. Dynamic IP can be made to work, but it's a kludge that will eventually break. Do your ISP's Terms of Service allow you to host web sites? Some ISPs have punitive pricing for web site hosting.

Some people like Kompozer for simple web site development. If you're making an online brochure, it's fine.

[sh1ny]

For a control panel i'd recommend ISPConfig 3. It's good and it works My hosting is entirely on 10.04 and i've yet to encounter any problems related to the OS itself ( excluding human errors ).

[dieselpwr4life]

Thanks for the replies, I was thinking of using ISPconfig3, but was hoping to find something all in one - even if I had to pay a little bit for it. Though it seems that most of the CPs that offer this, usually require redhat, centOS. I've used Ubuntu before as a workstation and loved it immensely.

Hopefully I can grow to the point of needing more than a couple servers and using Microsoft to attract more customers. Though I doubt that it will happen in the short term. If they do, I am probably not that well equipped hardware wise to meet their needs. Besides, I love free!

I have Comcast here at my house and when I talked to the rep, I specifically told him what I was going to use their business class service for. I know Comcast isn't the best, but I couldn't get a hold of ATT at all for 4 days to talk to them about their services. For the price right now, I can't really justify spending the couple hundred per month to get a dedicated line. Though if I can manage to get ahold of 7-10 clients, I should be able to justify the expense.

I've heard some back and forth about the different ftp programs to use, sftp, proftp (pureftp, can't remember which), etc. Is there truely one better than the other as far as security, or are they about the same?

[abhinavkumar940]

You can also give WebMin a try. Its free & comes bundled with a huge list of add ons including the proxy, email etc.

Best of luck using Ubuntu!

[BQAggie2006]

Not quite sure what you mean by "all in one", but this is a pretty good tutorial for getting ISPConfig 3 set up and running on Ubuntu Server 10.04 LTS:

http://www.howtoforge.com/perfect-se...nx-ispconfig-3

As far as FTP servers, the above tutorial suggests using PureFTPd, but I myself am a vsftpd fan as it's pretty easy to set up and configure, and is recommended in the Ubuntu Server Guide: https://help.ubuntu.com/10.04/server...tp-server.html.

[dieselpwr4life]

By all in one, I was referring to being able to invoice/bill right from the control panel. Kind of like CPanel or H-sphere, where there is an accounting feature built in to the panel itself.

I'll probably just use ISPConfig and make sure that I am closely monitoring who's paid up and who's behind.

[James78]

Not to sound like I'm one upping anyone here, but I really recommend Webmin over ISPConfig. I've used both, and ISPConfig doesn't really have much features like Webmin does. Webmin has a ton of features for mostly everything, it's really handy, and you can create advanced setups with it. It's ultimately up to you, but I want you to know about what you're missing. In the end, I'd suggest you try both of them out, that way you'll be able to use the one you end up liking (it's best to be informed; since you may spend a lot of wasted time in ISPConfig and find out you like Webmin more, or even vise versa). Virtualmachine time.

P.S. http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1197883

[amish_geek]

If you're going to be hosting websites for others as a business, then please take your business seriously and do not use a cable or DSL connection.

If you want to use your own server that you bought, there are plenty of colocation proivders that you can use for about the same price as a commercial cable connection. Then you'll get a solid internet connection with proper SLA's to guarantee network uptime.


H-Sphere is a good control panel. I had a 16 server H-Sphere cluster several years ago which was primarily powered by FreeBSD. Unfortunately, H-sphere was sold to swsoft which is now Parallels (who also owns Plesk/Ensim and a bunch of other hosting control panels). They buy up control panels and then stop developing them, forcing hosts to switch to their flagship panel, Plesk.


CPanel and DirectAdmin are really your only two choices for running a web hosting BUSINESS. You're going to want a billing solution like modernbill or WHMCS. ISPConfig and Webmin are merely tools for managing users, and services on a server, and are not designed to be web hosting control panels for customers. They can be used that way, but they were not designed for that purpose.


I advise checking out www.webhostingtalk.com and asking in the "running a web hosting business" section.


If you really want to start a hosting business, I would strongly recommend starting out on a reseller account with another host, and growing your customer base before jumping in with both feet on a full fledged server. If you're just looking to host your own websites, and perhaps a couple for some friends, then by all means, use ISPConfig or webmin. But if you set up shop and expect your average internet user to sign up for your service and pay you money, please take it seriously and do things the right way. There are enough people out there already who set up shop as a hobby and leave honest paying customers out to dry when their hobby gets old and they disappear.


Remember, when running a hosting company, you are:
- Hosting Websites with Apache
- Hosting Databases with MySQL and/or Postgresql
- Hosting Email (you're going to need a mail server)
- Eternally fighting spam (your mailserver is going to be a spam magnet, since all of your customers have email addresses and sign up for stupid mailing lists etc)
- Hosting DNS
- Maintaining and security a control panel
- Dealing with customers/users who have a plethora of different sites, wants, needs, and desires.

Any one of those services (web,mail,mysql,control panel,etc) can bring your server to its knees, especially when you have customers who install things like drupal and wordpress, and then get lucky and are listed on the frontpage of Digg.

[James78]

If you're going to be hosting websites for others as a business, then please take your business seriously and do not use a cable or DSL connection.

If you want to use your own server that you bought, there are plenty of colocation proivders that you can use for about the same price as a commercial cable connection. Then you'll get a solid internet connection with proper SLA's to guarantee network uptime.


H-Sphere is a good control panel. I had a 16 server H-Sphere cluster several years ago which was primarily powered by FreeBSD. Unfortunately, H-sphere was sold to swsoft which is now Parallels (who also owns Plesk/Ensim and a bunch of other hosting control panels). They buy up control panels and then stop developing them, forcing hosts to switch to their flagship panel, Plesk.


CPanel and DirectAdmin are really your only two choices for running a web hosting BUSINESS. You're going to want a billing solution like modernbill or WHMCS. ISPConfig and Webmin are merely tools for managing users, and services on a server, and are not designed to be web hosting control panels for customers. They can be used that way, but they were not designed for that purpose.


I advise checking out www.webhostingtalk.com and asking in the "running a web hosting business" section.


If you really want to start a hosting business, I would strongly recommend starting out on a reseller account with another host, and growing your customer base before jumping in with both feet on a full fledged server. If you're just looking to host your own websites, and perhaps a couple for some friends, then by all means, use ISPConfig or webmin. But if you set up shop and expect your average internet user to sign up for your service and pay you money, please take it seriously and do things the right way. There are enough people out there already who set up shop as a hobby and leave honest paying customers out to dry when their hobby gets old and they disappear.


Remember, when running a hosting company, you are:
- Hosting Websites with Apache
- Hosting Databases with MySQL and/or Postgresql
- Hosting Email (you're going to need a mail server)
- Eternally fighting spam (your mailserver is going to be a spam magnet, since all of your customers have email addresses and sign up for stupid mailing lists etc)
- Hosting DNS
- Maintaining and security a control panel
- Dealing with customers/users who have a plethora of different sites, wants, needs, and desires.

Any one of those services (web,mail,mysql,control panel,etc) can bring your server to its knees, especially when you have customers who install things like drupal and wordpress, and then get lucky and are listed on the frontpage of Digg.

There's no doubt about that. Webmin is definitely more of a tool for managing things. But were you also including Virtualmin in that argument? Because Virtualmin is more of the one for the customers. I've used it and have 0 complaints, especially for the free price.

And ya, I completely agree with you about making a hobby while it's fun, then leaving your customers out when it gets old. That's just not right.