Reseller Pack Vs Cheap Dedicated Server

[engineerroy2008]

Hi Guys,

I am curious to know what others think about this issue - A good reseller package Vs A cheap Dedicated Server.

1) Which is flexible, and affordable, also good features

2) Advantages of using reseller pack than dedi

3) Pros and Cons of using cheap dedi server.

Post your views so that i can be informed on what others think on this topic.

I personally have a strong view that buying a cheap dedi is far better than a good reseller pack, willing to know your views guys

 

[romes]

1. people are tricked into buying reseller packages that they really dont need. Unlimited accounts is not possible. The average price would be $1.00 per account. So a $10.00 reseller would buy you 10 accounts you could resell. A dedicated server would give you more space, bandwidth, and a large amount of accounts. But, the reseller would be cheaper, but a dedi would be yours and the space would be yours. You wouldnt share the server with someone.

2. Resellers dont have to spend a lot of $ to start hosting. Also, some companies give incentives towards purchasing a reseller off them. Like google adwards coupon, or 5 free domains to resell, or a domain reseller its self. Dedicated server would be more pricey, but would be safer, the environment would be better, you would have more space to use.

3. Cheap dedi server is something people normally go for, but servers under 50$ are really not too good to use towards reselling. Some providers skimp on stuff and you end up loosing your money rather than making money. It is best to stick with a server around 80$+

4. This is my own opinion here, but buying a dedicated server if you have the money for it is the best choice if your going to resell hosting to people.


If I repeated my self once or twice sorry.

 

[Kaumil]

1) Which is flexible, and affordable, also good features

I think neither are flexible. They may be affordable, but definitely not flexible. Both have physical limitations that do not allow you to scale beyond those limits.

3) Pros and Cons of using cheap dedi server.

I can only think of a con. It's a "cheap dedicated server". If you care about the business you're about to embark on or continue, don't always go the cheapest route. You'll save yourself hassles in the long run.

 

[engineerroy2008]

Then which type of servers will be flexible, i really dont think that cheap dedicated servers cannot be scaled, i have few companies offering this service which are scalable surely

Yes i do agree that for high quality hosting we need powerfull high end servers but how much percentage of hosting business are ready to invest and they really need it?

In my experience its only about 30-40% of companies need really powerfull hosting and working on those high end servers

 

[cyberworldhost]

I would start with a reseller program and get familiarize with control panels , billing systems, support systems, enom. Then work your way up to a dedicated sever and at the same time you will gain knowledge for your company.

 

[Lesli]

Reseller account:
Pros:
* you only have to handle account creation, client support, and billing. (And your hosting site maintenance, advertising, and all the other day-to-day details that go along with running a business.)
* smaller initial cost
* do not usually require a 30-day notice to cancel

Cons:
* you may not know how crowded a server really is - and even if you did, you have to rely on your provider not to overcrowd the server
* you don't have root access, so you can't install any modules or software you want.
* you (and your customers) aren't the only ones on the box. If someone else installs an insecure script, your customers may be at risk and you can't directly do anything about it.
* some people have a real attitude toward reseller hosts - "they aren't real web hosts". More of a psychosocial problem than a problem of your ability to provide your clients with quality hosting. (Web host bigotry, if you wish.)

Dedicated server:
Pros:
* you are in total control. You set package limits, you control what types of clients are on your server (and how many), you install whichever control panel you want, et cetera.

Cons:
* larger initial cost, and larger ongoing cost than a reseller account. Starting on a dedicated server could lead to a longer period before you're able to show a profit.
* more maintenance and attention required - either you have to monitor your server, or you have to pay someone else to do so (additional cost)
* many servers require a minimum 30-day notice to cancel

There are more comparisons / contrasts to be made between managed vs. unmanaged servers, leased vs. colocated...but there's one view of the pros and cons of hosting reseller account versus a dedicated server.

I didn't list some points, like the disruption in moving from a reseller account to a dedicated server (once you've outgrown that phase) because the disruption will occur: whether you move from a reseller account to a dedicated server, from one reseller provider to another, or even from one dedicated server to a new one (hardware replacement/upgrade), there will be disruption.

There's also the issue of having a good relationship with your upstream provider. You have to trust that this outfit is going to give you all the tools you need to provide quality service to your customers:
* quality hardware (unless you colocate, this is an issue. Do you trust that they're buying quality hardware, and keeping it in good running order?)
* a secure network
* uninterrupted power and connectivity

 

[Lagniappe]

I agree with much of what Lesli and would like to add (enhance) a couple of points.

Server monitoring... not just that the server is 'online' but all the services, server load, drives (you care about customers so you're going to run raid setups right?), etc.

Backups... few dedicated (and probably even fewer as a percentage when they are "cheap") do backups. That's usually up to you.

Cost... control panel, ticket system, monitoring, off-site backup - it all adds up

Server maintenance/management - 'nix does has holes and needs to be updated or you'll be sorry


Fortunately there's a happy medium that is somewhat scalable... the VPS. Even if you start with a low end VPS it often comes with a control panel like LXadmin (which isn't too bad actually), and may include offsite backups. Often the nodes (parent server) will have true server class hardware in it - RAID setups, ECC memory, multi-cores, etc. A VPS provider can often upgrade (RAM/CPU) your package without disrupting service at all with just a few clicks. And since you're setup is basically a server, just using a portion of the resources of a bigger server, migrating to a dedicated is pretty easy. Install the same base OS on the new server and move everything over. And in the case of LXAdmin, the control panel can be put on the dedicated as well. It's a nice compromise.

 

[engineerroy2008]

Great explanation Lesli, i agree to most of the points. not many dedi requires 30 days notice to cancel only few require that i think so

 

[AquariusRyan]

1) Which is flexible, and affordable, also good features
- Both are fairly flexible, however you will run into soft limits with a reseller package however with a dedicated server you will run into hard limits or hardware limits

2) Advantages of using reseller pack than dedi
The advantage of using a reseller pack is not having to manage your own server which if done incorrectly, can open yourself up to a heck of a lot of problems.

3) Pros and Cons of using cheap dedi server.

Reseller - Pro: Cheaper Con: On a server with others, not as "private"
Dedicated - Pro: Complete Control Con: The ability to cause a lot of damage and possibly require a complete OS reload in which you may lose all of your data

 

[HivelocityLB]

I would off the bat recommend a dedicated server.
This means you get the entire server with no restrictions as well as full root access. This should solve all your needs and requirements.

There are a lot of Hosts out there that can cater to all your needs for the right price. Don't worry.

 

[engineerroy2008]

If you consider the

Setting up
Support
Daily issues

its better to go for a good reseller or else you have to go for a dedicated server which will give you uncompromised quality and freedom

 

[cyberworldhost]

It would also depend of your budget. If you have the capital to spend a dedicated server is your best bet.

 

[IkY0294]

Yes, I would start with a reseller it has cpanel and just get your clients then transfer them. See how bisness goes.

 

[romes]

If your knew and your budget is small, a reseller is the way to go. But, do research about the host first, and STAY AWAY from hosts that offer unlimited space and bandwidth!

 

[IkY0294]

If your knew and your budget is small, a reseller is the way to go. But, do research about the host first, and STAY AWAY from hosts that offer unlimited space and bandwidth!

Unlimited is bad.
And if you buy from a host selling that means your on a slow server and your clients!

 

[romes]

There is a chance if the server will be slow, but most unlimited hosts put so many restrictions on the resources which they claim are "unlimited" that the server is kept running smooth.

Also, to fix a typo I made up there.


**If your new and your budget is small**

 

[HighLayer]

It depends actually, but I would choose a dedicated server over a reseller account if your budget allows. You have to look at the network, datacenter etc. too.

 

[atjeu]

You should also consider VPS. It will give you the flexibility to expand when you need to and the control of a dedicated server. If you get one at a quality host, the node that your VPS is on should be big and beefy to give you plenty of resources. The cool thing about VPS is that if you outgrow it, you can get a fully dedicated server with OpenVZ or Xen and dedicate all resources to one VPS. Then you can live migrate your old VPS to the new one with no downtime or reconfiguring.

If you are not a strong admin yourself be sure to go with a host that has strong support and can answer your questions and get you out of a bind when you need it and who will preferably help setup and secure the server properly in the first place for you.

 

[XeHSean]

I'd start off on a reseller package to get a feel for the business before switching to a dedicated server.

 

[HL-Sean]

If your starting a Reseller account will be fine, if your experienced and have the $$$ then the Dedicated server is the way to go.

With the Dedicated server you have more control over your server.