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How are you hosting?

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    How are you hosting?

    Hi,

    I'm a new Alpha 5v8 user and I plan to host my application using the Alpha 5Web Application Server. I'm unsure as to the "best" way to go. If you would be so kind as to share your experiences, I'm interested to find out your sucess (or lack thereof) using a commercial Alpha Hosting service, a VPS based service (with your own WAS, that you administer) and whether people have been sucessful runing the WAS fromn a Shared Web Hosting service. I'm not considering hosting on my own PC, because my ISP charges approx. $100 for a static IP account capable of accessing my PC as the Alpha WebApplication Server. For that price, I can let somebody else host and administer the application. If there are viable alternatives I have not mentioned, please let me know..

    Thanks,
    Chuck

    #2
    Re: How are you hosting?

    I think you'll find all the info you want if you just follow the related threads below your message here.
    -Steve
    sigpic

    Comment


      #3
      Re: How are you hosting?

      Originally posted by Steve Workings View Post
      I think you'll find all the info you want if you just follow the related threads below your message here.
      Steve,
      Thanks for the pointers. There was some interesting information there, but not "all the info I want". The impression I get from reading those threads is that Web hosting alpha 5 is, at best, a black art, and is at worst a black hole. Please feel free to correct me if this is an unfair conclusion!

      What I want to be able to do is use my ISP, 1and1.com, to host the alpha 5 Web Application Server and subsequently host my web application on that WAS.

      I have no interest in setting up an alpha five hosting business, though I may be interested in using one if the price is right

      My current Web Host account is a very reasonably priced, yet generously endowed shared-server Miocrosoft host. Sadly I have thus far been unable to get it installed by 1and1, even though alpoha support assures me it will work (long story --Will relate only if asked). I do have the option of getting a VPS account, but that will cost 10x what I'm paying now, and I have no idea what to do with a VPS once I have one. In any case, it appears that the firmhost.com asdministered alpha 5 server is cost competative withmy vendors VPS solution. So I'm trying to find out what others have done to try and get an unserstanding of the WAS landscape.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: How are you hosting?

        Chuck,

        I have a presentation on that topic at my website. All current information presented at the 2007 Alpha conference. See the site below, under the For Developers section. Or click here.

        Short answers:

        Its true that the Hosting area is under attended and under supported; unforgivable so.

        You can't host with your low cost shared ISP, the'll never let you.

        VSP is the least cost, aside from hosting on your own hardware.

        You should be able to get a static IP for like $8. Can't figure why your ISP wants $100. You probably told them you wanted it to support a web server. Next time you call, don't tell them that. Just say you need a static IP address because you feel like it. I didn't say that.

        Of all the A5 web apps, 2/3rds host on their own hardware in their office (not sure of the source of that information, but I saw a chart). Hosting yourself is easy and convenient. You just need DSL.

        You don't need a static IP address. Try www.no-ip.com as a solution. Several of your peers use this method to 'fake' a static IP address.

        www.firmsupport.com and www.zebrahost.net are the two most prominant managed Alpha hosts.

        I host Alpha apps for my customers only. Several other consultants do the same. It costs too much and has too great a liablity to become an official Hosting company to a larger audience.

        If you have a high amount of traffic or a mission critical application, some of my answers above would change.

        I would be very interested in your story about land1 and Alpha support; private email if you prefer.
        Steve Wood
        See my profile on IADN

        Comment


          #5
          Re: How are you hosting?

          Originally posted by Steve Wood View Post
          Chuck,

          I have a presentation on that topic at my website. All current information presented at the 2007 Alpha conference. See the site below, under the For Developers section. Or click here.

          Short answers:

          Its true that the Hosting area is under attended and under supported; unforgivable so.

          You can't host with your low cost shared ISP, the'll never let you.

          VSP is the least cost, aside from hosting on your own hardware.

          You should be able to get a static IP for like $8. Can't figure why your ISP wants $100. You probably told them you wanted it to support a web server. Next time you call, don't tell them that. Just say you need a static IP address because you feel like it. I didn't say that.

          Of all the A5 web apps, 2/3rds host on their own hardware in their office (not sure of the source of that information, but I saw a chart). Hosting yourself is easy and convenient. You just need DSL.

          You don't need a static IP address. Try www.no-ip.com as a solution. Several of your peers use this method to 'fake' a static IP address.

          www.firmsupport.com and www.zebrahost.net are the two most prominant managed Alpha hosts.

          I host Alpha apps for my customers only. Several other consultants do the same. It costs too much and has too great a liablity to become an official Hosting company to a larger audience.

          If you have a high amount of traffic or a mission critical application, some of my answers above would change.

          I would be very interested in your story about land1 and Alpha support; private email if you prefer.
          Steve,

          Good stuff! Thanx! I'll go off and try to read through iut all and digest what I can, before returning here with additional annoying questions. :D

          Time Warner Cable / Road Runner, doesnt charge $100 for a static IP address, per se. Rather "a static IP@ is available only with a business Account". That is what costs $100. Now to be fair, there is more in the business account than just a static IP address: e.g. higher speed connection and better management service I believe. But I'm looking for best price not best features, right now.

          I've only had one other request for "the long storey" so I'll send it by Email, so as not to clog up the forum.

          Comment


            #6
            Re: How are you hosting?

            Steve,
            You said: "You can't host with your low cost shared ISP, the'll never let you."

            Is there a good reason for the Web hosp provider to feeel that way??

            Comment


              #7
              Re: How are you hosting?

              I probably shouldn't say all, but probably all.; and that its based on my observeration and other comments here, I could be wrong for some ISP's.

              But it's partly a matter of numbers - there are a smaller number of Alpha web apps compared to those using PHP, ASPX, FP and other technologies. Your ISP would have to understand the Alpha web server, manage the installation and updates, provide for Alpha email profiles, automatic engine restart, not to mention pay for the server software, etc. All this, for what market? A relatively few users.

              To host most web sites, your host provides a server with mostly open source, time tested and highly available software. An ISP can charge you $8-16 per month because the environment is cheap and they can host 10,000 websites, spreading support costs across that customer base.

              The trade off is that your Alpha web app can be more quickly modified than many of those other technologies. And you (the larger You, not you specifically) are able to make those changes without consulting an IT person proficient in PHP and other coding knowledge.

              But it is a trade off.

              If and when Alpha makes the app server just another 'plug in' for the ISP where it takes no effort or special knowledge, it will be more likely that any or all ISP's could easly accept Alpha web apps.
              Steve Wood
              See my profile on IADN

              Comment

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