[thelist] Self-serve

[elkay]

Dan,

This is EXACTLY what I was looking for! Thanks.


> elkay wrote:
>
> > "We will not be requiring hosting services, I will want it to reside on
my
> > local server. We have a DSL Internet connection running at 144K and
would
> > want the site to operate efficiently for customers. In addition, we
would
>
> If they want it to operate efficiently for customers, they shouldn't
> have it on a DSL line.(and as that 144K(1.4Mbs) or 144k(14.4Kbs(not to
> be confused with 1.4Kps which is a 14.4bps modem :) )) speed?) Now that
> I've thourghouly confused you, lemme tell you why DSL isn't good for
> hosting purposes. The speed they're being quoted isn't a true(lets just
> go withthe high end) 1.4Mbs connection. You may, at 4am in the morning,
> achieve a download speed of greated than 1Mbs. However, that spead will
> be limited when the ISP you're going through has its own traffic
> spikes(normal users, other DSL users). Although you may be getting
> 1.5Mbs to the ISP, from there on out, its limited to what amount of
> bandwidth that ISP has and how much you're sharing with other customers.
>
> Bandwith aside, DSL isn't guaranteed to have a static IP address. It
> often can and does, but can be changed at the whim of the ISP. That
> said, name resolution(DNS) also becomes an issue. If I wanted to host
> foo.com on my DSL line at home, not only do I have to maintain a DNS
> server of my own, I also have to make sure that www.foo.com points to
> the IP address that my ISP has assigned me this month(for example). If
> that IP address changes, you have to change your DNS server to point to
> the new IP address. In the meantime(about 6 - 24 hours) no one else on
> the Internet will be able to find www.foo.com
>
> Further, most ISP's have some sort of policy about running commercial
> websites on your DSL line. They often offer hosting as a service
> themselves, and its more money they can get off customers, so why let
> them have it for free?(not that i'm agreeing with them, but the fact
> remains)
>
> Security is also in the hands of your client as well then. I'm assuming
> they're not a security expert, yet they'll have to have a good
> understanding of security and the Internet if they want to host their
> own site. What if the power goes out? Does your client have a couple
> uninteruptable power supplies for their servers?
>
> Lastly, and sorry for rambling :), is quality of service. The ISP can
> simply say, 'we are taking customer DSL access down between 5 and 9 am
> on Sunday for maintence' and basically, you're hosed. Most cable service
> is flakey at times, DSL isnt any better. What if a tree falls on your
> telephone wires? All are worst case scenerios, but they're scenerious
> none-the-less.
>
> > like to provide customer access to our SQL 7.0 database. They should be
able
> > to view their order information and submit new orders that we can verify
> > then ship on.  Security is a major concern..."
>
> Thats kind of an oxymoron. No one that has a concern, let alone a
> 'major' one, would sit a SQL Server box on an unprotected DSL line.
> Thats a script kiddies dream come true.
>
> Oh, and I'm still assuming you meant 144K - if they only have a 144k
> line it just wont happen. Thats filling the line with 4 33.6 dialup
> customers downloading.
>
> Sorry if thats not what you were looking for, hopefully it helps a bit
> :)
>
> .djc.