OT: Need some opinions

[EvilWobbles]

I am currently hosting a server in my home for my company as part of our disaster recovery plan. They now want to add another server to the mix. The company is currently picking up the cost of my DSL each month and have offered to compensate me further for the extra hosting responsibilities. However, neither side is sure what is a reasonable amount.

I've been more than happy with the arrangement thus far and I don't want to gouge them. Free DSL and an XP 1800+ server to run Seti 24/7 are pretty sweet. Apart from the extra electricity, it doesn't cost me much in a month.

So, my question is this, what would be a reasonable amount of money to bill my company for this hosting service? I've done a quick scan of the Internet but haven't found anything comparable to what I am doing. Anyone else out there doing something similar to this or better yet, does anyone work for a hosting company?

I just need a general feel for what the going rates are so I don't ask for too much or too little.

Now, I'm off to spec out that new server. XP2000+ here I come

 

[CADsortaGUY]

T1? , T3?

Sorry thats the only idea I could muster.

CADkindaGUY

 

[networkman]

While I can appreciate the value of free DSL, honestly, I would not want to have such an arrangement for the possible liabilities it could involve. What happens and who's to blame if you go on vacation and there's an outage? What happens if one or more servers are hacked into? What happens if you quit or otherwise become unavailable to the company? The list goes on..

Just my two cents.

 

[EvilWobbles]

These are not live backup servers, basically I take the previous week's backups (via removable hard drives) and restore them to the remote server. We are using the server simply as a method of covering our butts if our building should burn down, etc. No live production or processes take place on the server

While on vacation, another person handles the backup drives and gets them offsite for me. If I quit, that becomes someone else's problem. I would certainly be willing to help them transition the servers elsewhere for an appropriate consulting fee

However, you bring up a good point about liability. These are extra responsibilities and I should figure that into the mix when asking for extra compensation.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Check on getting an homeowners/renters inssurance policy that covers the equipment.

 

[OhioDude]

Keep it simple and fair.

Take the amount of time per month it takes you to restore the weekly backups on the home server(s) times your current hourly wage.

Calculate the extra $ it costs you in electricity per month to host the servers at home.

If you have or will purchase additional coverage on your homeowner's insurance policy to cover the replacement cost of the servers, calculate the increase over your normal premium on a per month basis.

Add it all up and come up with an "actual" monthly value for the additional services you're providing the company. Sounds fair to me. Remember, you're already getting free DSL out of it and some pretty neat toys to play with.


[EDIT] - I just thought of something... As far as the insurance goes, your employer should cover the replacement value of the company equipment at your residence. We have someone who works from home and all of the equipment he has in his home office is covered by our corporate insurance policy.

 

[Sukhoi]

Forgetting liability, I say $20 a month.

 

[Poof]

You may want to PM Wiz since I think he operates a hosting company...

 

[EvilWobbles]

Ohiodude, thanks for the good advice. I'll ask my company about getting them to cover the insurance costs of the servers I'm hosting. That would make it simpler than having to add them to my own insurance policy.

I want to keep it fair, but I honestly didn't know what to charge. Now I have a good place to start the negotiating.

If anyone else has some ideas, please feel free to add to the conversation.

 

[muttley]

I would consider Sentry computer media fireproof products. Regular only protect paper. Make sure it is shipped when there is no chance of the temp being 96 degrees farenight cause it is a special chemical inside.

muttley