Want to start my own web server - Advice needed

[SagaLore]

Okay, so I've been doing a lot of webdesign in my spare time. I have so much I want to do, but I'm limited by the hosts I have available. Last week it occured to me this would be so much easier if I set up my own web server!

My idea is to setup a web server, and get paid to host other company's sites. Then at least I could try to break even for my own sites. Also thinking about setting up a very small ISP for the local town I'm in, maybe that will help compensate the cost of running the web server.


It seems you guys pull web servers out of your butt whenever you feel like it - so your advice in the cheapest and most effective way of going about this is appreciated. I'm considering contacting my cable company to see if they could offer me some type of backbone connection to the internet instead of going through a phone company.

Thanks!

 

[Beau]

This all revolves around what type of webdesign you do. Do you create static pages (purely HTML or DHTML), or do you use server-side scripting (ASP, JSP, Perl, etc). What scripting language do you use?

The machine itself doesn't need to be a huge and powerful machine either. Just a basic celery with a large hard drive and plentiful ram would suffice. But depending on your scripting needs, you could either go cheaply with a Linux server or expensively with a Win2k server.

 

[notfred]

Your main cost is going to be your internet connection. I don't know if your cable co offers anything, but I do know that most companies that offer DSL service also offer a "business class" DSL, with a much higher upload cap.

The server itself will depend on your needs. Most likely any old machine will do just fine. I don't know how much you know about webservers, but if you need to, now's the time to learn. I've run apache on linux for quote a while, and it's really pretty simple.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: Beau6183
This all revolves around what type of webdesign you do. Do you create static pages (purely HTML or DHTML), or do you use server-side scripting (ASP, JSP, Perl, etc). What scripting language do you use?

The machine itself doesn't need to be a huge and powerful machine either. Just a basic celery with a large hard drive and plentiful ram would suffice. But depending on your scripting needs, you could either go cheaply with a Linux server or expensively with a Win2k server.

All of my sites are static, with frontpage extensions. I want to get into ASP so I can dump the fp extensions. I would like to provide more than static ability on my server for clients that pay for me to host their site.

Are there any other options besides Linux and 2K? Aren't there server OSes customized solely for web servers?

 

[Beau]

While you can run ASP sites on *nix using ChiliSoft ASP or whatever it's called, I'd still recommend using Win2k server or even NT4.

 

[hoihtah]

yeah... linux.



like others said...
your cost isn't really with the machine.
but it'll all be with your internet connection.

 

[ProviaFan]

If you want to be successful, and have a good web server, I'd suggest some high quality hard disks (maybe even SCSI) in a RAID redundant configuration. Also, a nice server case with redundant power supplies would be good. And of course, you should invest in a good large-capacity UPS to power the thing through those summer brownouts.

 

[jaybert]

I have had a webserver for a couple years so I may be able to help you out.

If you plan on selling webhosting services, the most important thing is uptime. This can be accomplished by have a stable computer setup with battery backup located somewhere where the internet connection is redudant. If you were to stick your box at a datacenter, that would take care of the last two. Most places have diesel power generators and have redudant lines so if one connection goes down, it will seamlessly switch over to the new one. As for the box, I would suggest freeBSD. For harddrives, whether you go SCSI or IDE, i recommend raid1 at the least, with raid5 being preferable. As mentioned above, the box does not have to be all that powerful. Anything over 1ghz would be good enough. You would want at least 512mb of ram though. Hope that helps some.

 

[SagaLore]

I should be able to put the server together no problem.

I need the most help on the OS itself. I'm looking at Apache right now - is that a preferable http server? and it's free

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Apache I think would be suitable.

http://www.tangenthosting.com/ - one of my friends and a couple of his friends just started his own web hosting - unless you have a lot of capital to spare you're going to be hurting in the wallet pretty bad for a couple of months until you manage to recouperate your costs

 

[Paulson]

Linux is the way to go...

I turned paulsonator.com from nothing into something

I use apache, mysql, php, cgi... all sorts of stuff to get things working...

now if only I had a really kickass connection, I could start hosting websites!

anyways, just make sure your isp will let you do it...

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: Paulson
Linux is the way to go...

I turned paulsonator.com from nothing into something

I use apache, mysql, php, cgi... all sorts of stuff to get things working...

now if only I had a really kickass connection, I could start hosting websites!

anyways, just make sure your isp will let you do it...

Well, I've got the hardware and software to host sites, but my connection (dialup) sucks for hosting, and there's no way I can get a T1 (don't have $1000 per month for it). Don't even have DSL or cable in the area (not that those are suitable for hosting, but if you can get regular DSL you can probably get business class DSL, which works ok for lower volume sites). Put simply, living in rural Indiana sucks.

 

[SagaLore]

Is Apache easy to setup and use?

Is there anything else easier?

Would I be able to just use Windows 2000 IIS?

 

[Beau]

Originally posted by: SagaLore
Would I be able to just use Windows 2000 IIS?

Yes, as long as it's Win2k server. Workstation can only have one website at a time active.

 

[rh71]

2 things stick out here...

1) You cannot run a web-hosting service like you plan to with a CABLE or DSL connection, no matter what they offer you. T1 (or partial T1) for business... customers won't be happy otherwise... believe me.

2) Don't be avoiding IIS because of the security flaws alone. You'd be surprised at what's out there for Apache. General idea is that it costs more to host on a Windows machine than Unix/Linux, etc.

Good luck with your endeavor.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: rh71
2 things stick out here...

1) You cannot run a web-hosting service like you plan to with a CABLE or DSL connection, no matter what they offer you. T1 (or partial T1) for business... customers won't be happy otherwise... believe me.

2) Don't be avoiding IIS because of the security flaws alone. You'd be surprised at what's out there for Apache. General idea is that it costs more to host on a Windows machine than Unix/Linux, etc.

Good luck with your endeavor.

Are you saying that I should or should not consider IIS? I mentioned a cable provider as a backbone - not with a single residential connection but something a bit more robust through them. This isn't going to be a full-time venture, I'm not expecting a multitude of customers.

I've never used Apache.

 

[hoihtah]

so... what kinda speed are you looking to get from that cable company's backbone.

or i should say.. how much of that backbone are you going to see?

 

[jaybert]

Your best bet would to be to find a data center in a nearby city and lease rackspace there. It would be no where near $1000/month as someone mentioned for your own personal t1, but anywhere from $200 and up depending on how much bandwidth you use. Not only is it cheaper than your own personal T1, if its anything like where my boxes are hosted, there is 24/7 support with sys admins on duty checking up on the connection, and multi-homed and redudant oc3 connections. I think the place I have no actually has like 9 or 11 oc3 lines to different providers.

Oh yeah, apache is definately the way to go when hosting websites. We use it on my webserver and have had no issues with it.