Need help starting up a hosting business

[TheNetway]

Hello,

I am wanting to start my own hosting business via a Reseller account. Can someone give me some tips, and pointers?

Just point out some basic things.

[UnitHosting]

To become a professional reseller isn't hard.

1) You need to register a WebHostinDomain.com
2) Get a reseller account.
3) Build your web hosting website.
Basic sections of a web hosting website:
- About (Breif description about your company. Found in 2003.. etc)
- Network (What Datacenter do you use? Location etc.)
- Hosting Plans (Full description of your plans, prices etc.)
- Support (Ticket System, Forum, Online Live Support, MSN, ICQ Phone etc.)
- Contact Information (Emails, Phone, Address, Online Email Form, etc.)

The following scripts/program is used for billing, support and client management.
- http://www.modernbill.com (Recommended)
- http://www.clientexec.com (Recommended)
- http://www.perlbill.com
- http://www.phpmanager.com
- http://www.whnbilling.com
- http://www.whmautopilot.com
- http://www.ubersmith.com
- http://www.dreamcost.com
- http://www.aplusbill.com
There are some "FREE" scripts available from HotScripts.com:
http://www.hotscripts.com/PHP/Scripts_and_...Desk/index.html

How does customers pay you? via the Credit Card processors below:
- http://www.paypal.com (Recommended)
- http://www.paysystems.com (Recommended)
- http://www.2checkout.com
- http://www.payquake.com
- http://www.authorize.net
- http://www.charge.com
- http://www.revecom.com
- http://www.ccnow.com
- http://www.worldpay.com
- http://www.paybycheck.com
- http://www.paymentech.net
- http://www.secpay.com
- http://www.propay.com
- http://www.hostcharge.com
- http://www.ibill.com
- http://www.planetpos.com.au
- http://www.*********.com
- http://www.digibuy.com
- http://www.planetpayment.com
- http://www.cardserviceinternational.com
- http://www.emscorporate.com
- http://www.onlinedatacorp.com
- http://www.ecount.com
- http://www.c2it.com
- http://www.billpoint.com

That should get you started.
More questions, post here let us know.

[TheNetway]

Wow, thanks. Now I have questions about the actual reseller accounts. I already know what my plans are going to be.

<<MOD NOTE: Removed plans as they looks too much like an advertisement in a non-advertising forum.>>

Now, I am signed up with www.VoltageHosting.com, and the reseller account details are:

2000MB Web Storage
15GB Bandwidth

Because my plans are more than what I am allowed, what happens if I start to generate lots of clients, and I use all my storage and bandwidth?

[Rincewind]

What you do is a trick known as "overselling". This is a common trick used in all businesses inc airlines, hotels restaurants and so on. Basically, you sell more than you have in stock based on the assuption that some customers will not use all the resources allocated. Infact, with web hosting, it is very rare that any customer will actually use the space you allocate to them. This is esspecially true with the bandwidth of new accounts. The first few months they'll hardly use any then as their sites become more popular they will gradually use more resources up.

So if for example you have 15Gb of bw and you have 1Bb packs you could fit on 15 accounts. Now lets assume you can upgrade to 30Gb bw at any time. The you can actually sell 30 accounts. Since they won't use much band width at first you can get away with staying on the 15Gb reseller pack. But as they advertise them selves, they'll use up more bw. When you are nearing your 15Gb limit, you contact your supplier and ask for the upgrade.

Overselling does sometimes get a bad name. This is cause some people over do it. They run a bit to close to the line and someone uses a bit more space and reseller runs out and their services get suspended and the customers get angry. Overselling require very carefull management. You have to know you customers behaviour. You also have to keep a close eye on them. I used to have a neat wee cron job script that did that for me and emailed me as the limits were approcaching. I could then get on to my supplier and upgrade my reseller package before any problems arrose.

If you have choosen a good supplier, then you should be able to upgrade form one package to another quickly as you need the extra resources. So as you sell accounts, you allocate space. Your customers then start to fill that space and burn the bandwidth. One the total usages near you limits you get your reseller account upgraded another level and add a few more customers.

If you are successfull, then you will quickly get beyond the realms of a reseller account and will move into the vds and then dedicated server world. And that is a different ball game.

The exact technicallities of how you allocate space and assing packages will depend on your host, the control panel and whither they have enabled overselling on you package.

[TheNetway]

Alright, that is awesome! So, my minimum plan could be 1GB of bandwidth if I wanted it, however won't be charged, because they won't use it?

[Rincewind]

It depends on how your host's control panel measures bandwidth. Some measure allocated bandwidth other measure used bandwidth.

If you host measure the used bandwidth and ignores the allocations then you create the customer with the correct allocation and it'll work it's self. Just keep an eye on you total usage.

However, if you host measures you on allocated bandwidth then you have to dodge a bit by allocating only part of the bandwidth that the customer has ordered and then increasing the allocation as the customer uses it up.

[TheNetway]

Alright sir. And what about advirtising? How do I get the word out that my service is out there. Also, I want to make my platinum (the max) plan stick out from the rest, so that my clients would pick this plan than any other plan. What can I add to it to make it stand out?

[othellotech]

Alright, that is awesome! So, my minimum plan could be 1GB of bandwidth if I wanted it, however won't be charged, because they won't use it?

overselling unless carefully managed is a recipe for disaster.

some things to remember ...

- you *will* get some clients that use it all (and more)

- your host *will* charge you for excesses - if you sell 100 1Gb plans and only have a 15Gb reseller a/c this will mean a big bill and potentially getting dumped by your host - then what you have are 100 very angry customers looking for refunds and or legal action against you

- you *dont* have to offer the entire known univers for $0.01/millenium

- your clients *will* expect support sometimes at obscure/unsociable hours - bear inmind you acannot be truly available 24/7 so you'll need staff or an external support company ...

- plan for your growth - hopefully you wil outgrow the resources of your reseller a/c and need to get your own dedicated/collocated server - if you have 100 customers paying $1 each and you go to a dedicatedf unit costing you $300/m you have a $200 loss *plus* the additional overheads of serevr management, security etc.

Above all , be professional, dont lie to your customers, run it as a business not a pocket-money generation device and be willing to learn ...

HTH

[Greg]

Originally posted by UnitHosting:
- http://www.phpmanager.com


Just to point out that it now is www.neomanager.com

Greg

[TheNetway]

what is neo manager

[TheNetway]

does it have like an instant activation like the others. also, i was not able to install the others (modernbill, whm) because of some type of database that i hav to make. if anyone can help me, my msn is kodem@netzero.net

[Duane]

Originally posted by kwodem:

Hello,

I am wanting to start my own hosting business via a Reseller account. Can someone give me some tips, and pointers?

Just point out some basic things.

Money & Time.

You will have to eat/sleep the business 24/7 until you get enough money to hire people to help you.
Then you will need more Money & Time (assuming you have customers) and so it goes .................

(It helps if you understand the internet, the servers and the software. Oh yes hackers and viruses too. It also depends on your hosting company. How much help they can give you or are willing to give you.)

Good luck to you. :banana:

[TheNetway]

Alright thanks. Also, for modern bill, it says "Problem with dB connection!" when I go to any of the modern bill websites on my server. Does anyone know what it is talking about???

[Greg]

Originally posted by kwodem:

does it have like an instant activation like the others. also, i was not able to install the others (modernbill, whm) because of some type of database that i hav to make. if anyone can help me, my msn is kodem@netzero.net

Neomanager is used for billing, support and client management, it is like Modernbill and WHMAP, and yest it does support instant activation, you can see all the features and requirements on Neomanager.com

Greg,

[othellotech]

yup, it means you need a book about MySQL and databases ;)

[TheNetway]

lol

[Greg]

Originally posted by kwodem:

Alright thanks. Also, for modern bill, it says "Problem with dB connection!" when I go to any of the modern bill websites on my server. Does anyone know what it is talking about???

Is it having trouble connecting to the database, make sure u have the correct username and password and its on localhost, if not try submitting a trouble ticket to Modernbills support thing, i have used it and its not bad, they reply quite slow though.

Greg

[xgravity]

I can help you out. If you want submit a ticket to http://x-gravity.net/helpdesk/ and I will personally get back to you and help resolve this matter. Good luck to you in your business venture.