ZA Cloud Standing

[RNJudas]

So I wanted to start a thread based on cloud services. Be it [SPI]AAS services or even the general VPS service--granted not many view VPS as "CLOUD". I will take the time to list all the ISP's I came across and hopefully we can get a thread going based on FACT and EXPERIENCES had with the given ISP and the RELATED service.

I would ask that everyone who shares at least give 2 other possibilities for hosting consideration.

If your wondering what this is all about--lets just say its a poll and perhaps even affirmation for myself and many to safeguard our data from inexperienced ISP's.

Here is the list of SOUTH AFRICAN ISP's I have found to date that offer the services listed.

Name -- Services:

#################
##Possible Participants##
#################
Telkom - SAAS, VPS
RSAWeb - VPS
MWeb - VPS
Dimension Data - VPS
Afrihost - VPS
Web-Africa - VPS
Cybersmart - VPS
VPS Networks - VPS
Trade Page - VPS
Ocean Host - VPS
Domain Cheap - cPanel VPS Only
Elite Host - VPS (Linux Only)
MI Host - VPS
Cipherwave - SAAS, VPS
ISOHO - VPS
#################
##Possible Participants##
#################
#########################
##Hosts currently under the scalpel##
#########################

Cybersmart - VPS

#########################
##Hosts currently under the scalpel##
#########################

####################################
##Hosts that have participated & completed the trials##
####################################

Domains.co.za/Diamatrix - VPS - Completed: Test Results submitted & Conclusion posted.

####################################
##Hosts that have participated & completed the trials##
####################################


If you have any other you wish to list please feel free and I will add them. Note that resellers do not qualify. I am hoping to get a positive result from this so that we can actually have something to take back to all these providers and get some real INNOVATION for our money.

NB** << EOP >>
All feedback and results will be summarized and a more extensive and detailed survey will be posted here: http://hostingweb.co.za/

For those ISP's wishing to participate and have their Infrastructure put to the test please read below and PM myself or Solitude.

##############
##Warning!##
##############
There are certain concerns to be noted.
Tests that are performed may result in:
Loss of connectivity to the host that the VPS resides on. - For any particular chaotic reason as a result of testing.
Possible degradation of service to neighbouring VPS's. - Be it IO / RAM / CPU starvation or the ANC
Possible increase in traffic output from DC--as a result of testing.
Test are also required to be run in conditions of peak hours of the day & Dead of night (IDLE state).
Collision testing will be required in order to gauge the impact for hypothetically hosted instances on the same host.
##############
##Warning!##
##############

Many of these scenarios happen on a day to day basis and as a result I have compiled an extensive list of scenarios & respective test that I will disclose once we have tested everyone willing to participate or alternatively consider participation to have reached its end. If there is any particular test that anyone wishes to have added that you think I may not have thought of--PM me.

Excuse the Admin and business like demeanour I am generally a jolly person
.
EOP

Conclusions:
###################
###Domains.co.za:##
###################
1. Our overall experience with Domains.co.za has been a pleasant one. At times communication was hard to maintain but this is as result of only having Dave Strydom as our only point of contact.
2. There is no doubt that meticulous planning has gone into the layout of Domains.co.za’s VPS cloud. This can be seen within the results that they have achieved.
3. The availability of resources in their infrastructure is a definite comfort when taking into account how limited an end-user really is.
4. We consider Domains.co.za to be not of the (!=)hesitant types of service providers, willing to review and innovate. They certainly have put their money where their “infrastructure” is.
5. Given the above results, we can confidently say that we would within professional capacity recommend Domains.co.za as a host ready for higher-end VPS hosting.
6. We do not see the benefits of meta-scoring, aiding anyone, and have excluded this from the test—however if pressed Domains.co.za gets an 8/10.
###################
###Domains.co.za:##
###################
###################
###Hostking:#####
###################
1. It would be an absolute insult to draw any conclusions—given that Hostking has taken our feedback and is actively seeking to improve their services.
2. Given the outcome of testing, Hostking advised us to cease all testing until they have completed the deployment of their new platform—which they will gladly notify us about.
3. We look forward to seeing them back in our VPS gauntlet.
###################
###Hostking:#####
###################

The detailed reports can be found here: Hostingweb

 

[w1z4rd]

Not the worlds best list...

[-]Best experience I have had with a local provider is Afrihost (and Ive gone through a lot).[/-]

 

[RNJudas]

+1 on the list ghoti but I am not really left with much. Anything else is either reselling the same service. If you have someone you want to add to the list I would ask you to let me know so I can add them.

-1 for Afrihost from ghoti. PS: could you also mention why?

Whom else have you dealt with? Good or bad--if you had to go off the top of your head.

 

[CVRChameleon]

I think this is great idea, if it gets enough replies, could be used as a reference for people to see (like me who needs some ideas on local hosting options), and hopefully stickied!

 

[RNJudas]

I think this is great idea, if it gets enough replies, could be used as a reference for people to see (like me who needs some ideas on local hosting options), and hopefully stickied!

Well thats certainly an outlook I have no considered. +1 for the thought. Perhaps I should try and draw more attention to it. We could even get the ISP's to add their cloud related services to the topic of discussion.

 

[Solitude]

There's also MI HOST. They are new but I really like their support.

I will add a VPS post to my website. Currently I just list the shared hosting options in my best hosting for your money guides.

But from this page: List of South African Web Hosts, some of the "Read More" links show the hosts that offer VPS services. Though not in a lot of detail and I will definitely add a best VPS for your money post. Tomorrow though I will release November's guide for shared hosting.

 

[RNJudas]

There's also MI HOST. They are new but I really like their support.

I will add a VPS post to my website. Currently I just list the shared hosting options in my best hosting for your money guides.

But from this page: List of South African Web Hosts, some of the "Read More" links show the hosts that offer VPS services. Though not in a lot of detail and I will definitely add a best VPS for your money post. Tomorrow though I will release November's guide for shared hosting.

I am liking this.

Would you mind if I plagiarized your list of hosts and add them here?

 

[Solitude]

I am liking this.

Would you mind if I plagiarized your list of hosts and add them here?

You are welcome to. Not all of them offer VPS hosting though so you'll just have to check.

 

[koeksGHT]

Elitehost is Unlimited bandwidth VPS's?

 

[w1z4rd]

Elitehost is Unlimited bandwidth VPS's?

Thats what the site says: http://www.elitehost.co.za/vps

 

[RNJudas]

Ok I have updated the list. I dont know how you guys feel about adding a pros and cons to it.

Where current hosts can improve etc. I realize Ghoti may have some areas he would like addressed. All and all this would be a good thread for hosts to take key notes on in the end. So please keep it factual.

Thx to solitude for the added provider names.

 

[Solitude]

Ok I have updated the list. I dont know how you guys feel about adding a pros and cons to it.

Where current hosts can improve etc. I realize Ghoti may have some areas he would like addressed. All and all this would be a good thread for hosts to take key notes on in the end. So please keep it factual.

Thx to solitude for the added provider names.

Please just don't make my website obsolete! Everything you mention has been things that I've wanted to add to the site. Haha.

Unfortunately it takes time and it's much easier to list it here.

 

[RNJudas]

Please just don't make my website obsolete! Everything you mention has been things that I've wanted to add to the site. Haha.

Unfortunately it takes time and it's much easier to list it here.

Once we have decent feedback your more than welcome to take it as a digital survey and add the summary to your website. I will also include in the main post that further more extensive details can be found there. I am not here to steal from you. Just inform

 

[Solitude]

Once we have decent feedback your more than welcome to take it as a digital survey and add the summary to your website. I will also include in the main post that further more extensive details can be found there. I am not here to steal from you. Just inform

Great stuff. Thanks FFF4Skin.

 

[w1z4rd]

Ok I have updated the list. I dont know how you guys feel about adding a pros and cons to it.

Where current hosts can improve etc. I realize Ghoti may have some areas he would like addressed. All and all this would be a good thread for hosts to take key notes on in the end. So please keep it factual.

Thx to solitude for the added provider names.

Im too busy subsidizing the latest afrihost giveaway

 

[RNJudas]

Here is my current take on the standings, given my experiences and what I have heard--some of which are shocking if you consider the providers.

Telkom:
Personally I wouldnt touch them with a 10 foot pole given their track record for support. Hence I have never had any sort of cloud with them, be it smoke, dust or otherwise.


RSAWeb - VPS
Professionally I was under the impressions they were the current best. Given their hardware, data centre, support staff and pretty much overall marketing.
They have had their fair share of difficult times in the past. Such as Disk I/O, Hypervisor and the sorts. Recently however its come to my attention that their support has been somewhat below standard. As can be seen by one users experience here: http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/553537-RSAweb-no-support-on-weekends-for-Linux-VPS . I have never personally had any issues with their systems and thus cannot account for any support issues. I have to admit though that they have some really decent and clued up people whom I know by name. Grant being the first and foremost. Christo on BSD/Linux support and Vernon on Cisco and routing.
So it comes down to would I host with them. If it was merely a case of knowledge, certainly but this is a no for me given recent events.

MWeb - VPS
When they work they work, but all and all they have a pimp to prostitute perspective when it comes to business. The basics are out the window in some cases. I have not had enough experience with them to consider them a viable provider.

Dimension Data:
No comment.

Afrihost - VPS
I cant say that I have actually had any joy here. I asked for a quote 3 months ago and I am still waiting. It would seem that much of the success many providers enjoyed is now fading due to their lack of support. Perhaps something different could be said for their connectivity, but thats not he topic of discussion. Given the feedback on MBB, I will say that Afrihost does not seem all that bad, they do however need to work towards being innovative. I recall a statement afriguy made about not showing the door to even a R9 client but going on to say that a certain feature has not been required by the majority. Let me say this, All the giants innovate to make profit, they build towards the market and people come. Please realize this and you will have an even better foothold. Till then, I cannot say that I am to impressed with your support and callback times--in fact I am still waiting.

Web-Africa - VPS
All I can say here is, oh gawd what happened to you. I was of the opinion once that they had things down to a tee. Well time has certainly proved otherwise. Allot of what they do now seems like a reach in the dark. From the last VPS cloud fail on HyperV(Reason undisclosed of course) to another cloud running HyperV. Only this time the first month is for R1. Seems like a desperate move to get your foot in the door. The standards sadly are not the same as they use to be. I do not consider them for hosting at all.

Cybersmart - VPS
I had a vm with Cybersmart. Their pretty decent and knowledgeable. I found their cloud support staff to be willing to help with almost anything, provided you could get pass the call centre. I suppose this could be accounted to their main focus being DSL but in my opinion offering extra services require compartmentalization and prioritization not just on infrastructure but also support. When I last enquired I was advised that this is in the pipeline. I also had an incident once where a server was compromised like Ghoti, I was relieved to see though that once it did a burst of traffic it was blocked on their firewall. Until they have restructured they have restructured their call centre I will always approach them with caution as cellphone calls are rather expensive.

VPS Networks - VPS
No Comment. But given then feedback on MBB forums their worth a look.


Trade Page - VPS
No Comment. Never used their services.


Ocean Host - VPS
No Comment. But given then feedback on MBB forums their worth a look.

Domain Cheap - cPanel VPS Only
No Comment. Never used their services.


Elite Host - VPS (Linux Only)
No Comment. But given then feedback on MBB forums their worth a look.


MI Host - VPS
No Comment. But given then feedback on MBB forums their worth a look.

If any of the hosts I have mentioned are willing to provide us with a testing facility, I am more than willing to take the time to run through it and give feedback. I am sure the users of MBB would also love to see individual findings.

 

[w1z4rd]

VPS.co.za is pretty stable, but their support is below average. You hardly have to use the support but when I last used them they were dismal. They have since introduced a web chat so hopefully its on the mend.

 

[Ipwn 4]

A cloud theard comparing vps and cloud servers as if they are the same thing...

not really useful at all, it should be split between vps and cloud and under cloud discuss things such as redundancy, scalability, portability, licensing options(not many providers allow access to all SPLA applications), virtual networking etc....

 

[RNJudas]

A cloud theard comparing vps and cloud servers as if they are the same thing...

not really useful at all, it should be split between vps and cloud and under cloud discuss things such as redundancy, scalability, portability, licensing options(not many providers allow access to all SPLA applications), virtual networking etc....

Fair enough, but its a starting point. At the moment we have a large number of local providers rushing to the market on mostly VPS. So I would say its a good place to focus. Your more than welcome to add anything you would like us to add to the list. This will generally be an ongoing discussion.

Perhaps we should approach the local providers and ask for a testing facility. I am sure they would put the shiny parts up first but this can be easily spotted. Either way please feel free to recommend anything.

 

[Ipwn 4]

The only local cloud provider i have used is vps.co.za, their cloud is built on onapp which is a truly amazing platform. They are ideal for lab environments as servers can be created within minutes and deleted as quickly.As mentioned countless times on this forum,they support is below par so hosting production servers with them is simply not an option.

Another company rarely mentioned would be Cipherwave. One of their many services is cloud (they refer to it as VPS but you have the option to get a second replicated failover server outside their data centre for redundancy). One thing that i like about them is they don't skimp on hardware like other providers, their datacenter is packed will Dell R720 servers, redundant SAN storage and an enterprise NOC in the same building. They are costly but they are ideal for corporates.