Re: Re:[OT?] [cobalt-users] Am I being Robbed:? - IP's and Gigabytes

["Hostmaster" <hostmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>snip<

> On Thu, 12 Apr 2001, Nico Meijer wrote:
>
> } While on the subject, if you require 50Gb when not distributing
software,
> } you have a badly designed site. Or porn. ;-)

>end of snip<


and on 14/04/01 Brent wrote:

>snip<

This is misleading. I'm not looking for a fight, or trying to start another
war, I'm just trying to save the less technically orientated amongst us from
taking this as the gospel. 50gb is nothing for a popular high traffic web
site<

>end of snip<


Just to clarify, below is a real world example of an established site

Like Brent, no porn on our site and we eat 45 -50GB every month - like Brent
we do not wish to make an issue of this, just reinforce the point that many
serious sites hit well over 30gb per month, indeed we were chomping through
20 - 30gb 2 years ago.. and we expect to double current consumption to
around 85 - 90gb during the next 9 months as a result of expansion and
ongoing promotional activities.

We currently utilise 2 servers in different UK geographical locations to
accommodate uptime and throughput etc, with a virtual site (including secure
facilities) in reserve - this is necessary for 100% uptime thanks to the
hopeless hosting facilities usually found in the UK, of which we've tried a
few over the past 5 years..

Unfortunately, when a UK host discovers you have an ecommerce set-up with
around 3000 html pages and over 2000 pictures, (even when they are all
optimised JPG's or GIF's) which receives many thousands of visitors per day,
first they start to make noises like our plumber on the annual service
call.. then when they discover they can't cope with it all they blame you
for  "receiving too much mail"..

It therefore pays to take as much as is practical for your needs when it
comes to bandwidth, skimping here will lose you business, though I do agree
with other comments recommending you go for 5 -10gb initially, but do be
prepared to increase as required, most hosts will accommodate this, (some
won't instantly) and there's no point paying for more if you don't have the
traffic.. but excess charges are theft so do ensure they will allow you to
increase allocation if required.

We have 25gb allowance on each server, the servers pretty much share the
load, around 55% - 45% as routing varies from ISP to ISP - the second
benefit is that if one server goes down the other takes up the slack.. as
long as DNS etc is set up correctly.. we also have multiple connections on
one server, additional connections are to be added to the second very soon.

I don't know what your online plans are but the above is an accurate
synopsis of our system, which has evolved over nearly 5 years and which for
us is very successful - just don't rely too much on rapid support from most
hosting companies.. you have to help yourself a little.

My conclusion is that most enterprises vary in their requirements, one
selling cars does not expect or need as many visitors as one selling CD's..

Harry
b3k.net
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