Amusing customer service chat

[stomachmonkey]

Helping a client on a rather large project.

Will require a dedicated server.

They already have a hosting provider but can only tell me they have the Platinum package.

Hmm, Platinum, sounds promising.

So I start a chat session with the ISP to get more info.

Mitch: [4:57:25 PM] Thank you for contacting our sales team. My name is Mitch. What kind of website did you want to host with us?

Mitch: [4:57:57 PM] Hello, how can I help you?

FIRST TIME SALE..: [4:58:19 PM] Hi there, is your platinum package a dedicated server

Mitch: [4:59:34 PM] Are you referring to a reseller package or our pro hosting package?

FIRST TIME SALE..: [4:59:50 PM] pro hosting

Mitch: [5:00:12 PM] The pro hosting is not a dedicated server but it places you on a server with 80% less users and a dedicated IP.

FIRST TIME SALE..: [5:01:15 PM] not trying to sound like a jerk so please dont take the wrong way but 80% less than what?

Mitch: [5:01:33 PM] 80% less users than those on our standard hosting plan servers.

FIRST TIME SALE..: [5:01:56 PM] and how many are on your standard hosting plan

Mitch: [5:02:23 PM] Its hard to say a set amount that is on each server.

FIRST TIME SALE..: [5:03:00 PM] average, if it's 80% less then there must be some number you are basing that off of right?

Mitch: [5:03:51 PM] Haha, that is correct but unfortunately I am not privy to the average amount on each server.

FIRST TIME SALE..: [5:04:37 PM] lol, ok, how many is the most that could be on a standard hosting plan, the max you would put on a server?

Mitch: [5:05:49 PM] One moment. Let me see if I can get a number for you.

FIRST TIME SALE..: [5:05:56 PM] thx

Mitch: [5:10:41 PM] I'm still with you. Just waiting on a response.

FIRST TIME SALE..: [5:10:47 PM] ok

Mitch: [5:17:20 PM] ] no

[5:16:53 PM] as servers get better the water mark can and does go up.

[5:17:06 PM] but we never run them to a point of breaking.

[5:17:45 PM] That's the answer to the question of "how man on each server"

FIRST TIME SALE..: [5:17:59 PM] ok, thanks, appreciate it.

Mitch: [5:18:05 PM] Yep!

FIRST TIME SALE..: [5:18:13 PM] have a great day

[Head416]

Typical

[id10t]

Linode - Xen VPS Hosting - dedicated resources, guaranteed minimums, bursts up to host machine capacity .. been using them for 10 years, excellent folks to work with

[TheMentat]

Linode - Xen VPS Hosting - dedicated resources, guaranteed minimums, bursts up to host machine capacity .. been using them for 10 years, excellent folks to work with

Used them as well with great results.

[masraum]

wow, nice.

And people go for that crap.

[drcoastline]

Hey guys, I am an idiot when it comes to servers, hosting most internet stuff. Can you explain a little what you are talking about please?

[widgeon13]

customer service is an oxymoron these days.

[Joe Bob]

My name is Bob, how may I provide with excellent service?

[id10t]

Originally Posted by drcoastline

Hey guys, I am an idiot when it comes to servers, hosting most internet stuff. Can you explain a little what you are talking about please?

Most hosting companies like 1and1 use BIG servers and a technology known as Name Based Virtual Hosts - the webserver responds with different content depending on what name it is called by. This way, one server with one IP address can serve up multiple different sites.

What stomachmonkey's client needs is guaranteed resources - it would suck for them if someone else on the box ran a script that ate all the server resources, or had some page/site that got really popular all of a sudden and ate all the bandwidth.

Imagine if the server here was shared with a hundred other websites. And one of them was hosting the latest celebrity porn video... with all of the traffic for that video, none of us would be able to post, read the forums, etc.