Hi all What I need is a simple server for my personal use - it is for me to upload and store files, and to move them to other places as and when I need to do so. I will not be hosting a public website on this server and the files will be protected via password - no pulic access will be allowed. The bigger the hdd space, the better, however at least 50Gb is required and I want to be able to use as much of it as I need for storage (no silly 10% rules). I would prefer unmetered bandwidth so I never need to worry, however I anticipate that I will probably not use more than between 20Gb - 100Gb in an average month. I will need a sub domain or a domain on the account, but I don't actually need a new domain name - I have many already. I just need to be able to point one at my account / server. A sub domain would be ok - don't care what the address is so long as it's accessable to transfer files via http link. Other things I will need are FTP access and some sort of control panel (cpanel if it's linux) The thing I've seen that looks like the best (or most familiar) would be a remote desktop type set up, which I guess would be on a windows server. I do have experience with linux based shared hosting (cpanel, mysql etc) though, so I'm not ruling anything out. I would appreciate any help I can get to figure out exactly what it is that I need, and where's best to get it. Is it easy to get a vps up and running ? I saw hostrail offering some great deals on windows vps with remote desktop, but all options are out of stock. Is vps the best way to go anyway ? Please bare in mind that I don't need a mega server or anything like that - a dark corner somewhere would suffice ! All help and suggestions greatly appreciated
If you are just looking for 20~50GB dedicated resources, contact with me for manged solutions. Rather hand for unmanaged solutions you might go for VPS.
With your specs, a VPS would suit you perfectly. Windows or Linux doesn't really matter if all you're doing is storing files. Are you going to use FTP to upload them or such? You should be able to find a multitude of VPSs within the specs you are seeking.
A VPS can definetly fulfill your requirements, but its a little overkill if you're just looking to save your files on the cloud.. Take a look at dropbox: http://www.dropbox.com/ , they have a free version, so you can try it and see if you like it. If you do decide for a vps, linux or windows will work. Remote desktop can be installed on both, and so can hosting control panels.
Also the solution might be found at dedicated VPS plans, which are offered by some companies. Sometimes they are called hybrid servers and do give dedicated resources of CPU and RAM.
Order low end dedicated server which will not cost so much for you these days and be happy. In any case when you are signing up with any web hosting company you need to remember that you need to have opportunity to upgrade your plan and I always recommend you asking your web hosting provider about such opportunity.
How about free cp like Kloxo? Have you test that yet? It's depend on how familiar you are with linux. If you buy a xen server you can easily setup a ubuntu remote desktop and access it via vnc. Altho this also can be done on openvz based vps it would be best if you use xen since the resource is all at your disposal.
Thanks everyone for the advice - I'm going to look at all the options you suggested tonight. Just for info I did buy a vps from hostrail but it turned out to be dreadful - speed was appalling and nothing much worked properly lol - cancelled it today.
I really don't need the quickest, but this was so slow as to be unusable in any way. Curiously I requested an instant cancellation, but it's still up and not cancelled. I tried dropbox and have used it a bit, but it's not great really - no ftp or any way to get your files up other than their uploading app which you have to install, and which seems to eat ram for breakfast lol. To be fair though dropbox is not really designed for what I'm doing. So I'm still trawling for the right thing. I would have signed up with leech daddy in a breath but they delete your files after 8-12 hours, which is totally freakin useless ! Does anyone know of a similar operation with more reasonable delete times ? (7 days seems ok) Thanks
If you know a nearest datacenter around you, you should seek for any hoster who spawn their hardware in there or hoster that leased from them that if you cant get what you want from them directly. If Ubuntu RDP is good for you then there is a guide out there on how you can install it and run it from your vps.
You can get some pretty cheap vps for your range- i.e. under $7 US. search cheap vps on google and the second link down has a list of sites.