DreamHost PS
The site was getting way too slow, so I tried applying for DreamHost’s new invitation-only Private Server option. It finally got approved yesterday. It’s basically a virtual machine with a specific amount of CPU cycles and RAM dedicated to each user. It’s also damn expensive.
The site does feel more responsive now. However, I’m still not entirely sure if a virtual machine is worth the premium over regular shared hosting, so I’ll monitor the situation before I decide if I want to keep the current arrangement. Do let me know if you notice any differences in speed. (Maybe it’s just my imagination.)
My one-year contract with DreamHost is actually up and I’m paying monthly right now, so I can switch to another host if I find a better one. But I have a feeling that with the current site traffic, switching to another regular shared hosting plan with oversold bandwidth (4TB for 8 bucks?) won’t solve any problems. Shared hosting is starting to show its cracks, but I don’t think I can justify paying for a dedicated server at this stage either. Sigh. In the meantime, DreamHost is still holding up.
By the way, if you are signing up for a new DreamHost account, try using the promo code HARUHI for $97 off your first year or if you want to make payments monthly, YUKI will get rid of the $61 set-up fee. (According to DreamHost, the maximum discount for promo codes will be capped at $50 from December 11th onwards.)
On another note, this site will be down for maintenance at 10:00PM PST (GMT -8), November 30th 2007.
November 29th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Your site wasn’t slow in the first place what. My site is worse. How much bandwidth do you use in a day?
November 29th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
I thought the site wasn’t slow at all before either…
November 29th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Bandwidth problems – a sure sign you are on the way to becoming a professional blogger!
以後、よろしゅうたのみます～
November 29th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
I’m currently using DreamHost myself. Considering my site is pretty low traffic, i’m not having too many problems at the moment.
The blogging engine i use (Mephisto) pretty much caches everything. For something which is already in the cache, the script is bypassed entirely.
Still, from time to time i have issues where the script doesn’t start or is very slow when retrieving content which isn’t in the cache.
After my year of pre-paid hosting has ended though, i plan on looking at other hosting services.
(p.s. i thought your site was pretty responsive before)
November 29th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Bandwidth isn’t a problem, I only use about 1GB a day and all the shared hosting out there are giving out bandwidth in terabytes. CPU usage and RAM are the limiting factor, especially for SQL access. My WordPress is actually running a cache too, but I still feel that it’s damn slow sometimes when I blog. (Probably because admin-related pages are generated real-time.)
Hmmm. Maybe it’s just my nitpicking… Oh well.
November 29th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
Hey you need a web host? If it is local, just contact me. I help manage a webhost company with my friend. I might be able to cut you the deal you need.
It isn’t nice of me to just advertise and put the web link here, so I will leave it to you to contact me through email.
November 29th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
or just get a (virtual) dedicated server, install wordpress-mu and start inviting other bloggers to join your server?
November 29th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
it doesn’t feel any faster, at least to me…
November 30th, 2007 at 1:27 am
Working the same for me too.
You may try
tracert darkmirage.com
in the cmd to see where on the route you get the slowest respond :D
(if you hadn’t done so before)
btw is the Private Server plan allowed you to install whatever you want on it.
I mean just to install and run a TomCat Server for instance instead of apache :D.
because if it’s only the speed is better it’s doesn’t seems to worth.
November 30th, 2007 at 3:14 am
Your blog always loaded instantly for me.
November 30th, 2007 at 11:03 am
I’m actually considering buying myself a dreamhost account this week. My current plan (through Westhost) is expiring in a week or so. I’ll be sure to use your code (I know you won’t get any of the $97 off from me, but if I refer people, you’ll get $5/each)
November 30th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
Finally i like HostICan better. I’ve really disappointed in dreamhost and switched to HostIcan and i get 40$ off for switching plus $50 off coupon. and if you refer you’ll get 70$ not $5
coupon code: BestHosting-12
* Hostican base-host 12 months:$50
* Hostican base-host 24 months:$50
* Hostican tera-host 12 months: $50
* Hostican tera-host 24 months: $50
i signed up for 12 months and i only needed to pay $15.40 for terra server plus an extra $70 for referring to my friends. I think you should check it out if VPS cost too much
December 1st, 2007 at 12:14 am
@jin: Dreamhost’s promotions work in a different way than normal. You “get” $97, and can “give” as much of that to the people who use your code (and you get the rest), or you can give it all. If you give it all, you get $0 from the people who sign up under you, but for second-level referrals (people referred by the people who signed up under you) you get $5 each time. Its a really good way of getting new customers.
December 1st, 2007 at 11:00 am
I’ve heard nothing but horror stories about Dreamhost PS. From what I’ve heard , once you start using PS, you’re basically ported over to another server which has dedicated amounts of cycles for you. The problem then is , if you hit that dedicated amount, suddenly you’re not back to your old Dreamhost plan, since that’s not the same server anymore. You’ll just stuck with that bottle neck, and your site becomes lagcity. The only way to solve that is then to either take away PS entirely, and wait to be ported back, or pay more for more cpu cycles.
I’m sticking to my normal dreamhost plan… When I want a VPS, I’ll go to 2Advanced or MediaTemple.
December 1st, 2007 at 11:07 am
Well, it’s working pretty fine. DreamHost also gave me a 15 USD per month discount for it. :)
But yeah, in regular shared hosting if your RAM and CPU usage go through the roof, it will just slow down the site (and everyone else hosted on the same server). With a PS, if you exceed your limit for too long (there is a burst period) the things will just start to die and you get 500 errors.
But still, it’s a lot less laggy and more stable than regular hosting if you make sure you have enough RAM and CPU all the time.
December 1st, 2007 at 11:58 am
@d0nk Ive been with DreamHost for like a year and i switched to HostICan.
HostICan also have the referral level the same as Dreamhost but if you can refer them by yourself you get $70. Personally, i like HostICan better.
Base-Host 12/ms = $95.40 – coupon $50 – switching $40 = $5.40 for the whole year and you $70 referral per a person. See its a good deal in my opinion
December 1st, 2007 at 1:27 pm
ServerBeach charges 1400 USD/month for a 100 Mbps link, unlimited usage. So, technically is possible to sell 4 TB for 8 bucks and not be a damn overseller.
December 2nd, 2007 at 1:48 am
Yes, but a shared hosting always has unspoken limits for CPU and RAM usage.
If you think about it, a regular website that uses that much bandwidth would also need a ton of CPU cycles and RAM for all the PHP and MySQL processes.
Which is why most hosts are actually overselling their bandwidth. Theoretically they give you 4TB of bandwidth, but practically you can never hit that because there’s an invisible limit on CPU and RAM usage.
December 4th, 2007 at 12:38 am
Eeeh, true. In that case it’d be a CPU/RAM overselling (though no hosting company sells that LOL).
BTW, I just used the YUKI coupon, and it worked. Thanks a lot for the gift; at last my LUG will be able to migrate to a semi-decent server.
January 3rd, 2008 at 5:13 pm
I’m interested in how you got the 15 USD per month discount. I’m running a Dreamhost PS right now too at 279 Mhz, and it is costing me a load of money each month.
January 3rd, 2008 at 7:59 pm
I bitched to them and they gave in, that’s all.
June 25th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Have been running on PS for a few months now with no real issues. I have had to reboot twice – once because of installing a new SSL certificate, which added a new IP to my server, which seemed to rattle the VPS. That was this morning actually!
The other time was when I exceeded my CPU limit for way too long (about 12 hours) and things just choked.
The migration was painless. Now waiting for a MYSQL box!
You can get VPS cheaper (e.g. mediatemple) but I can’t bring myself to leave the DH panel (i love it!), all that space, and their support. Always helpful. Had that issue this morning – posted an email. They fixed it in 18 minutes! That is pretty great for $60/month.
June 25th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
I see your site is now hosted on a dedicated server with Theplanet.com. Are you happy with them? Why did you switch from Dreamhost? Surely a dedicated server is more expensive, isn’t it?