Are LeeWare Servers Right For Me?

This service isn't for everyone because LeeWare strives to maintain a "clean network", the following activities are not allowed: (1) No IRC (2) No Proxy Servers (3) No File Sharing or P2P (4) You must request a waiver before any email servers will work (no spam) (5) Limited support: All servers are deployed in unstaffed remote computing facilities. This has a variety of implications therefore, you should really be comfortable managing a machine remotely. If you have issues, you need to send an email to admin and it will be addressed during a maintenance window (typically, twice daily). Facilities issues i.e. things outside of your control i.e. power issues, network, HVAC etc. result in auto notifications to the admin ETAs are 1-2 hours however, typical times are 30 minutes or less. (6) default Operating System: CentOS 5.x x64 / Ubuntu Server x64. I can deploy Windows Servers but the customer must supply a Valid License Key to activate. (7) Customers must supply and make arrangements for their own Control Panels. (8) No hardware modifications - I can provide customers with additional servers if they need to increase capacity at a discount. (10) Ugent issues which require a site visit be conducted outside of normal hours will require a $25 rhands fee prior to dispatch. Abuse issues will result in corrective action including service termination.

Hardware Pools & Product Listings Explained

All packages are put together by selecting any available hardware on the grid. This hardware is generally similar in terms of performance and CPU clock rates but in the interest of full disclosure, the machines might not be identical. There is a split between the AMD Athlon based hardware and the AMD Sempron based systems and that is, the AMD-64 Athlon are socket 939 and the motherboards support a max memory configuration of 4GB resulting in a memory hole which makes only 3.2GB usable. The Sempron LE-1250 (G2) x64 based systems are AM2 based and can support 4GB of ram with no memory holes. The hardware pool has been updated to include AMD-64 Athlon X2 (AMD2) which support 4GB of RAM no memory holes. Furthermore, the newer systems are also configured with larger SATA HDD 250GB vs 200GB. Therefore, depending on availability, you might get systems from all three hardware pools. If you are lucky, your allocation may include X2 systems so there are some upsides to the pool selection. I am often asked if the bandwidth listed on the package is per-server, the short answer is no, it is what is allocated to your servers as a group. Therefore, if you order a 10 server grid with 20Mbit/s of bandwidth, that 20Mbit/s bandwidth is delivered to your servers as a group on 100Mbit/s burstable ports. Therefore, the aggregate usage of all of your servers should not exceed either or of those amounts in a given month. However, how you allocate that bandwidth between your servers is up to you.

Average Rate Bandwidth Servers

It is important that you understand the following points as it relates to average rate service delivery; (1) Servers are based on a set throughput rate e.g. 15Mbit/s. This rate is the average amount of bandwidth your server should consume over the course of a single month. (2) This fixed rate is not a hard-cap as all servers are connected to a 100Mbit/s Burstable port which would allow servers to handle traffic spikes above the set rate. (3) A network accounting system is in place to flag connections that are rated for one speed but are consistently operating at a higher speed. Such connections are subject to administrative caps.

cat /proc/cpuinfo wrong clock rate!

All CPUs in production are running at 2200Mhz (2.2Ghz) However, on systems that support cpu-auto-scaling (a power saving feature) the CPU will run at a lower rate i.e. 1000Mhz (1.0Ghz) when the system is lightly loaded, a cat /proc/cpuinfo will reflect this. The clock rate of the CPU will automatically increase as system demand goes up. Therefore, if you run a processor intensive job and then issue a cat /proc/cpuinfo you will see the correct clock rate. If you want to verify the clock rate of the CPU on a system that supports cpu-auto-scaling then just issue the following command: #dmesg | grep MHz

Accessing Your Server For the First Time

There are a couple of ways for you to access your server after signing up. You will receive a welcome e-mail containing your username/passwords and server assignments. If you use linux or unix you can use Secure Shell (ssh) this service is similar to telnet but it encrypts the data between your computer and the server. To connect to the server from the command line, issue the command: ssh servername@domainname.com -l username The server will prompt you for your password and you will have access to your console after supplying it. To disconnect, just type logout. If you are accessing your servers from a windows-based machine you can use PuTTY to access your server(s).

How to make support request
First, all support requests should be sent to admin@leeware.com Please include your server name in the subject of your email message along with your request. This information can be found in your welcome email e.g. cipher.leeware.com [reboot| reinstall | help | question | etc] Doing this will allow me to address issues more quickly.

Default Server Configuration

By default servers are configured with the following options - Base Operating System with SSH enabled. + Webmin Control Panel which gives you the ability to manage your server entirely via a web browser. The servers have been patched. You are responsible for subsequent updates. Currently the service offers three Linux Operating systems (x86_64) (CentOS 5.x and Ubuntu Server 8.x) customers should contact sales@leeware.com to indicate which Operating system to install on your system It is also a good time to request a 32 bit install if required. Failure to make a choice prior to setup will result in you receiving CentOS 5.x 64-bit. It should also be noted that deviations from the Base Operating System selection can result in setup delays.

Administering Your Server

This is an Unmanaged Service --Translation: You are responsible for installing, configuring and troubleshooting issues related to your server. I will handle pretty much anything that you can't do for yourself like: Restarting a crashed server, Turning off a firewall [you should always include instructions on how to disable it.], network issues that might keep you from accessing your server if those issues originate from my end of the connection. Regarding system backups: It is your responsibility to make and maintain them.

Value for the money

The server configurations I offer if purchased from another host would easily run $250/Month per machine. Corporate pricing for high value customers is in the $130-$150 per machine price range. The prices listed on my web site reflect a 50% discount off that pricing which makes the price competitive and appropriate for a no-frills service which means focusing on the basics and not trying to be a host for everyone. I can focus on providing a service that works. Furthermore, high-volume reseller get additional discounts! Your subscription fee gets you a box, and an Internet connection. The rest is up to you. In other words, no frills at a great price.

Bandwidth Management

The backbone bandwidth is shared by all service subscribers and is oversold by a standard ratio however, this does not mean that it is over-utilized. Due to the bandwidth allocation policies, any given subset of subscribers will be able to use 100% of the bandwidth the bandwidth allocated to them during the subscription period. Each connection can burst up to the available bandwidth limit. However, because the real cost of 1000GB of bandwidth once the loop costs are factored in is $130 special attention is paid to connections that have multi-megabit sustained usage and adjustments are made accordingly. Therefore, if you want dedicated bandwidth, you should be willing to pay dedicated prices.

Bandwidth Throughput / Performance

First, let me explain why the number of Servers on a segment is not a reliable metric for determining performance. It assumes that all of the Servers on the segment are busy accessing the network with high-volumes of traffic when in fact, the vast majority of Servers on a network segment(s) are idle or using very little traffic. Sure, there are some exceptions but this isn't the norm. OFF-NET (data to/from Internet) is determined by aggregate OFF-NET link activity which varies over time.

Bandwidth Abuse / Overages / Caps

While I don't mind if people go over the monthly allocation within reason, the determination of how much of an overage constitutes abuse is at my sole discretion. I will not hesitate to cap abusers servers operating at double-digit bandwidth rates for hours on end. To give you the idea of the cost a cheap bandwidth + loop on a tail circuit to a facility is $45 per megabit that price does not include servers or power! Therefore, I will rate-limit, cap, throttle or bounce from the service those that are using bandwidth in a way that is costly or otherwise irresponsible. I have no problem provisioning dedicated bandwidth for customers who are willing to pay the costs i.e. 10Mbit/s Unmetered connection (port + loop) $450/month.

Control Panels

The servers do not come with control panels. There are several open source control panels available and I highly recommend that you use one that you have experience with installing. I know I could sell more servers if I offered some popular commercial control panels. However, that would increase the base-price of the server due to the licensing cost. Most customers who require those control panels save enough money on the server costs that they can just purchase their own licenses and install them on the servers.

Supported OS Linux Distribution

Let me be clear about what I mean when I say supported, it means that the hardware platform will run the Operating System as installed. The hardware environment is 64-bit Therefore, the latest 64-bit (x86_64) Linux Operating Systems are supported. CentOS and Ubuntu. By default, all servers are pre-configured with CentOS 5.x. If you want Ubuntu x64 please email sales@leeware.com prior to purchase or just after to indicate the distribution of your choice. You can also specify if you want a 32-bit implementation of the supported OS. Please note that this will delay the deployment time. As this is considered a custom install.

IP-KVM and Out of Band Access

Another question I'm asked often, is if I provide any type of management console for people to restart, or reinstall the OSes on the Server? The short answer is NO. The longer answer is, those solutions cost money and will increase the costs significantly. Therefore, if you lose access to your machine you will have to send an email to admin to have it restored or rebooted so that you can get access to it again. Now, while this may seem like a pain for a provider it actually helps to cut down on carelessness. The incidents of lockouts and poor configurations are kept to a minimal. I think when there are real consequences for getting locked out of a server people naturally become experts at working on remote machines. Think before you type. There is a $25 charge for OS reloads and IP-KVM is available for short-term use which also requires a $25 charge. Both charges require pre-payment and the links included in welcome email. There is no charge if changing from 64 bit version of an OS to a 32-bit version of that same OS.

Unmanaged Service Overview In Simple Terms

1. By default all machines are patched. However, you are responsible for patching after you become the owner of the server. 2. The servers are already setup to a degree for basic things. That is basic tools are available such as editors and yum. 3. The firewall is turned off by default you have to turn it on if you want it. 4. Additional IP address can be rented for $1.50 each (request a link) 5. Servers are located in unstaffed privately held Lights Out Facilities that are located throughout the Chicago Metro Area. All sites with the exception of the VM products are connected to a POP at 427 S. LaSalle (Cogent Communications formally PSI Net) If you need premium bandwidth I can put you on a OpenVZ VM located at FDCServers.NET which is in the Chicago Board of Trade Building. A - You get a box with an Internet connection B - The machine has an OS installed that has been patched and a running ssh server. (The firewall is turned off.) This setup is provided so that you can have the most control over your configuration. If you turn the firewall on (can be done from the command line) You will only be able to access the Webserver, ssh and nothing else unless you create a rule to allow it. You will lose access to the machine. C - If you need a DNS, FTP or OTHER SERVER (MAIL SERVERS ARE NOT ALLOWED!). You should know how to install and configure those things. (remember google is your friend.) D - I TAKE A HANDS OFF APPROACH TO MACHINE MANAGEMENT Outside of administrative actions. (reboots and reloads) At sign-up you will be assigned a good password for your account however, it is always a good idea to change this password. I suggest that you use good password practices when selecting a password for your box. E - If you jack up the machine really bad. I won't waste anytime trying to figure out what you've done to it. I will just blow it away and give you a fresh one. (see fee schedule for reinstall charges.) F - The machines I provide can be used to learn how to manage a dedicated server or get started on a project while keeping your costs low. When you are ready for Enterprise Class Service, you can move on to another provider. G - Finally, it is always good to remind those who would SIGN-UP and after three days of fooling around with the machine demand their money back because they don't know how to install and FTP server. You will NOT BE REFUNDED YOUR MONEY! The aforementioned information has been provided to help the dedicated server shopper make an informed decision.

Community Support Forums

My customer-base is largely self-sufficient. Because I run a relatively large infrastructure I communicate problems and issues to Individuals as problems and issues are likely to only impact certain users and will remain irrelevent to all others. Therefore, If you need a certain level of comfort i.e. 24/7 support you should probably select a provider that offers that. It's not a secret that am a solo operator. However, the nature of my business and my work requires that I have access to a computer(s) for up to 10-16 hours a day. With that being said, as per the TOS/AUP. You will generally get a response within 24 hours. Realistically, anywhere between 15 min - 4 hours. In otherwords, it could be more but usually less. (It should be obvious that I need time to, sleep, eat, exercise, have dinner with my wife, go on vacations, do research and development, setup new servers, work in the datacenter, solve problems, promote the business, do accounting and take a mental health break.) Also, because my customer base is spread out across the globe, non-us users need to mindful of the fact that while it may be in the middle of the day where you are, the opposite is true here so, I might be in bed and won't see your emails until I start the next day.

Service Reliability / Redundancy SLA (99.9%)

#1 Independently maintained service statistics can be found here: http://www.webhostingstuff.com/uptime/LeeWare.html It should be noted that their results are skewed by the fact they are monitoring a cluster which hosts the leeware.com domain. Sometimes, those machines are taken off-line (one-at-a-time) and I suspect that when they hit the down machine it registers as an outage. The service has not had a global outage in more than 5 months. #2 Network SLA: (99.9%) Network Outages are beyond my control. Performance issues related to peering between ISPs are beyond my control. However, if I have any information about a planned outage or other issue that might cause problems I will post a notice on the status page http://www.leeware.com/status.html With that being said, the network features 99.9% availability with an average US latency of < 45.0ms New York to London < 85.0ms #3 Hardware SLA: (99.9%) If any hardware component fails I maintain enough spare equipment to replace the spare component or the entire machine within 24 hours. #4 Power SLA: (99.9%) Primary power is supplied by a public utility (all facilities are on the same power grid) the service is generally reliable. All services are protected via PDU against spikes, sags and short-term power outages. In the event of an extended outage, secondary power will be supplied by generator. The PDUs are configured to run until dead therefore, a service outage will result when battery capacity is extremely low and the PDUs drop the attached loads. When this happens, it can take 30-60 minutes to get all of the servers up on the generator due to a controlled startup protocol. Going from generator to utility power is usually transparent and does not cause further service disruptions. #5. Backups Customers should backup their own data! In a nutshell, I have customers from every corner of the planet and they try not to bother me too much and I try not to bother them unnecessarily. So, to make a long story short, I'm not trying to convince you to use my service. I think it pretty much sells itself. However, I am trying to give you information that could help you to make an informed decision which includes, managing risks so that you can pick a provider that suits your needs even if it is not my service but one of my competitors. The goal here is to be up front about the service so that you can set appropriate expectations. With that being said a quick review of the following thread should be some indication of the problems associated with running a hosting service. Keep in mind that most of the people reporting or experiencing outages boast much higher-levels of reliability and redundancy http://www.webhostingtalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=59

Running IRC is Prohibited!
Running IRC is prohibited I don't care if it is a client or a server. I don't want it on my network. You risk server disconnection by breaking this rule.

Bittorrent & File Sharing and P2P
Due to the way these protocols use bandwidth and the unwillingness of the operators of such applications to pay their share of the bandwidth bills, these applications are not allowed on the network. Furthermore, if such activity is detected your connection will be rate-limited or cap so that you cannot exceed your monthly bandwidth allocation.

Cancellation Policy Explained

Sometimes I get emails from users who are frustrated that their servers were disconnected. These disconnections are usually the result of a subscription cancellation or payment failure. For security and management reasons servers are disconnected when cancellations are processed. (sign-up today cancel tomorrow) your server will be disconnected. Server payments are non-refundable. This is indicated in the very first line of the AUP/TOS

NRC and MRC Explained
NRC (Non Recurring Charge i.e. one time payment) vs and MRC (Monthly Recurring Charge i.e. perpetual payments)

The High Cost of Low Prices

It is very important that you understand the risks associated with using this service. First, it is 100% no frills unmanaged service that is primarily intended for people who have experience with remote machine administration. All servers are housed in unstaffed facilities where issues are addressed once or twice every 24 hours. Or when I can make the rounds to visit a particular location. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you not engage in activities that could keep your server from booting: In other words, try to avoid newbie errors such as; excessively rebooting your server after every change, implementing creative and untested startup configurations, screwing around with the system firewall (especially if you have no idea what you are doing!) installing software that trashes your system etc. Servers that have hung or crashed should be reported using the appropriate procedure for reporting such issues. These issues will be addressed during the daily server check. OS installs are a line-item and can be purchased for a fee. Or they can be done for free if done during a maintence window up to 12-24 hours after the request.

4GB RAM Installed but only 3.2GB Available?

While there is 4GB of RAM installed in every server. On motherboards that support a max memory configuration of 4GB 700~900MB of memory is used for addressing hardware devices That's why you will see a number greater than 3GB but less than 4GB. This is not a problem that can be addressed through software such as, kernel patches and 64-bit operating systems. For more information see: http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000811.html

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