On Mon, Dec 01, 2003, Grant Parnell wrote: > Read both your posts.... sounds like you could go with a Linux virtual > machine, I did some research on this a while back. About US$25/month > with some included bandwidth buys you a User Mode Linux virtual > machine. If the websites aren't hit too much you could do it. I think > the catch was the limited space they give you, about 2GB of disk but > it depends who you go with.
For people who don't know, a Linux virtual machine, as distinct from a virtual host, is a server you have root on. You can add users, install programs, administer your own webserver (this will mean you can have as many hosts as you like...) and so on. It is called a "virtual machine" because it is not a physical server. Rather, it is a program running on a physical server that acts like a server itself. Having 20 or so virtual machines on a single physical server means that you can have a virtual machine for a fraction of the price of a physical server. (Mine is US$20/month.) You will want to be reasonably sure you can handle the administrative basics of a Linux server if you choose this option. It's almost certainly overkill if you just want a mailbox, but if you have websites and mailboxes and are sick of the restrictions of virtual hosting (only X number of domains, only Y number of mailboxes, only Z number of shell accounts) then a virtual machine is the next step -- and it costs about the same as a virtual hosting account with lots of diskspace. Bytemark Hosting have a "virtual machine versus co-located server" page: http://www.bytemark-hosting.co.uk/vmhosting/compare.html Full disclosure: I run a Bytemark virtual server purchased through http://jvds.com/ -- but as far as I'm aware I don't get referral discounts :) -Mary -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group - http://slug.org.au/ More Info: http://lists.slug.org.au/listinfo/slug
