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How to setup a web server in a Data center?

I’ve been doing web dev for a few years now with my sites being hosted on a shared server.I'm getting a dedicated machine,but a voice in my head is saying "do it yourself." I’ll have my own server & a possibility of having resellers. My educational background is in Sys Admin,so I have a understanding of what's needed to setup,secure & maintain systems,but I still need some info. I've come up with a very basic plan of what I think is required: 1. Get a server + setup software (Debian / Redhat + Antivirus? + Network Security? + PHP / MYSQL etc + Cpanel / WHM) 2. Find a data center 3. Find a Teleco to connect the server to the net 4. Maintain system (security+performance) with patches & software updates Although I need to do more research for step 1 & 4,my main concern is 2 & 3.What do I ask the DC & Telco?Do I setup the server offsite,then send it to the DC for them to connect,or do I personally go in & do it myself?When calling the Telco,what info should I have on hand?

Public Comments

1. You won't need to find a telco, if you're going to colocate. You simply need to find a colo facility, and they will provide the telco for you. This is better for you, in that most colos will have a fat pipe to mulitple telcos and routers that provide redundancy. I'm part of a coop that owns a server where we run virtual linux instances under UML, and using this technique we were able to bring our costs down to around $150/year, so I'd agree the economy is there, if you're willing to do the research. One thing to work out for yourself is how you'll handle issues with the box, for example, if it needs a reboot, what if it doesn't come back up cleanly and you can't get to it?