Difference between revisions of "Offsite Hosting/Meeting Notes 2017-05-08"

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{{:Offsite Hosting}}
 
{{:Offsite Hosting}}
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==== Video ====
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{{#evu:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5o6Cc7Kja8 | dimensions=640 | alignment=center}}
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[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5o6Cc7Kja8 Offsite Internet servers hosting - YouTube] (courtesy of [https://www.meetup.com/NetSquared-Kitchener-Waterloo/members/16643951/ Gheorghe Curelet])
  
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'''Video''': https://youtu.be/p5o6Cc7Kja8 (courtesy of [https://www.meetup.com/NetSquared-Kitchener-Waterloo/members/16643951/ Gheorghe Curelet])
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==== Meeting Notes ====
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==== Introductions ====
 
 
* Today's guest is Mark Steffen from [https://www.indieservenetworks.com/ indieServe Networks]
 
* Today's guest is Mark Steffen from [https://www.indieservenetworks.com/ indieServe Networks]
  
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==== Selecting a hosting provider ====
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===== Selecting a hosting provider =====
 
* There's no "One size fits all"
 
* There's no "One size fits all"
 
* What do you need?  
 
* What do you need?  
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** E-mail hosting?
 
** E-mail hosting?
  
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==== What kinds of servers for a host? ====
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===== What kinds of servers for a host? =====
 
* Dell servers at one place
 
* Dell servers at one place
 
* Had HPs, didn't mind them
 
* Had HPs, didn't mind them
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** indieServe has all Lenovo servers
 
** indieServe has all Lenovo servers
  
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==== Offsite Hosting Problems? ====
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===== Offsite Hosting Problems? =====
 
* Shared hosting was OK for a while, but host was asking for more money
 
* Shared hosting was OK for a while, but host was asking for more money
 
* Another company seemed perfect shared hosting (using WordPress),
 
* Another company seemed perfect shared hosting (using WordPress),
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** Yes, keeping your own backups in addition to using the hosts' backups
 
** Yes, keeping your own backups in addition to using the hosts' backups
  
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==== [https://www.indieservenetworks.com/ indieServe Networks] ====
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===== [https://www.indieservenetworks.com/ indieServe Networks] =====
 
* indieServe is hosting for KWLUG, KWVoIP, FairvoteWRC, KWPeace, &c.
 
* indieServe is hosting for KWLUG, KWVoIP, FairvoteWRC, KWPeace, &c.
 
* About $10/month for shared host
 
* About $10/month for shared host
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** Similar model to Azure or Amazon AWS
 
** Similar model to Azure or Amazon AWS
  
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==== Offsite Backups ====
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===== Offsite Backups =====
 
* Some customers use offsite hosting only for data replication (disaster recovery)
 
* Some customers use offsite hosting only for data replication (disaster recovery)
 
** Do keep offsite backups encrypted
 
** Do keep offsite backups encrypted
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*** But it keeps a synthetic "Full" in the background
 
*** But it keeps a synthetic "Full" in the background
 
** With S3 or Azure, you can restore to EC2 -- get (almost) instant restore on external VPS -- really cheap disaster recovery
 
** With S3 or Azure, you can restore to EC2 -- get (almost) instant restore on external VPS -- really cheap disaster recovery
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** Back Blaze (personal backup for $5/month, also B2 backup storage, .02c/Gibyte?, $10/month for 1 TByte?)
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** Back Blaze (personal backup for $5/month, also B2 backup storage, .02¢/Gibyte?, $10/month for 1 TByte?)
  
 
* indieServe keeps hard backups (USB drives stored offsite)
 
* indieServe keeps hard backups (USB drives stored offsite)
  
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==== Backup horror stories ====
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===== Backup horror stories =====
 
* Hijacked truck (backups not encrypted, nobody knows who now has access to backup data)
 
* Hijacked truck (backups not encrypted, nobody knows who now has access to backup data)
 
* Encrypted backups corrupted (physical disk damage corrupted one block of data, cypher block chaining made rest of backup inaccesible)
 
* Encrypted backups corrupted (physical disk damage corrupted one block of data, cypher block chaining made rest of backup inaccesible)
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** Have at least one automated backup in place
 
** Have at least one automated backup in place
  
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==== Selfhosting? ====
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===== Selfhosting? =====
 
* Run your own service on a VPS or shared host (XMPP, Wiki, Social media) instead of using Facebook, Google, Twitter)
 
* Run your own service on a VPS or shared host (XMPP, Wiki, Social media) instead of using Facebook, Google, Twitter)
 
* Manage your own server, colocated in a datacentre
 
* Manage your own server, colocated in a datacentre
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* Managed hosting - servers in house or colo, but contract out the SysAdmin
 
* Managed hosting - servers in house or colo, but contract out the SysAdmin
  
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==== Webhosting Management ====
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===== Webhosting Management =====
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===== cPanel =====
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====== cPanel ======
 
* Set up WordPress, &c.
 
* Set up WordPress, &c.
 
* Handles updates, patch management, backups, email
 
* Handles updates, patch management, backups, email
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** Keeping cPanel on a VPS makes it portable, allows cPanel admin to perform maintenance with no downtime
 
** Keeping cPanel on a VPS makes it portable, allows cPanel admin to perform maintenance with no downtime
  
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===== Zenserver =====
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====== Zenserver ======
 
* A Virtual Machine host
 
* A Virtual Machine host
 
* The free version is pretty unrestricted
 
* The free version is pretty unrestricted
 
* Use Zenserver to run cPanel
 
* Use Zenserver to run cPanel
  
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===== Cloud Linux =====
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====== Cloud Linux ======
 
* uses CageFS,
 
* uses CageFS,
 
* isolates users from each other
 
* isolates users from each other
  
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===== Other panels? =====
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====== Other panels? ======
 
* CentOS Web Panel
 
* CentOS Web Panel
 
* ISP Config
 
* ISP Config
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** But these apps may have security issues (PHP doncha know)
 
** But these apps may have security issues (PHP doncha know)
  
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==== Reseller hosting ====
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===== Reseller hosting =====
 
* Perhaps for Web developers, who want to manage resources for their customers
 
* Perhaps for Web developers, who want to manage resources for their customers
 
* Can add multiple accounts, lets hosting provider manage growth and resources
 
* Can add multiple accounts, lets hosting provider manage growth and resources

Latest revision as of 02:47, 3 December 2017

Offsite Hosting

Date
Monday, 8 May 2017
Event Announcement
https://www.meetup.com/NetSquared-Kitchener-Waterloo/events/237779027/
Location
Communitech Jelly Bean Room 1st Floor, 151 Charles Street West, Kitchener, Ontario Map

Where are your servers? Are you self-hosting? Have you thought about professional hosting? What services does a professional hosting service offer? Do you need shared hosting? Do you need a VPS? What's a VPS? What's a colocation site? How much will all this cost?

Come share your experiences with self-hosting, shared hosting, and VPSes. Bob and Marc have the questions, and special guest Mark Steffen from indieServe Networks will have the answers.

See you at the meeting!

--Bob Jonkman and Marc Paré


Video

Offsite Internet servers hosting - YouTube (courtesy of Gheorghe Curelet)

Meeting Notes

Selecting a hosting provider
  • There's no "One size fits all"
  • What do you need?
    • Disaster recovery?
    • Microsoft licensing?
    • E-mail hosting?
What kinds of servers for a host?
  • Dell servers at one place
  • Had HPs, didn't mind them
    • indieServe has some HP servers for colocation
  • Lenovo, but there was BIOS based malware
    • Liked IBM servers, anecdotally liked the reliability
    • indieServe has all Lenovo servers
Offsite Hosting Problems?
  • Shared hosting was OK for a while, but host was asking for more money
  • Another company seemed perfect shared hosting (using WordPress),
    • Works today, but lots of complaints on Facebook, so he no longer trusts
  • Backups?
    • Yes, keeping your own backups in addition to using the hosts' backups
indieServe Networks
  • indieServe is hosting for KWLUG, KWVoIP, FairvoteWRC, KWPeace, &c.
  • About $10/month for shared host
    • No limits but on the honour system
    • Keep it to one company per shared host
    • Local non-profits may be able to get really good deal -- talk to Mark Steffen
  • Also has VPS (Virtual Private Servers)
  • Can do hosted Windows servers or domain
    • Good for small file sharing systems
    • Microsoft has a specific licensing arrangement for hosting providers
    • Cost based on cores and sockets, plus number of customers
    • Not cheap, $100's /month
    • Similar model to Azure or Amazon AWS
Offsite Backups
  • Some customers use offsite hosting only for data replication (disaster recovery)
    • Do keep offsite backups encrypted
    • For any backup solution check with Legal for PIPEDA legislation
    • Cheap backup? 20¢/GiByte for storage is typical
  • Backup software:
    • Duplicity for Linux
    • Cloud Berry for backup service
    • DupliCaddy for Windows (Open Source, Beta software,supports SQL, kinda slow)
      • For Windows, do full backup, then everything is incremental afterwards
      • But it keeps a synthetic "Full" in the background
    • With S3 or Azure, you can restore to EC2 -- get (almost) instant restore on external VPS -- really cheap disaster recovery
    • Back Blaze (personal backup for $5/month, also B2 backup storage, .02¢/Gibyte?, $10/month for 1 TByte?)
  • indieServe keeps hard backups (USB drives stored offsite)
Backup horror stories
  • Hijacked truck (backups not encrypted, nobody knows who now has access to backup data)
  • Encrypted backups corrupted (physical disk damage corrupted one block of data, cypher block chaining made rest of backup inaccesible)
  • Bulk files corrupted (backup file is OK, but contained invalid data, making rest of the backup invalid)
  • Tape backup is still the most dense storage for immutable backups
  • Mark Steffen has techniques for redundant backup storage (good for ransomware attacks, &c.)
  • How much backup do you need?
    • How much data can you afford to lose?
    • Have at least one automated backup in place
Selfhosting?
  • Run your own service on a VPS or shared host (XMPP, Wiki, Social media) instead of using Facebook, Google, Twitter)
  • Manage your own server, colocated in a datacentre
  • Getting a DSL line (with multi-link support), and running a server on premises
  • Managed hosting - servers in house or colo, but contract out the SysAdmin
Webhosting Management
cPanel
  • Set up WordPress, &c.
  • Handles updates, patch management, backups, email
  • Installatron for managing applications
  • Varnish is a cache in front of Apache, for bursty traffic
  • cPanel is pricey? $20/month for bare metal, less for a VPS
    • Keeping cPanel on a VPS makes it portable, allows cPanel admin to perform maintenance with no downtime
Zenserver
  • A Virtual Machine host
  • The free version is pretty unrestricted
  • Use Zenserver to run cPanel
Cloud Linux
  • uses CageFS,
  • isolates users from each other
Other panels?
  • CentOS Web Panel
  • ISP Config
  • Ubuntu MAAS
  • WebMin, VirtualMin
  • WHM is the management tool for cPanel
  • WHMCS is a shopping cart / billing system for hosting
    • But these apps may have security issues (PHP doncha know)
Reseller hosting
  • Perhaps for Web developers, who want to manage resources for their customers
  • Can add multiple accounts, lets hosting provider manage growth and resources
  • Could be unlimited accounts, but typically 300 GBytes, good for about 50 accounts
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