Issues on Zinc or general decline in support...?

[Chappy]

I've been with Jaguar for about three years now, I guess. I was with Alexa before the buyout or whatever happened. Recently, it seems that the service has taken a nosedive. Zinc seems to have problems every morning when the backup occurs. Pages are slow-loading, if at all. Numerous support requests have been turned in. This morning my site was down again and it was getting a database connection failure notice. The control panel (cpanel) was also getting a similar error and couldn't load. After submitting a ticket I got the following response:

"We have checked the mysql service is up on the server. Please make sure that you are using the correct credentials for your scripts to connect to the database."

Do these folks actually check anything? I have been a supporter of Jaguar since I started and I thought service mattered. I'm starting to wonder now...

Is anyone else having issues with Zinc not being accessible? If a server move would make a difference, I'd be okay with that. But, my concern is that there's something more systemic with the nature of Jag's service going on.

[Vin DSL]

I've been with Jaguar for about three years now, I guess... Zinc seems to have problems every morning when the backup occurs. Pages are slow-loading, if at all. Numerous support requests have been turned in...

I had the same 'backup problem' when I was on Neutron. Really, I don't think there is anything 'they' can do about this situation!

Allow me to explain...

It seems that some servers are slower, if you will, at doing backups. Probably has something to do with the quantity or type of data itself, that's being backed up, or the mix of sites that are present on that server, but that's just a best guess on my part.

The cure, for me, was to change servers, but, I had to do this twice before the 'fix' happened.

The first server they moved me to was Platinum. They said this was one of the most stable servers in the farm. However, my web site was using up too many resources and made Platinum unstable, so after a couple of months, they suspended my account, and said I had to upgrade my level of service, e.g. my account had outgrown the ability to be hosted on regular shared servers here.

I'm now on SDX, and all is good!

SDX is essentially regular shared hosting, with more resources than you'll ever need, and 20-40 websites on it, instead of 200-400. At least that's my take on it...

BTW, the uptime in my sig is a live stat (averaged over the last month -- monitored once per minute)

You still with me?

If a server move would make a difference, I'd be okay with that. But, my concern is that there's something more systemic with the nature of Jag's service going on.

Well, I can absolutely, positively guarantee that changing servers WILL make a difference!!!

I've been here about the same length of time as you, and I've been on 5 different servers. Each one has been totally different than the other. The thing is... it's a crap shoot!

The first two were a total fiasco! It was one of those 'China Syndrome' things that crop up here, from time-to-time. It was a new server, and it just wouldn't work with the mix of sites they stuck on it. They built a second server, and it was same situation. At that point, they dispersed 'the crowd'... stuck a few sites on this server, and a few on that server, yada, yada, yada -- I drew Neutron.

Neutron was GREAT, for a long time, then the 'backup thingie' cropped up. I suffered through this for 8 1/2 months, before I had enough, and had them move me to Platinum.

Wanna know the funny thing about all this?!?!?

I think Neutron has been fine since I left -- and I think Platinum has been fine since I left too.

Okay, let's get to the bottom line...

Analyzing this situation, I think as my site[s] grew -- and they got more traffic -- and they used more resources -- it was MY site[s] causing some of the problems on these servers -- me, and a few others like me (according to Tech Support).

I don't think these situations have anything to do with a systemic problem at JaguarPC, or a paradigmatic shift in the quality of service. I *think*my site[s] simply outgrew the type of account I had, and the type of server I was being hosted on.

I don't know the particulars of YOUR situation, but I would suggest that something similar is probably happening to you! Either YOUR site[s] are too much for the server/service you have -- or, you've got a neighbor, like myself, that needs to be upgraded.

As far as I'm concerned, the level of service was been consistently excellent over the 3+ years I've been here, and is actually getting better, with improvements to the ticket system, the addition of Edward, Smith, and all the other Tech Support gurus (too many to mention), the move to Atlanta, and so forth, and so on.

I don't see this place going anywhere but up...

[Chappy]

Thanks, Vin...

Good points all and on point, as well...

I'm not sure if my site is responsible or not. But, I guess that's really irrelevant. I will change servers. Which plan are you on, then, if I may ask? I thought I was on a better plan. I've toyed around with going semi-dedicated, but would like to avoid the additional expense, if possible (our site doesn't make jack-squat).

I checked the plans but the home page basically lists two hosting plans (at least as I saw them) - The LongHorn and the Semi-dedicated.

I too have generally always felt great about the service here. This morning and the recent oft repeated backup issue have left me feeling a little less enthusiastic. After my post this AM, tech support emailed back a second time saying that there was a problem (really? I'd have never guessed... Tell me that the first time - don't tell me that I don't know the necessary password to make my site work): "The load on the server was high. So we have to reboot the server. Now the server is up and all the services are running fine on it." This is the kind of stuff where I start to wonder about the nature of the service. Hopefully, they'll try to take a look first. I'm happy to make the move to a different server. I'm not happy with being told that I don't know what the *&^%( I'm doing. Generally, I have some idea what I'm doing. Probably just inexperience or a bad night.

Anyway, the bottom line is this. You made great points. I'll ask to move to a different server and would be grateful if you were able to share your plan name with me. Perhaps it is semi-dedicated, which is fine, if I need to.

Thanks for your help!

Mike D.

[Vin DSL]

Thanks, Vin... would be grateful if you were able to share your plan name with me. Perhaps it is semi-dedicated, which is fine, if I need to...

My pleasure!

Yep, you got it right... Semi-Dedicated Plan, aka SDX.

• More Resources per user than any shared hosting, guaranteed!

Hauls ass too! I think Ronny downloaded at 14MB/sec off Kraken...

[jason]

Chappy,

You're right--the only plans available right now are the Longhorn and the SDX. A couple years ago Jag made the decission to offer only one standard shared plan, launching the the 1Gb Gigadeal. That's been upgraded twice now to what is now the Longhorn.

--Jason

[Chappy]

Thanks to each of you...

How does SDX compare to the VPS plan, and do you consider the VPS plan a viable alternative middle road between SDX and Shared, given the money difference?

Mike D.

[Vin DSL]

...do you consider the VPS plan a viable alternative middle road between SDX and Shared, given the money difference?

Short answer... yes!

How does SDX compare to the VPS plan...?

Actually, I consider VPS to be more of a bridge between Shared and managed Dedicated hosting, e.g. you'll have many of the freedoms and features afforded by Dedicated hosting, but Tech Support will still be available to you, just like on Shared. That's the magic of VPS!

SDX is sort of a Shared hosting hybrid/throwback. It's exactly like regular Shared hosting, except the machines are NOT oversold (in the parlance -- not an accusation). You reap the benefits of having an ungodly amount of resources on tap... CPU, storage, bandwidth, et cetera, because there are only, like, 20 accounts on a machine instead of 200, or whatever. The actual numbers are inscrutable, but you get the idea, right?

[Chappy]

Thanks, again. From our budgetary sense, I think we'll switch to VPS. This conversation has been very helpful.

Mike D.

[the_ancient]

actually getting better, ...., the move to Atlanta,

Surly you jest..... the words "better" and "atlanta" should never be uttered in the same post.

[Vin DSL]

Surly you jest...

I guess you 'jest' musta missed this...

I think Ronny downloaded at 14MB/sec off Kraken [ in Atlanta ]...

[the_ancient]

I guess you 'jest' musta missed this...

So I guess you will sacrific Stability and Qaulity, for Speed

[Vin DSL]

So I guess you will sacrific Stability and Qaulity, for Speed

Heh! You're the King of Non-sequitur, Ancient!

[the_ancient]

Heh! You're the King of Non-sequitur, Ancient!

who so.... Latly GNAX seems to have gotten there act together down there, but you have to admit there were some serious stability issuses at first....

I just dont have any confidence in them(gnax) to maintain this stability