Hey guys:

I will be buying Links SQL to build a directory. I was wondering, will the hosting plan at LinkSky.com work for this directory. I really can't afford to buy dedicated hosting. This plan offers up to 300MB of disk space and 15GB of transfer. Do you know if I will be able to keep about 1,000,000 links on my directory with this plan? Furthermore, I will really appreciate it if someone can check out this plan for me and tell me if this plan has everything I need to run Links SQL.

Thank you so much for your time.

Vick

Hi,

No, a shared plan would not be enough resources to run a directory with one million links. You would need more disk space, and more then 15 gigs in traffifc. A directory that size really needs a dedicated server.

Cheers,

Alex
--
Gossamer Threads Inc.

I am really sorry Alex. I meant to say about 100,000 links. Accidently added in one extra zero. I am sorry, but do you think around one hundred thousand links will work? Also, how much do you guys charge for installation?

Thanks in advance for your time

That is too many for a shared host, IMO, especially if you are going to run the directory in dynamic mode, and you would need more disk space than 300 MG for that number of links...

I belive that Alex posted some specs in this forum awhile back...in terms of link limits...
========================================
Buh Bye!

Cheers,
Me

>>
Also, how much do you guys charge for installation?
<<

I think you get free installation when you purchase a license.

If you can't afford a dedicated server then obviously you need to make the best use of what you have. It may be wise to just reduce the number of links a bit to gain on the performance side.

A quick look at my directory, one of my active directories has about 30k links. It's got a 40 meg mysql data size, for all the over head, so you are looking at at _least_ 100Meg - 125 meg for the database alone.

Then there is the log room (for apache stats)

The room for LinkSQL itself, and your built pages, and 300 meg is a very, very tight fit.

You might be able to make it fit, but you'd have no breathing room, and you might hit problems due to space limitations.

Directories over about 10-15k links are "professional" sized. You need a different type of thinking to manage them. It's not that the program can't handle them -- it can, WONDERFULLY! you just have to plan enough server resources to do it.

You can't try to make a lot of money, or build a Yahoo on a "free" server :)

You might want to look at some of the other hosting plans that offer lower end dedicated servers. You might lose a little on performance, but you'll almost certainly get 10-30 gig of harddrive space, and at least 512meg of ram that is all yours.

For small directories, Links SQL gives you unsurpassed flexibility, control, and development potential. You can grow to any size you want, without having to "rebuild" or "retool". For larger directories, it gives you the power and performance you need to manage and deliver the information.

It then comes down to the platform you chose to run it on what sort of performance you will ultimately get.

To run a directory of 100,000 links and a moderate amount of traffic, you are looking at about $400-$500 a month in server costs. Anything less, and you start making compromises. Anything more, and you start adding to performance (hopefully!)

That's not saying it _can't_ be done, physically, but you will have performance issues that might be insurmountable for a viable service.


PUGDOG� Enterprises, Inc.

The best way to contact me is to NOT use Email.
Please leave a PM here.

>>
To run a directory of 100,000 links and a moderate amount of traffic, you are looking at about $400-$500 a month in server costs.
<<

Hmm that is a little on the high side. You can get a medium-good quality server with rackspace capable of coping with 100,000 links for about $250

Thanks for the help guys. I guess I will have to put off my dream of buidling the next yahoo until after I finish law school and get a job in a big firm which makes me work 80hrs/week . Oh well, thanks for the help. Appreciate it.

Sincerely,

Vick

The "moderate amount of traffic" is the key.

Servers are dropping, but bandwidth costs are stable, or even going up.

Each move I've paid less for the servers, even the floor space, but bandwidth has been pretty stable, or even a bit more. Competition has forced carriers out, and to merge. Rather than dropping the way a stock piled PC's have, it has actually risen.


PUGDOG� Enterprises, Inc.

The best way to contact me is to NOT use Email.
Please leave a PM here.

There is a lot more that goes into developing a site than adding links. You will find design, marketing, collecting of valid information, and such to be the big problem.

If you started now,by the time you graduated law school, you might be on your way to upgrading to higher end hardware. Also, if you start small, with more realistic dreams, you can grow and figure out how much you do have to spend -- if you are generating income, then it pays it's own way.


PUGDOG� Enterprises, Inc.

The best way to contact me is to NOT use Email.
Please leave a PM here.

Actually, currently I have a web site (LawStudentParadise.com) that is getting around 10,000 hits everyday. But I wanted to make something for the wider audience, instead of only law students. You are right, I should start now and in couple years, launch the official site when I have enough $.

Vick

Hi,

Are you planning on starting with 100,000 links? Do you have that many now to import? If not, you could start with Links SQL now and build your directory. As the site gets larger and more people visit it, hopefully it will bring in enough to cover the cost of moving to a dedicated server.

Cheers,

Alex
--
Gossamer Threads Inc.