Webhosting: Experiences, Suggestions, etc?

[Spec8472]

Hi Folks,

I'm looking for a webhost, and I'm sure some of you have experience with getting a host.

Requirements:
* Min 50MB Space Edit: Now 150MB
* Min 3GB Transfer per month Edit: Now 10GB
* PERL support
* Access to web statistics (either raw, or a decent webstats package)
* Stable (crashing, DoSed, Slow, etc arn't good)


Would be favourable:
* Accepts payment in Aussie $$ (via Mastercard)
* 150MB or more space Now 1GB
* 5-8GB transfer per month Now 20GB

Bonus Points for:
* Support for ASP.NET
* MS SQL 2000 Database available (Sorry Access just doesn't cut it, and I'm not comfortable with MYSQL or Oracle)
* DNS Hosting with web-based control of DNS records.

If you/a friend/colleague/relative runs a webhost which does this, or you have a good experience with someone who does - let me know.

I'm looking to keep the cost down, but I'm willing to pay yearly.


<hr>
A quick 5mins on google has netted me the following:

HostOnce - http://www.hostonce.com/
500MB Space
25GB Quota
Supports: ASP.NET, ASP, PHP, CGI, PERL, ODBC

Setup Cost: nil
Ongoing Cost: USD$6.95/month (paid yearly - USD$83.40)

Extras:
- SQL Server 2000, but for USD$80/yr.
- Includes 1x .com/.net/.org/.info/.biz/.us/.co.uk domain "Free". ("Never pay registration fees again")

<hr>


Smartyhost - http://www.smartyhost.com.au/smart1.html

150MB Space
20GB Quota
99.9% Uptime SLA (50% rebate the next billing cycle if <99.9%)

Extras: Perl, PHP4, Webstats

Setup Cost: nil.
Ongoing Cost: AUD$15/month or AUD$144/year

<hr>

Hosting Bay - http://www.hostingbay.com.au/
50MB Space
5GB Quota

Extras: Stats, Perl, phpBB Forum included. Free first month

Setup Cost: nil
Ongoing Cost: AUD$9.97/month or AUD$100/year


<hr>

Spherious - http://www.spherious.com.au/personal2.html

100MB Space
2GB Quota

Extras: ASP (via Sun One), Perl, Stats, etc.

Setup Costs: nil.
Ongoing Costs: AUD$19.90/month or AUD$214/year



So... what can you folks suggest?

[Greymist]

I take it you require PERL because it's what YaBB runs on and you'd want to keep the current forum messages without  exporting all the messages to a different forum software. Also wanting MS-SQL - I'm guessing for personal use? - not MYSQL even though MYSQL is what most forums use

[Spec8472]

I take it you require PERL because it's what YaBB runs on and you'd want to keep the current forum messages without exporting all the messages to a different forum software. Also wanting MS-SQL - I'm guessing for personal use? - not MYSQL even though MYSQL is what most forums use

Yeah right on both counts, perceptive little bugger, arn't you?

MS-SQL because I'm devloping projects at home in ASP3/ASP.NET and want to host them on a 'real' server.

Edit: If everyone would prefer a move to different forum software, let me know.

[Greymist]

I asked a friend and she came up with this:

http://www.ehostingbiz.com/hosting.asp

The USD$5/month plan doesn't have MS-SQL (though it does have MYSQL and Access muhahah)

The USD$10/month plan has MSSQL 2000 and it totals out cheaper than HostOnce (if you want to pay the extra for MSSQL from hostonce) erm, both plans have unlimited transder/month.

Hope it helps, peace out

[Spec8472]

I asked a friend and she came up with this:

http://www.ehostingbiz.com/hosting.asp

Nice find! thanks to you and your friend.

[Skugg]

http://netfirms.com it has pretty much all the requirements for free except that ms sql database stuff which comes with a premier membership. i think its well worth it through