Loft Productions VPS Web Hosting FAQs

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F.A.Q: Sales

1. What is the difference between Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting and Shared/Virtual Hosting? 2. Do you have a “Control Panel” or some other utility to manage my website? 3. Can I add software to my account? 4. What is the difference between name-based and IP based hosting? 5. How can I change my account from name-based to IP based? 6. Can I monitor my disk space and bandwidth usage? 7. How much does additional bandwidth cost? 8. How much does additional disk space cost? 9. Can I upgrade my account if I need to? 10. How do I transfer files to my web site? 11. Will I have unlimited access to update and make changes to my pages? 12. How long does it take to set up a new account? 13. Can I transfer an existing domain name to you for hosting? 14. Can I transfer a domain name registered someplace else to Loft Productions' domain registration service? 15. Will there be any downtime in transferring my domain name to Loft Productions? 16. When I register a domain name, who will have ownership of it? 17. How long does it take before my domain name is active? 18. What is Loft Productions' DNS information? 19. Can I access my domain address with or without the "www"? 20. How can I obtain my own SSL Certificate? 21. Can I use my account for commercial purposes? 22. Can I subdivide my space and resell it? 23. Are 3rd level domains available (anyname.mydomain.com)? 24. Can you host domain names other than .com .net .org .biz .info and .us? 25. Can I have additional domain names point to my hosting account? 26. Do you offer dial-up Internet access? 27. Do you offer any discounts for non-profit organizations? 28. Do you support ASP? 29. Do you support JSP? 30. Do you require "Forced Advertising" on my website? 31. Do you offer Windows based hosting? 32. How can I accept credit cards on my site? 33. Terms, Conditions and Acceptable Use Policy

1. What is the difference between Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting and Shared/Virtual Hosting? - Top

Loft Productions has moved from a “Shared” or “Virtual” hosting platform to Virtual Private Servers (VPS) for all hosting accounts. With this newer hosting technology our clients receive a higher level of security, performance and control.

With Shared Web Hosting you share your space, resources, applications and environment with potentially hundreds of other users in the same directory. This configuration can allow any compromises to a single site to affect the performance and security of anyone else on the same server.

A VPS is divided into multiple isolated environments. Each environment has it's own server software and provides autonomy for each website. Any compromise to a site would only affect that VPS and could not affect any other site on the same server. As with a dedicated server, each VPS has it's own independent operating system with it's own web server, mail server, and any installed software. A crashed application (Apache, Sendmail, MySQL etc.) in another customer's VPS has no effect on your VPS.

- Updated: September 13, 2003

2. Does Loft Productions have a “Control Panel” or some other utility to manage my website? - Top

Loft Productions clients can manage and maintain all aspects of their site through a single powerful “Site Manager”. It has been designed to give complete control to you the client. Some of the features include the ability for you to:

Add/modify/delete your own POP3 e-mail and FTP logins
Manage your DNS
View real-time statistics on bandwidth and disk quotas
Have complete control over the installation and modification of applications
Backup and Restore web files whenever you want
Manage your web server, e-mail server, and ftp server settings
And much more

- Updated: August 6, 2003

3. Can I add software to my account? - Top

Yes. Because Loft Productions offers Virtual Private Servers (VPS) rather than "Shared" or "Virtual" hosting accounts, we are able to offer our clients "root equivalent" access to their servers. You essentially have complete control over all aspects of your Virtual Private Server, including the installation of software. Secondly, because we offer support for Perl, PHP, MySQL, JSP, ASP and other programming languages, you have very few limitations when it comes to which programs, software and applications you can install. Finally, Loft Productions is constantly including software "add-ons" that can be installed automatically at any time.

- Updated: May 6, 2004

4. What is the difference between name-based and IP based hosting? - Top

Name-based hosting is when virtual hosting sites share a single IP address, with site traffic directed by the server examining 'host headers'. IP based hosting accounts come with a unique IP address that is not shared with anyone else. At any time, for an additional $5 per month, you can convert a name-based account to an IP based account.

Some of the features that require IP based hosting are:

Purchasing your own SSL certificate and using your own domain name for SSL (secure server pages).
Anonymous FTP (file sharing) for your visitors is not possible under name-based hosting.
Running scripts that require a unique IP.

- Updated: August 14, 2003

5. How can I change my account from name-based to IP based? - Top

If you wish to change your account from an name-based to IP based please contact us about ordering an IP address for your account. The charge for doing this is only $5 per month.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

6. Can I monitor my disk space and bandwidth usage? - Top

Yes. Upon logging into your Site Manager you are immediately presented with real time stats on space and bandwidth usage for your site. From the “User Usage” section of Site Manager you can also access stats on FTP and E-mail usage for individual users of your site that you may have set up with e-mail or ftp access.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

7. How much does additional bandwidth cost? - Top

If you need additional bandwidth for your account you will need to upgrade to a larger plan. If you're already at the largest plan we offer you can purchase additional bandwidth at $3.00 per Gigabyte (GB). This can be added to your account contacting us. You can also log into your Site Manager at any time to view your current bandwidth usage statistics.

- Updated: May 6, 2004

8. How much does additional disk space cost? - Top

If you need additional space for your account the first thing you should look at is upgrading it to a larger plan. If you’re already at the largest plan we offer you can purchase additional space at $2.50 per 100 megs. This too can be ordered by contacting us.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

9. Can I upgrade my account if I need to? - Top

Yes. You can upgrade your account at anytime. You will pay the difference between your current account and your new account. There are no extra fees involved in upgrading. This can all be done by contacting us.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

10. How do I transfer files to my web site? - Top

Files must be transferred to the web server via File Transport Protocol (FTP) or your account's web-based File Manager. If you need FTP, SSH, mail, or other Internet software, visit ZDNet Software Library. ZDNet Software Library is a source for the latest Internet applications with ratings and reviews to help you decide which application is best suited for your needs. An FTP tutorial is also available for beginner users who may not be familiar with FTP. We also provide a web-based File Manager to make it even easier for you to upload your files.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

11. Will I have unlimited access to update and make changes to my pages? - Top

You have unlimited access via FTP and SSH (Secure Telnet) 24-hours a day. As such, you can create and maintain your web pages on your own computer and upload files to your web site at your leisure.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

12. How long does it take to set up a new account? - Top

New accounts are set up in less than 24 hours from the time we receive your order. Once an account is set up an activation notice will be sent to you via e-mail including your account information. You can begin uploading files to your new web site immediately. You will be given an IP address to access their site via the web prior to the completion of either domain registration or domain transfer so you can start working with your account right away.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

13. Can I transfer an existing domain name to Loft Productions for hosting? - Top

Yes. When placing your order be sure to specify that you are requesting a transfer and not a new domain. You should keep the hosting service with your current provider while waiting for the DNS change process to complete. Once you place an order for your new account with Loft Productions you will receive your account information within 24 hours. Once you have received that you can start to upload files to your account before the domain name becomes active on your Loft Productions account. This gives you the chance to make the switchover completely seamless and avoid any downtime. From the time you change the DNS on your domain name to point to our name servers it will take approx 24-72 hours for the change to propagate through out the internet and become active. Once you have made sure you have got all the files you need form your account with your old provider and everything is pulling from your Loft Productions account you are then safe to close the hosting service with your old provider.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

14. Can I transfer a domain name registered someplace else to Loft Productions domain registration service? - Top

No, right now Loft Productions does not offer it's own domain registration service.
- Updated: July 10, 2005

15. Will there be any downtime in transferring my domain name to Loft Productions? - Top

If you are transferring an existing website to Loft Productions there should be no downtime of your existing website in making the transfer. You will have the opportunity to upload your files to your new Loft Productions account (delete before the transfer is completed) so everything is ready to go once the transfer is completed.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

16. When I register a domain name, who will have ownership of it? - Top

When you register a domain name with Loft Productions you, will have full ownership of your domain name. This means that you can move your domain name somewhere else or modify it however you want. You have full control over your domain name.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

17. How long does it take before my domain name is active? - Top

Once your domain name has been registered (or transferred, if applicable), it usually takes about 48-72 hours before it is active. All Internet providers must update their records (DNS tables) to reflect the new site's location.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

18. What is Loft Productions' DNS information? - Top

The following is Loft Productions' DNS information. You can use this when registering a new domain name or modifying an existing domain name.

NS1.WEST-DATACENTER.NET

69.36.161.11

NS2.WEST-DATACENTER.NET

69.36.161.12

WE2632-ORG

- Updated: August 6, 2003

19. Can I access my domain address with or without the "www"? - Top

Yes, you will be able to access the domain address with or without the "www" in front of the domain name. Example: [http://www.your-name.com] or [http://your-name.com] is acceptable, whichever you prefer.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

20. How can I obtain my own SSL Certificate? - Top

All Loft Productions hosting accounts include a free shared SSL certificate. If you would prefer to have your own SSL certificate, we can help you purchase and install a Thawte certificate automatically. Thawte is a provider of digital trust solutions. We have chosen Thawte as our SSL certificate provider because we feel that Thawte's certification practices are of the highest standard. We believe that excellent authentications and verification procedures are absolutely essential in order to ensure trust on the Internet. For more information on obtaining a Thawte SSL certificate as well as installation instructions click here For help with renewing an existing Thawte SSL certificate click here

Whether you purchase your own SSL certificate through Loft Productions/Thawte or a different provider, you will still need to generate a CSR. You can generate a CSR by installing "Open SSL" within the Site Applications section of your Site Manager. The CSR should be submitted to the SSL certificate authority as part of the application process. Once the application is approved and certificate is issued, you will need to log back in to your Site Manager, click on the "OpenSSL" link from the "Ecommerce" section of "Site Applications", and finally enter the information that you have received from Thawte or another certificate authority to activate your new SSL certificate.

We can help you obtain your own SSL Certificate from Thawte. Loft Productions is a Thawte Hosting Partner; this allows us to extend a discounted price on SSL Certificates to all of our clients. The price for an SSL Certificate is as follows:

1 Year: $185

2 Year: $299

There is also a $20 installation fee. If you would like to purchase your own SSL certificate, you can do that with our online form here.

We have chosen Thawte as our SSL Certificate provider because we feel that Thawte's certification practices are of the highest standard. We believe that excellent authentication and verification procedures are absolutely essential in order to ensure trust on the Internet. As a truly international organization in the best sense, Thawte takes great pride in its world-beating solutions.

- Updated: October 14, 2003

21. Can I use my account for commercial purposes? - Top

Yes, you can use your account for commercial purposes. The World Wide Web has become the most efficient and cost-effective means of making information available to the users of the Internet community and we encourage our clients to utilize such an enormous medium.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

22. Can I subdivide my space and resell it? - Top

Yes, we do allow you to create sub directories (http://www.yourdomain.com/something/) which you can use to offer friends or clients space as long as it's within our policy guidelines .

- Updated: August 6, 2003

23. Are 3rd level domains available (anyname.mydomain.com)? - Top

Yes, you can use a 3rd level domain name, such as yourname.whsites.com, to use on a new hosting account or with an existing account, anyname.yourdomain.com. The hosting packages are the same as the ones posted for normal domains, the advantage to these is no domain registration is needed. This means no domain registration fees!

- Updated: August 6, 2003

24. Can you host domain names other than .com .net .org .biz .info and .us? - Top

Loft Productions can host any domain name. However, we only offer domain name registration and transferring of .com .net .org .biz .info and .us domain names at this time. If you would like to use a domain name other than that, you will be responsible for registering and or transferring the domain name yourself. For a complete list of domain name registries around the world click here. For the proper name server settings your domain name will need to use click here.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

25. Can I have additional domain names point to my hosting account? - Top

Yes, you can have additional domain names point to your current account. All of our hosting packages have the ability to support multiple domains. Many packages include multiple domains by default.

You will have the option to point multiple domains at the same directory (e.g. domain.com and domain.net point to the same place), or to separate directories (e.g. domain1.com to /domain1directory/, domain2.com to /domain2directory/). Then, if you create an e-mail username (sales), mail is automatically captured for each of your domains (sales@domain1.com, sales@domain2.com, sales@domain1.net would all go to the same mailbox).

Note: If you need to have the same e-mail username (e.g. "sales") created for multiple domains, but would prefer to have separate mailboxes for each domain (e.g. sales@domain1.com and sales@domain2.com are separate mailboxes), you should consider setting up the domains on separate hosting accounts (VPS’s).

- Updated: May 11, 2004

26. Do you offer dial-up Internet access? - Top

No, you will need local Internet access in order to access your web site and retrieve e-mail from your account.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

27. Do you offer any discounts for non-profit organizations? - Top

Unfortunately we do not offer any discounts for non-profits at this time.

- Updated: July 10, 2005

28. Do you support ASP? - Top

Yes, we offer ASP on our Ultimate hosting package and higher. ASP is usually something that is unique to Windows based servers only, and Loft Productions runs all Linux based servers. Through software called Chili!Soft ASP, we are able to offer ASP on our Linux servers.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

29. Do you support JSP? - Top

Yes, we support JSP on our Ultimate hosting package.

- Updated: May 6, 2004

30. Do you require "Forced Advertising" on my website? - Top

No, we do not require any forced advertising on your website. Once you sign up for an account, you have complete control over content and information contained in your website. As long as you stay within our Policy and Guidelines, you can display anything you like.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

31. Do you offer Windows based hosting? - Top

No, not at this time. Loft Productions currently runs all Linux based servers. We will be offering Windows based hosting in the near future.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

32. How can I accept credit cards on my site? - Top

In order to accept credit cards you must have a merchant account. Loft Productions has partnered with payQuake, an affordable and reliable company, to provide you with your own merchant account & online processing system with no monthly minimum or setup fee. If you don't already have a merchant account please contact us for information on obtaining one.

- Updated: August 6, 2003

33. Terms, Conditions and Acceptable Use Policy - Top

Click Here.

- Updated: January 15, 2003