Some questions on VPS

[Amateur]

Hi,

I am currently debating to purchase the VPS Starter Package with Windows Server 2003 and have a few questions before I make the purchase.

I hoping to use the server to host client websites which are all .NET based. Some are using .NET Framework 2.0 and others using 3.5. Is it possible to host websites with different frameworks on the same VPS?

I understand that I will need to install the frameworks myself, is that correct?

As the starter package does not come with Plesk which makes me nervous, but how are back ups handled?

Can MS SQL Server 2005 / 2008 be run on the server and used as a back end for my websites?

What edition of IIS is installed? IIS7.0 by any chance?

Do blacknight handle the operating system updates and any other patches?

Is their any software that is required by me to install on the server?

What is Virtuozzo Power Panel (Vzpp) used for? How is different from Plesk?

Also, I am hoping to use the server for source control. Have ye any experience of other clients doing such? My plan is to install Subversion on it and store my source code for projects on the server. I would connect to it then from my PC.

Apologies for all the questions but I am interested in the product but want to make sure it fulfill my needs!

[blacknight]

Hi

I'll try to address as many of your queries as possible, but please excuse if I miss a couple (you can always prod us for more info!)

Originally Posted by Amateur

I hoping to use the server to host client websites which are all .NET based. Some are using .NET Framework 2.0 and others using 3.5. Is it possible to host websites with different frameworks on the same VPS?

While I am not an expert on ASP.net it is my understanding that 3.5 extends 2.0, so there shouldn't be any issue with that.

Originally Posted by Amateur

I understand that I will need to install the frameworks myself, is that correct?

Yes, but it's quite a trivial operation

Originally Posted by Amateur

As the starter package does not come with Plesk which makes me nervous, but how are back ups handled?

You can setup backups from within your control panel

Originally Posted by Amateur

Can MS SQL Server 2005 / 2008 be run on the server and used as a back end for my websites?

Yes, but please bear in mind the resource requirements and limits

Originally Posted by Amateur

What edition of IIS is installed? IIS7.0 by any chance?

IIS7 does not ship with server 2003 as far as I know.

Originally Posted by Amateur

Do blacknight handle the operating system updates and any other patches?

This KB article covers most of this:
https://support.blacknight.ie/237/wh...g-the-vps.html

Originally Posted by Amateur

Is their any software that is required by me to install on the server?

That depends on what you are trying to do

Originally Posted by Amateur

What is Virtuozzo Power Panel (Vzpp) used for? How is different from Plesk?

Virtuozzo controls the basic operations of the VPS instance, while Plesk is a hosting control panel that can manage your sites, users, email etc., without you having to get "down and dirty" with IIS configuration files etc.,

Originally Posted by Amateur

Also, I am hoping to use the server for source control. Have ye any experience of other clients doing such? My plan is to install Subversion on it and store my source code for projects on the server. I would connect to it then from my PC.

I'm not sure if anyone has done this on a Windows based VPS, though I know we have several clients who have done it on Linux VPS

Originally Posted by Amateur

Apologies for all the questions but I am interested in the product but want to make sure it fulfill my needs!

That's perfectly understandable

[Amateur]

blacknight,

Thank you very much for your detailed reply, it is very helpful.

I think all your answers have answered any questions that I have. Just the one thing:

"While I am not an expert on ASP.net it is my understanding that 3.5 extends 2.0, so there shouldn't be any issue with that."

This is half correct, 3.5 is an extension of 2.0 but 2.0 websites wont run on the 3.5 Framework and vice versa. Once I can select in IIS which framework the site is based on, then this should be covered off.

Have you any plans in the future to upgrade to IIS7.0? Or if I go ahead can it be upgraded to IIS7.0 in the future?

Also, the functions performed by Plesk, can these be performed in some other way eg allocating hosting, email addresses etc?

Finally, I do not have alot of experience of managing a server but hope to learn quickly, would you see my lack knowledge as an issue? Or a security vulnerability?

Again, thanks.

[mark]

Originally Posted by Amateur

"While I am not an expert on ASP.net it is my understanding that 3.5 extends 2.0, so there shouldn't be any issue with that."

This is half correct, 3.5 is an extension of 2.0 but 2.0 websites wont run on the 3.5 Framework and vice versa. Once I can select in IIS which framework the site is based on, then this should be covered off.

I think, you, like a lot of people are confusing the .Net Framework with ASP.Net. There are several versions of the .Net Framework, 1, 2, 3 and 3.5m whilst there are only 2 versions of ASP.Net being 1 and 2.

.Net Framework 3.5 includes ASP.Net 2 and adds some programmability. In IIS, you select what version of ASP.Net you want to use, and if you have the .Net Framework, you set to use version 3.5 of that in your code. Setting the version of .Net Framework you wish to use is set in code, and not in IIS.

This site explains it well :
Scott Hanselman's Computer Zen - How to set an IIS Application or AppPool to use ASP.NET 3.5 rather than 2.0

Originally Posted by Amateur

Have you any plans in the future to upgrade to IIS7.0? Or if I go ahead can it be upgraded to IIS7.0 in the future?

IIS 7 is a feature of Server 2008. It can not be installed on Server 2003.

[Amateur]

Originally Posted by mark

I think, you, like a lot of people are confusing the .Net Framework with ASP.Net. There are several versions of the .Net Framework, 1, 2, 3 and 3.5m whilst there are only 2 versions of ASP.Net being 1 and 2.

.Net Framework 3.5 includes ASP.Net 2 and adds some programmability. In IIS, you select what version of ASP.Net you want to use, and if you have the .Net Framework, you set to use version 3.5 of that in your code. Setting the version of .Net Framework you wish to use is set in code, and not in IIS.

This site explains it well :
Scott Hanselman's Computer Zen - How to set an IIS Application or AppPool to use ASP.NET 3.5 rather than 2.0



IIS 7 is a feature of Server 2008. It can not be installed on Server 2003.

Thanks for this information. ASP.NET is based upon the .NET Framework so it has changed with each release of the framework. Anyway you have confirmed to me that they can run on the same machine so i'm happy with that!

Is there any plans to introduce Server 2008 into VPS? If not, when ye do introduce it, would it be possible to upgrade to it?

[mark]

Originally Posted by Amateur

Is there any plans to introduce Server 2008 into VPS?

Not at present.

[Amateur]

Originally Posted by mark

Not at present.

Thanks for the confirmation.