>I was wondering if anyone here is using a MacOS X box with a fixed IP >cable DSL account as a commercial grade web server? Is this a >reasonable alternative to using a hosting company like Verio?
This... this is a touchy subject, I think. I have my own feelings about it, and they may not be typical. Certainly take them with a grain of salt - I work at an ISP, and my opinions may be heavily deluded with "you need more than consumer access".
My opinion is thusly:
* you can do it, yes, but I wouldn't.
There are a few factors, really:
* your dsl/cable provider may restrict you from doing so, both from the filtering of web traffic, from the restriction of their AUP, or just generically, DSL leases, equipment renumbering, and a "dynamic static IP" (where it's static for as long as they want it to be, but they've got no contract to continue providing you the same number).
* the reason the "Slashdot effect" exists ISN'T because servers are old, or because of the mindless hordes, it is solely because a) pages contain a lot of data, or b) you run out of traffic. I've survived seven Slashdot effects on a meagre T1 and smart layout/design of pages. I doubt you'd be able to do the same on a dsl/cable equivalent.
* you're not just web serving. you'd also have to find someone to wear the security princess hat (ie., you're putting your own box on your the web full time - who's handling security? who's running checks and balances? how many personal files are left on the machine? what happens when it goes down? what's your backup strategy?), as well as someone who is going to host your zone record. and, what about mail for the domain? are you sure you're just doing webhosting, or are you up for doing DNS and email as additional supplements? what about FTP/SSH services?
* as a corollary to the above, are you going to handle the above on a full-time basis? I feel like everyday, at the ISP, I'm running around internet-cop'ing someone else's moron that thinks they can run their own servers off their MSCE and RHCE certificates. does your dsl and cable provider give you proper reverse DNS?
* are you providing hosting on your box besides your own?
I work at a web host/ISP. I have DSL (much to my chagrin). I write about Apache and OS X professionally. I don't think I'd run anything "serious" off my box (anything besides fileshare networks, interim FTP servers for massive file uploads, or port 8888'd web servers for demonstrative testing). It just feels *wrong* and *cheap* - I can recall too many stories of people advertising webhosting off their DSL accounts, and then pages coming to an absolute crawl during peak periods, bad weather, admin idiocy, or what have you. Please don't make the web a world of Geocities.
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