Public Relations and Server Load?

[willis]

Howdy, I'm a newbie around here and I hope I'm in the right pew. With two others, I maintain a website serving a small area of the exurbs of Washington D.C. in the Eastern Panhandle of WV. We're volunteers trying to preserve our history in the face of overwhelming urban sprawl and endeavoring to instill a sense of community where residents endure a 4hr round trip commute, daily. About the only way one can meet and greet is via the 'net nowadays.

So, we are small, operating what is essentially a hobby board supported by donations, a few local adverts and the help of WHB's shared servers. Only one of use knows code from a hole in the ground and it isn't I, who acts more or less as the "people person" of the trio. We're trying to gain the trust of the folks in our area many of whom are old time residents leery of hi-tech notions(as I was until 4-5 years ago).

Yesterday I and other viewers of our website were greeted with the notice:

This account has been suspended by WebHostingBuzz.com.

Please contact us at whbsupport.com immediately and open up a ticket under billing or support.

A bit flabbergasted by the notice I followed the instructions and being a people person rather than a techie-type, I called WHB and talked to a gentleman, "Jeff". He explained what I already understood: that if a problem arises on a shared server, one has to act with alacrity to preserve the status of the other clients. BUT(and this is one of my big buts) does the notice have to sound so damning? I suggest "your website has been temporarily suspended due to technical difficulties" as an alternative.

Now, if we aren't paying our bills and are deadbeats(as one might infer from the notice that was shown) shame on us. After due notice, slap that statement across the screen, BUT....

The second beef(and I don't want anyone to think I'm a complainer-see this POST) is a lack of information supplied to our techie-type. In a rather Kafkaesque scenario, we are accused of an infraction and given virtually no information on how to resolve the situation. I promised "Jeff" that I would see what our(I'll call him Admin-and rightfully so)Admin could do. We were given till the next day to comply. Our Admin emailed WHB and stated that he would like an explanation on how to proceed. So far no response.

So here we sit, like Thomas Beckett, waiting for the ax to fall. Our entire staff(lol) is on pins and needles. Seriously, it is kinda a Catch-22 type position in which we find ourselves. I recalled the forum(cripes, I DO like the vB set-up)and thought I'd run this by clients and staff.

Thanks for you patience-I'm extraordinarily verbose with 3 fingers on a keyboard.

[Alan B]

It sounds as if you installed some sort of script or mailer in that account that was poorly-written and hogged resources. When such things occur, Support has to act to protect the other users of the server.

[tjplaw]

It would be helpful if WHB would explain this issue in greater detail and avoid this happening to other customers.

[Colin]

I like you sig, tjplaw.

And is there a means to, temporarily, set timers on how long the site is executing scripts?

[casimedicos]

same problem
http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewt...98936#p3198936

(yesterday i can not post here)

[willis]

It sounds as if you installed some sort of script or mailer in that account that was poorly-written and hogged resources. When such things occur, Support has to act to protect the other users of the server.

A B: I understand the need for swift action to protect others when the server's functionality is threatened. BUT it still reeks of Kafka in its execution and follow-up. I'm told by our "expert" in such matters, that nothing had been added or changed for several weeks prior to the problem-But that's not my beef. I hate to have our users(my neighbors) think we're deadbeats:
This account has been suspended... immediately and open up a ticket under billing or support.
And a follow up explanation ought to be provided to us regarding our particular sin. Perhaps, being an unschooled newbie, I've missed a protocol or SOP
But anyway, apparently we're back "on the Air" in some sort of probationary status and I am grateful to the management for that. Thanks again for the responses, guys, and one more attaboy to WHB for providing the venue in which I could whine

[armyb77]

This just happened to us keepitintimate.com yesterday. I have never heard of poorly written code as the reason for a suspension until it happened to me and I can say that WebHostingBuzz is the only ones that are doing it because as soon as it happened we began to talk to other hosting services for a possible migration over. Still no real explanation as to what happened aside from the fact that we had about 3000 vistors yesterday compared to our old visit count of around 300 per day. Still that's pretty sorry to suspend an account for having to much business. We are a simple lingerie shop, we don't do downloads, and everything is Cubecart.

All I can say is shame on WebHostingBuzz for doing what they are doing. We will now be spending much of this week reassuring customers that we are legitimate and that it was a server problem not related to anything dealing with our business practices.

Thanks for letting me rant!

Mike

[Alan B]

I have never heard of poorly written code as the reason for a suspension until it happened to me

It often happens that someone uses insecure or out-of-control scripts on shared servers and thus gets suspended.

I can say that WebHostingBuzz is the only ones that are doing it

Nonsense. I've been with other hosts and they also suspend accounts if a script causes instability or spam on the server. This is common practice, despite your denial. More than common practice, it is necessary.

[casimedicos]

as say here
http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewt...98936#p3198936

Re: phpbb3 rc5 - account ...

by cybrid23 on Wed Sep 19, 2007 7:07 pm
casimedicoses wrote:
then
there is no problems in my phpbb?


More than likely not.

The tip off was the line I quoted.

Free hosts/shared hosts use this tactic to get people to buy their paid hosting. It begins much like yours, then they start changing the reasons for suspending your board. They never give a clear answer, or point in any direction to a solution.

But they will always say all these problems will go away if you upgrade to one their paid plans...

[Alan B]

You may propose all the conspiracy theories you like. They don't apply here, at a responsible host such as WHB. If you account uses a normal level of resources and doesn't spam, then you'll never have any problems with suspension. If account hogs resources, makes the server unstable or spams, then it will be suspended. That is to protect all the other clients on that shared server.

[casimedicos]

and you can say all the beautiful words that you want but this is a usual practice of hosting companies and whb is not different

you only have to search a bit on this forum and you discover situations like this

whb say that you overload server
but They never give a clear answer, or point in any direction to a solution.

this is a fact
some examples
(first post on this topic)
http://www.whbstatus.com/showthread.php?t=1350
or this
http://www.whbstatus.com/showthread.php?t=953
http://www.whbstatus.com/showthread.php?t=1142
http://www.whbstatus.com/showthread.php?t=1160
http://www.whbstatus.com/showthread.php?t=1143
etc,,,
i do not say that whb was worst than others, but this is no an conspiracy theories this is a fact

and this is the problem of overselling or host a lot of sites in same server in whb there are more than 450 sites on servers

(sorry for my english)

and more...

[Alan B]

And yet, here you are.

[Colin]

Speaking of such, Mambo ain't going to be a problem is it?

[Tony]

If you account uses a normal level of resources and doesn't spam, then you'll never have any problems with suspension.

You're going off on an OT tangent here. The OP wasn't complaining about being suspended, he was complaining about the wording of the notice put up when a suspension occurs.

But since you just said it, in fact, according to the log I posted elsewhere, we were suspended completely in error. Shared6 has been having load issues for over a month now, and so far the only result of my tickets and postings here has been to suspend ME.

Anyway, we expect mistakes to happen. But I agree the wording of the notice could be a bit less volatile. Just say an error has occurred. The site admins will be contacting billing/support without telling them to.

[kiaki]

But I agree the wording of the notice could be a bit less volatile. Just say an error has occurred. The site admins will be contacting billing/support without telling them to.

Totally agreed.

[Alan B]

You're going off on an OT tangent here. The OP wasn't complaining about being suspended, he was complaining about the wording of the notice put up when a suspension occurs.

Read the thread. I wasn't responding to the OP. I was responding to later posters who complained that WHB suspends accounts for no reason to force them to upgrade, and that only WHB (and not other hosts) suspends for resource abuse.

[willis]

...and as I key, the same darned thing has happened again and after we were more or less given a positive report on our website's activities. Yes, my original complaint was that the wording of the notice is draconian to say the least-It infers we're incompetent or worse, deadbeats.

But my complaint can be amended slightly since this second episode. We're told that we're creating no problem and - BANG - here come that dratted screen msg again. In the meantime I've been as clear as I can that we're willing to take whatever remedial action is needed if we're the problem. But to do that WHAT IS the problem we have to correct.:mad:

[casimedicos]

...and as I key, the same darned thing has happened again and after we were more or less given a positive report on our website's activities. Yes, my original complaint was that the wording of the notice is draconian to say the least-It infers we're incompetent or worse, deadbeats.

But my complaint can be amended slightly since this second episode. We're told that we're creating no problem and - BANG - here come that dratted screen msg again. In the meantime I've been as clear as I can that we're willing to take whatever remedial action is needed if we're the problem. But to do that WHAT IS the problem we have to correct.:mad:

i am afraid this is the problem

http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewt...98936#p3198936

The tip off was the line I quoted.

Free hosts/shared hosts use this tactic to get people to buy their paid hosting. It begins much like yours, then they start changing the reasons for suspending your board. They never give a clear answer, or point in any direction to a solution.

But they will always say all these problems will go away if you upgrade to one their paid plans...

if this is not the problem, then they have to give a clear answer and explanation about the problem to have a solution

this is the question
what is the solution??

[Paulo Ferreira]

Let's keept the focus on concrete matters.

I too have received an email recently stating I was making an abusive use of resources, and an upgrade would solve my problem. I run a very simple mediawiki, and have checked logs and status to the best of my knowledge and found no trace of abusive use.

Anyway, this is of course normal, it is of course very possible that I am wrong and have some stray script or security issue on my web site, and likewise very possible that whb staff have made a mistake. I'm a technician, and have worked as sysadmin, and know there are lots of possibiliites involved. No harm done sofar.

The problem is, before having a clear cause for server load established, I am offered to do the upgrade. Had I no technical background, I'd be agreeing to pay 10 times more for the same service, without any plausible justification. This is the first incorrect posture.

Anyway, so far we can speculate there was (or is) plausible reason for blaming me (the client) for excessive resource use. What is NOT acceptable is that the email I get on the issue states:

"Please respond to this email by [2 days after email date] and acknowledge
that you are willing to upgrade your account, otherwise your account is
at risk of being suspended."

and, most of all, that I reply and have gotten no answer for 3 days.

I don't think it's very sensitive to judge a whole company on an isolated event, and even worse, on the behaviour of other firms in the same market.
I do believe, however, these ocurrences should be reported, so that there is a collection of events to judge on.

Paulo

[Matt R.]

We always contact either the account holder if it's a shared account, or the reseller if it is a resold account when an account is suspended now.

However, I agree, the wording needs to be changed on suspended reseller accounts to protect anonymity.

I will make this happen.