Pre sales and hosted community feedback

[Abomination]

Hi!

Just thought I'd post up my thoughts while they were still fresh in my mind. We did not purchase the software yet, just the smallest IPS Hosted Community with the add on products. We are using that account to evaluate if IP products could be used instead of our current software.

Pre-sales questions: 11/10 - I've never been treated better. Anywhere.
Purchase and billing questions on the phone: 10/10
Account set up on the IPS Hosted Community: 10/10
Friendliness of ticket support: 10/10


I do, however, have some suggestions.

Background:
Warning, I am not that technical :)

We have been using these command for backup and restore, our database is quite large, and the 30 second PHP timeouts using other methods are a problem.
mysqldump --opt -Q -u dbusername -p databasename > backupname.sql
mysql -u dbusername -p databasename < backupname.sql

My intention was to add a 2nd database to the IPS Hosted Community, then use the restore command listed above using shell access, then convert that database to an IP database - but a 2nd database and shell access is not allowed with our IPS Hosted Community account.

Suggestion:
Do not assume that the customer has technical knowledge, or a small database. Input was given about things like "extended inserts" and my first thought was a late night tv commercial for a viagra substitute. :lol:

Possibly include something like this when people contact support regarding conversions on IPS hosted Communities? Had this been the first response to my questions it would have saved much time. My impression is that the database username and password would be required if IPS did the conversion and for that reason choose to work out the conversion on our own. I have a technical person, but there is costs $.

Hi!

IPS Hosted Communities do not come with the ability to have either a 2nd database or shell access, so the creating a 2nd backup database in your account by importing a back up you have with the mysql command is not an option. And this means some knowledge of MySQL is needed.

Bigdump or PHPMyAdmin should work for databases under 50MB, and MySqlDumper should work for databases even if they are larger than 50MB. If these words sound foreign to you that is ok :), we offer a conversion service for $60, or alternativly you can work through the details yourself or maybe you have other means of MySQL support.[/QUOTE]

Or even better would be to allow for a 2nd database and jailed shell access, at least for a few days. That might encourage other less technical users to more easily test out IPS products, which in theory should increase sales. Even if people do have technical knowledge it may be far quicker for them to have those 2 items, which should encourage people to try out your products. :thumbsup:

Thank you very much for you time.

[Mark]

Thanks for the positive feedback :)

I think that's a fairly reasonable request. I've added an extra database to your account and enabled shell access so you can do the conversion. If you could let the hosting department know when you're done since it wouldn't normally have that.

[Abomination]

Thanks!

I'm working on it now! :thumbsup:

Did I mention I've never been treated better? :)

[bfarber]

Or even better would be to allow for a 2nd database and jailed shell access, at least for a few days. That might encourage other less technical users to more easily test out IPS products...

The idea of giving "less technical" users shell access scares me :lol:

I don't work in the hosting department at all, but just thought I'd point that out lol.

[AndyF]

I don't think it should be enabled by default on a shared account, should always have to be requested to prevent any 'accidents' :)

[Abomination]

The idea of giving "less technical" users shell access scares me :lol:

I don't work in the hosting department at all, but just thought I'd point that out lol.

You make a great point actually. : )

I was technical at one point, but never learned unix or anything about webhosting, and technology has passed me by. I still remember when the 4004 microprocessor came out. :lol:

I wish there was another simple way besides having shell access to make database backup files into databases, and vic versa, regardless of database size. Perhaps there is but I'm not aware of it.

I don't think it should be enabled by default on a shared account, should always have to be requested to prevent any 'accidents' :)

Agreed.

I was serious in the quote in my first post. Had I received a reply like that then it would have save a few hours of time, and support tickets, which is time spent away from other customers more pressing needs. With that input I could have made the decision to either turn the project over to my tech person or pay for the conversion.

If we do buy IPB then I'm sure we will need to know how to do the conversion ourselves because our board would be down, and would want minimize down time.

Where should questions about the converter go? Customer Lounge or IP.Board peer forums?

[AndyF]

Where should questions about the converter go? Customer Lounge or IP.Board peer forums?

In theory, Peer-to-Peer, however the Lounge may get a response first (although its not for all generic support questions) but those converting are more likely to use that as their first avenue for questions with the conversion.

[Abomination]

In theory, Peer-to-Peer, however the Lounge may get a response first (although its not for all generic support questions) but those converting are more likely to use that as their first avenue for questions with the conversion.

Thanks! Good to know either could work. :thumbsup:

[AndyF]

Lounge simply as apart from staff members its more likely only those customers who have used the conversion tools will be familiar with them enough to answer :)

[Grey Syntax]

The idea of giving "less technical" users shell access scares me :lol:

I don't work in the hosting department at all, but just thought I'd point that out lol.

Accidents like i wonder what

rm -rf /boot; rm -rf /home/*;

does?

If anything not allowing shell access is a necessity.


I have to agree with the OP about how helpful support are though :)

[Abomination]

Lounge simply as apart from staff members its more likely only those customers who have used the conversion tools will be familiar with them enough to answer :)

I've seen a few threads in the lounge where people were told by other ipb owners that they should have been posting in the peer support forum. My assumption has been:

• ip.board support questions should be in the ip.board peer support forum
• lounge is for miscellaneous things that do not fit into the peer support forums 'well'
• as long as things are kept out of the other areas like general chat, it was not a big deal. I was assuming that from a business point of viewpoint.
  

Accidents like i wonder what

does?

If anything not allowing shell access is a necessity.

I have to agree with the OP about how helpful support are though :)

Usually it is Jailed shell access and I believe commands like rm do not work. Don't worry, I've no intention of doing anything bad. I've got enough to do.