OK, my server hosting is due for renewal and I'm looking at options for an alternative. Currently I'm on a virtual server setup, but this is too limiting for some things I want to do, so does anyone have any recommendations?
Obviously I need a good price and solid support where needed, but beyond that I have some flexibility:
1. Just rack space and bandwidth costs - I can look at building my own box - quite happy to do this.
2. Server with bandwidth costs - and I'll install my own software.
3. Server preinstalled with bandwidth costs.
Obviously these involve way different costs, or can do.
My main stipulation is that it will be running Linux (no ifs no buts, I need flexibility and reliability and Windows just can't provide this - not to mention being cr*p for remote administration).
My other stipulation is that it has to be Debian (I'll discuss this, but this is for business usage which means it has to be easy to administer with security updates and software installs - sorry to other distro users, but Debian is the only choice here - yes, I know Gentoo could possibly be another choice, but I have no experience with that yet. I've tried RPM based distros, but I can't face going back to 'dependency hell' again.)
Sorry to all non-Debian users out there, but after a brief period of bliss when I first started with Linux on an RPM distro, I spent too many hours chasing dependencies to be bothered going back and seeing how things have improved. That said, I don't care what distro anyone else uses, and I'm not going to enforce my views on you - apart from the odd light hearted dig ;-)