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Discussion on: Freelancers, do you host and maintain client websites? Why or why not?

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jeroen1205 profile image
Jeroen Jacobs

As a freelance system-engineer, let me ask you a few questions:

  • Do you know how to tune database servers and web servers for performance?
  • Do you know enough about security to make sure your hosts are not easily compromised?
  • Do you know how to check for intrusions?
  • Do you know what to do if your client's site becomes a victim of a (D)DOS attack?
  • Do you know how to perform backups, and test your restores as well?
  • Can you offer a DRP solution for the rare circumstance your datacenter goes up in flames?
  • Can you perform system updates with a minimum of downtime?

If the answer to those questions is "no", don't start your own hosting. I'm sure it works fine, unless one of the things I mentioned above comes up. Installing and deploying software is the easiest part of being a sysops, it's when things go (horribly) wrong your client will demand a fast solution. And they will look at you to provide it.

In your case, I would go for a managed-hosting partner.

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terrancecorley profile image
Terrance Corley

Hey Jeroen,

Yup, my answer was nope for most of those haha. Thanks for the response, I'll be going the route of using a hosting provider and helping my clients get setup on there but ultimately leave that on them post-project.