Best host

Rails
1

I’m trying to host a small RoR website with a MySQL backend. This site
will have minimal traffic and needs to be easy to set up. What host
would you recommend and why? We can’t afford a dedicated server, so I’m
guessing that we will need a place that uses Mongrel.

Any thoughts?

Will

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Business.

2

Will G. wrote:

I’m trying to host a small RoR website with a MySQL backend. This site
will have minimal traffic and needs to be easy to set up. What host
would you recommend and why? We can’t afford a dedicated server, so I’m
guessing that we will need a place that uses Mongrel.

Well, I’ve just switched to RailsMachine and so far it’s been great. I
was worried about switching to a VPS because I don’t have any experience
in web deployment, but with their deployment gems it was very easy to
get running. By default it has MySQL and mongrel_cluster.

If you prefer shared hosting for price, I used Dreamhost before, which
is also fairly easy to get going, although people seem to have mixed
reports on that.

RailsMachine has really impressed me by being a VPS that was easier to
set up than my previous shared host.

DBL

3

Hi Will,

Will G. wrote:

I’m trying to host a small RoR website with
a MySQL backend. This site will have minimal
traffic and needs to be easy to set up. What host
would you recommend and why? We can’t
afford a dedicated server, so I’m guessing that
we will need a place that uses Mongrel.

Any thoughts?

I had similar requirements and went with a2hosting, primarily because
they
offered Mongrel and they were the only service that offered a ‘pathway’
from
shared through VPS to dedicated hosting (I’ve got high hopes :wink: ).
Prices
are very good. Rails is already set up. Their support has been great.
It
seems like all Rails-related questions go right to the Level 3 folks. I
do
not have any personal experience with other Rails hosting servicves, but
based on the complaints I see from others re: their providers, I
recommend
a2hosting for shared hosting of Rails apps.

hth,
Bill

4

Will G. wrote:

I’m trying to host a small RoR website with a MySQL backend. This site
will have minimal traffic and needs to be easy to set up. What host
would you recommend and why? We can’t afford a dedicated server, so
I’m guessing that we will need a place that uses Mongrel.

Any thoughts?
RailsPlayground. I’m using their shared plan with a pound/mongrel
cluster and performance has been fine. Also, their customer support is
excellent.

Jamey

5

I would second RailsPlayground. They have a wide variety of plans at
very reasonable prices (I’m on the barebones basic one, and very
content). They also have stellar support.

Mohit S. wrote:

James Cribbs wrote:

cluster and performance has been fine. Also, their customer support is
excellent.

Jamey

It was reported that a2hosting.com has some odd errors, one of which is
related to using send_file with mongrel. Is that problem on
RailsPlayground also? For my application, send_file is a must (need to
protect the files that people upload, and so they must go through the
controller)… but I like the ‘look’ of a2hosting - and have heard them
mentioned very favourably on this list…

Cheers
Mohit.

6

James Cribbs wrote:

cluster and performance has been fine. Also, their customer support is
excellent.

Jamey

It was reported that a2hosting.com has some odd errors, one of which is
related to using send_file with mongrel. Is that problem on
RailsPlayground also? For my application, send_file is a must (need to
protect the files that people upload, and so they must go through the
controller)… but I like the ‘look’ of a2hosting - and have heard them
mentioned very favourably on this list…

Cheers
Mohit.

7

Bryan M wrote:

I would second RailsPlayground. They have a wide variety of plans at
very reasonable prices (I’m on the barebones basic one, and very
content). They also have stellar support.

I was reading the following page:
http://www.rubyonrailswebhost.com/
and realized that I have not heard much about their Top 3 Hosts on this
list much. Their Top-3 is: Bluehost, HostMonster and Site 5.

I think I heard that people were quite pleased with Site 5. I’m trying
to decide between Site 5 and RailsPlayground (I was keen on a2Hosting,
but the problem with file_send and mongrel there is scaring me).
RailsPlayground offers monrel support from the look of it, but seem to
have had 9 network incidents in September. As for Site 5, I can’t tell.

Any pointers? Any known gotchas with these hosts?

Cheers
Mohit.

8

I think I heard that people were quite pleased with Site 5. I’m trying
to decide between Site 5 and RailsPlayground (I was keen on a2Hosting,
but the problem with file_send and mongrel there is scaring me).
RailsPlayground offers monrel support from the look of it, but seem to
have had 9 network incidents in September. As for Site 5, I can’t tell.

Any pointers? Any known gotchas with these hosts?

I just recently worked with someone hosted at Site5 (for about a week)
and
I wouldn’t recommend them based on that experience. Their support was
less than helpful to say the least, and there’s no mongrel that I can
see
(although maybe they offer it in a different package).

-philip

9

Philip H. wrote:

Any pointers? Any known gotchas with these hosts?

I just recently worked with someone hosted at Site5 (for about a week) and
I wouldn’t recommend them based on that experience. Their support was
less than helpful to say the least, and there’s no mongrel that I can see
(although maybe they offer it in a different package).

-philip
I see… that makes sense, then. I’m now looking at RailsPlayground as
the main contender. Can’t seem to find much information about BlueHost
or HostMonster in this list. I have a couple of sites to host for
different people, so I don’t mind going with different providers.

I’m all set to go - getting out of my current shared hosting, then
transferring my domains to GoDaddy (they seem to have good prices for
renewal) and then update the name servers to point to a Rails-enabled
host. The only missing information is the Rails-enabled host right
now… :-S

Cheers
mohit.

10

On Oct 5, 2006, at 11:28 AM, Mohit S. wrote:

Any thoughts?
which is
related to using send_file with mongrel. Is that problem on
RailsPlayground also? For my application, send_file is a must
(need to
protect the files that people upload, and so they must go through the
controller)… but I like the ‘look’ of a2hosting - and have heard
them
mentioned very favourably on this list…

Cheers
Mohit.

We have several customers (at PLANET ARGON) using mongrel with pound
(or lighty) and haven’t heard anyone bring up any issues with
send_file. If you’re looking for another option during your search,
you might stop by Get In Touch - Planet Argon and ask some
of our customers yourself for their opinions. :slight_smile:

Robby

–
Robby R.
Founder and Executive Director

PLANET ARGON, LLC
Ruby on Rails Development, Consulting & Hosting

www.robbyonrails.com

+1 503 445 2457
+1 877 55 ARGON [toll free]
+1 815 642 4068 [fax]

11

I was reading the following page:
http://www.rubyonrailswebhost.com/
and realized that I have not heard much about their Top 3 Hosts on this
list much. Their Top-3 is: Bluehost, HostMonster and Site 5.

Don’t ever trust that site. They rated the sites based on affiliate
money. Railsplayground will never be there because it doesn’t have
affiliate program !

I think I heard that people were quite pleased with Site 5. I’m trying
to decide between Site 5 and RailsPlayground (I was keen on a2Hosting,
but the problem with file_send and mongrel there is scaring me).
RailsPlayground offers monrel support from the look of it, but seem to
have had 9 network incidents in September. As for Site 5, I can’t tell.

Any pointers? Any known gotchas with these hosts?

I really don’t like hosts offering rails hosting using
Apache/fcgi/cPanel. I’m offering free hosting at freeonrails.com using
litespeed ruby API, and I find it better than mongrel/fcgi.

-Pratik

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Dont judge those who try and fail, judge those who fail to try…