Power problems every day?

[seppalas]

Gotta say I'm mystified by the people who don't think Bluehost servers go down versus those who think it happens all the time.

My own experience -- signed on two weeks ago, with a big complex website to migrate from a host that has had big server outage problems and corrupted or absent backups, repeatedly (dotCanada). Things were okay on Bluehost for about a week.

Then -- every day around 5 or 5:30 p.m. Pacific time (I'm in the Yukon Territory in Canada), that'd be 6 or 6:30 in Utah, sudden gross slowdown or total loss of connectivity. I've been editing the site steadily in cPanel X so it's fairly obvious when it hits -- all of a sudden I hit the save button on an editit page and nothing happens!

Just did a ping thru network-tools.com and got 50-52 ms for the IP (box 140) -- but still can't bring up my site or cPanel.

When I queried the problem through the help center several days ago, I was told it was due to a local power outage (that evening I was unable to connect for between one and two hours). From the funny timing above, I could almost believe that -- right at the hour when the locals get home from work and turn on their air conditioners, electric stoves, etc.

But don't big hosting companies like this one have diesel generators backing up their show? I mean, if every day at suppertime your servers start going down you won't stay in business too long, surely.

What bothers me is the ambiguity. If I know what's going on, and its being fixed, I can live with it -- unless it happens repeatedly as in the case of dotCanada. But I'm not sure what the real story is here . . .

[PhreakPhy]

Well, look at this thread http://www.bluehostforum.com/showthread.php?t=1530
I am still waiting for a response from Matt.

[arctangent]

Just wanted to echo your statement about dotCanada; I had a couple of sites with Affordablehost, who were bought out by Light Speed Technologies, who also run dotCanada. Worst "support" possible, crappy uptime, slow overcrowded servers. Mind-bogglingly, monumentally bad.

Bluehost is far , far better than dotCanada. :) Not perfect, though.

[grant]

Well, look at this thread http://www.bluehostforum.com/showthread.php?t=1530
I am still waiting for a response from Matt.

Why should he respond to the never ending flamefests? Seriously, it just looks like you're wanting to tear him down, period. What's the point? You're upset, we all know your upset. Find a better outlet for your anger. Trust me, it will help... Maybe...

[PhreakPhy]

You are correct in assessing that I am upset. I am amazed with your ability to extrapolate that information from the little information that I posted in the above said thread. Not! Of course I am upset and I have every right to be. My dismay is not caused by the downtime. I am upset because I was lied to. I didn’t lose any money because my site was unavailable for a few hours, but I did lose all respect for this hosting company.

If they lied about the backup generators, who knows what else has been lied about. What if they really just have an OC-3 instead of an OC-48 as advertised and that is the reason behind a perceived slowness? Then would you be upset? What if your server is not a quad processor machine but a single and that is the reason you keep exceeding CPU usage? How big of a lie should it take for customers to care? I don’t care how small the lie is, if I agree to pay a certain amount per month for a service I expect all features that have been agreed upon. So if you don’t care that you have been lied to then so be it, but don’t go criticizing me for having ethics.

-Phreak

[grant]

You are correct in assessing that I am upset. I am amazed with your ability to extrapolate that information from the little information that I posted in the above said thread. Not! Of course I am upset and I have every right to be. My dismay is not caused by the downtime. I am upset because I was lied to. I didn’t lose any money because my site was unavailable for a few hours, but I did lose all respect for this hosting company.

If they lied about the backup generators, who knows what else has been lied about. What if they really just have an OC-3 instead of an OC-48 as advertised and that is the reason behind a perceived slowness? Then would you be upset? What if your server is not a quad processor machine but a single and that is the reason you keep exceeding CPU usage? How big of a lie should it take for customers to care? I don’t care how small the lie is, if I agree to pay a certain amount per month for a service I expect all features that have been agreed upon. So if you don’t care that you have been lied to then so be it, but don’t go criticizing me for having ethics.

-Phreak

okay... :rolleyes: <backs out of thread slowly>

[Oatmuffin]

ethics or no ethics, you gotta read carefully:

"Diesel Generator Backup Power"

this is all they have listed on their site features. they did provide this service. it no where states that this will in fact apply to all servers (since the generator failed on a few of the servers). if you are mad at Bluehost because you mistook the advertisement, then you must be mad at every company that advertises.

oh sweet a razr phone for $30? wait, i have to sign a contract to get that for 2 years?

take them to court, you will lose. if you want to make a point cancel the account. this is achieving nothing.


You are correct in assessing that I am upset. I am amazed with your ability to extrapolate that information from the little information that I posted in the above said thread. Not! Of course I am upset and I have every right to be. My dismay is not caused by the downtime. I am upset because I was lied to. I didn’t lose any money because my site was unavailable for a few hours, but I did lose all respect for this hosting company.

If they lied about the backup generators, who knows what else has been lied about. What if they really just have an OC-3 instead of an OC-48 as advertised and that is the reason behind a perceived slowness? Then would you be upset? What if your server is not a quad processor machine but a single and that is the reason you keep exceeding CPU usage? How big of a lie should it take for customers to care? I don’t care how small the lie is, if I agree to pay a certain amount per month for a service I expect all features that have been agreed upon. So if you don’t care that you have been lied to then so be it, but don’t go criticizing me for having ethics.

-Phreak

[Early Out]

ethics or no ethics, you gotta read carefully:

"Diesel Generator Backup Power"

this is all they have listed on their site features. they did provide this service. it no where states that this will in fact apply to all servers (since the generator failed on a few of the servers).In fact, it doesn't say that the servers have diesel generator backup power at all. So, would it be OK if you discovered that the diesel generator backup power was there only for the CEO's hot tub? Any reasonable person reading that statement would assume that it meant that the servers were immune to power outages. Any other assumption would be unreasonable.

Companies get away with false advertising because we let them.

[Morph]

Yes that is true, loop holes in the wording that leave ways for the company to get out of.

But in the end, it's the company that will loose the most, not the customer. A customer can always find another host ( or whatever the service is ) but the company will loose the customer forever. I have changed many hosts, presently I am with bluehost but it will take me only 2 days to change host again if I am not pleased by the quality of the service. But each customer that is lost will never come back to the same company. If the service starts to deteriorate it is very easy to go out of business - less quality = less customers = less profit = less quality equipment = more loss of customers etc..... it is a chain reaction that only needs one issue, like the present donwtime problem, to start the way to the end of the company.

I hope that in this case ( bluehost ) realises the importance of credibility. If they want to stay popular they must respect us.

[kb2seo]

:rolleyes: Well Dudes and Dudettes,

I spoke to one of the Management and was assured that the situation is being fixed as we speak. We were affected here in Georgia too. they are in process of making a few moves, and some of the equipment was caught between and betwix. i worked for a local utility and ISP for a long while. you can't just yank it and PLOP! over night. It goes in stages, Make sure the carton will hold the eggs then move on.

Was this site for organ donation? Was little Suzie waitng for her Kidney? Was she logging in for it and she's now a gonner? If it's anything less than that, it's just the chance you take in business/Website running/ Whatever. It's a computer. Go for a bike ride, go fishing, Hold your significant other's hand- but don't stress! it's just a website- it's not real. It's like Bugs Bunny. fun to see, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not really there. It's an excuse not to be in reality.

[dvessel]

...
Was this site for organ donation? Was little Suzie waitng for her Kidney? Was she logging in for it and she's now a gonner? If it's anything less than that, it's just the chance you take in business/Website running/ Whatever. It's a computer. Go for a bike ride, go fishing, Hold your significant other's hand- but don't stress! it's just a website- it's not real. It's like Bugs Bunny. fun to see, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not really there. It's an excuse not to be in reality.

LOL! Well said. :p There's nothing wrong with engaging in these debates but it's good to have some perspective.

[grant]

:rolleyes: Well Dudes and Dudettes,

I spoke to one of the Management and was assured that the situation is being fixed as we speak. We were affected here in Georgia too. they are in process of making a few moves, and some of the equipment was caught between and betwix. i worked for a local utility and ISP for a long while. you can't just yank it and PLOP! over night. It goes in stages, Make sure the carton will hold the eggs then move on.

Was this site for organ donation? Was little Suzie waitng for her Kidney? Was she logging in for it and she's now a gonner? If it's anything less than that, it's just the chance you take in business/Website running/ Whatever. It's a computer. Go for a bike ride, go fishing, Hold your significant other's hand- but don't stress! it's just a website- it's not real. It's like Bugs Bunny. fun to see, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not really there. It's an excuse not to be in reality.


Very well said. Couldn't agree more. :D

[YakYakYak]

Well Dudes and Dudettes,

I spoke to one of the Management and was assured that the situation is being fixed as we speak. We were affected here in Georgia too. they are in process of making a few moves, and some of the equipment was caught between and betwix. i worked for a local utility and ISP for a long while. you can't just yank it and PLOP! over night. It goes in stages, Make sure the carton will hold the eggs then move on.

Was this site for organ donation? Was little Suzie waitng for her Kidney? Was she logging in for it and she's now a gonner? If it's anything less than that, it's just the chance you take in business/Website running/ Whatever. It's a computer. Go for a bike ride, go fishing, Hold your significant other's hand- but don't stress! it's just a website- it's not real. It's like Bugs Bunny. fun to see, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not really there. It's an excuse not to be in reality.

The point you are missing here, is that they do say:
WORLD CLASS TECHNOLOGY INCLUDED
Quad Processor Performance Servers
Denial of Service Protection (DDOS)
UPS Power Backup
Diesel Generator Backup Power
Customized Apache Web Server
24/7 Network Monitoring
Mirrored Storage Backups
OC-48 Backbone Connection

Not just to some buildings or some servers, it is implied that all the server(s) I/you signed up for have all the above technology, not just some. The Management at Bluehost knows, and has known they have a problem with their utility feed. The transplant scenario is a little extreme, but a lot of people here make their living off of these servers, and expect those servers to be up a very high percentage of the time (I am not one of those). I also understand BH's issue cost revenue, but what I don't understand is their silence, and in some case lies. The outage last week was blamed on faulty HVAC, and overheating of the generator, or the generator causing an overheating problem in the server room. Then some posts this week from alleged BH employees, stating that the other building did not have a generator, then a message from Matt about his trip to vegas, and the impending birth of his child, but brushing over the power issue...

P.S.
Are you going to be so understanding if you are docked a days pay for no fault of your own...

[PhreakPhy]

This is turning into a flame war, and if it continues it will get probably get deleted. So stop it. Because I think the customers still want answers. So keep this thread alive and on topic for the sake of the people who don’t want to see this kind of thing happen again.

I would rather have a blog about inter-company going ons than a Vegas Vacation.

-Phreak

[Oatmuffin]

This is turning into a flame war, and if it continues it will get probably get deleted. So stop it. Because I think the customers still want answers. So keep this thread alive and on topic for the sake of the people who don’t want to see this kind of thing happen again.

I would rather have a blog about inter-company going ons than a Vegas Vacation.

-Phreak


yes, as soon as you post everything you did at work on your personal blog or website.

you want compensation? mail them an envelope with a 35 cent stamp and i'm sure they'll make you 4 pennies. you can't expect the power issue to be resolved after the first downtime on friday in one business day. it takes time to correct these issues, as much time as it might take to remove your underwear from the recesses of thine hiney.

[Early Out]

This thread has revealed that there are two distinct categories of people. Category A: people who don't mind being lied to, as long as it's about something they don't believe is particularly important. Category B: people who expect to be told the truth, whether the subject is significant or not.

[grant]

This thread has revealed that there are two distinct categories of people. Category A: people who don't mind being lied to, as long as it's about something they don't believe is particularly important. Category B: people who expect to be told the truth, whether the subject is significant or not.

I don't like being lied to, either. I don't believe I was ever lied to though (I didn't know about the generators, and really don't care either way. My site has been up more so than at any other host, ever.), you seem to think you may have been lied to. Is it okay to agree to disagree on some things? Apparently not to some people.

I have an understanding as to how slowly getting power routed correctly and recoverey can take. Some people aren't as understanding, and seem to want things to happen at the flick of a switch. Doesn't work that way, and griping and complaining about it on a forum doesn't make anything go faster, or help to solve the problem at hand. Trust me, in the grand scheme of things, this is a minor issue. Worse things are currently happening in the world (just flip on the news), yet people that lost a few hours of uptime act as if they are Job (biblical guy) and God is personally messing with them.

The way I see it, there are 2 kinds of people here (you're right); Those that can take life's problems in stride, and those that can't seem to.

In other words; Lighten up, people.

[Early Out]

I didn't know about the generators, and really don't care either way.There's the rub, I think. I suspect you'd feel differently about the power outages if you had been induced to move your business website to BH, and were relying on having generators to provide power to all the servers, especially the one that your site is on.

Those of us who maintain websites just for the heck of it (and I include myself in that category) can have the luxury of taking these kinds of problems in stride. I certainly wouldn't have been one of the ones screaming for immediate action when the lights went out. My website being down wouldn't have been a big deal (as it turns out, the box I'm on was already in the newer facility, so it stayed up).

But having said that, I can fully appreciate how others might feel that BH had promised them something fairly straightforward (generator backup power) and failed to deliver on that promise, thereby costing them lost revenue, lost customers, etc. I'd say they have a bone to pick.

BH may be better than all the rest, but that still doesn't give them an automatic "pass!"

[grant]

There's the rub, I think. I suspect you'd feel differently about the power outages if you had been induced to move your business website to BH, and were relying on having generators to provide power to all the servers, especially the one that your site is on.

Those of us who maintain websites just for the heck of it (and I include myself in that category) can have the luxury of taking these kinds of problems in stride. I certainly wouldn't have been one of the ones screaming for immediate action when the lights went out. My website being down wouldn't have been a big deal (as it turns out, the box I'm on was already in the newer facility, so it stayed up).

But having said that, I can fully appreciate how others might feel that BH had promised them something fairly straightforward (generator backup power) and failed to deliver on that promise, thereby costing them lost revenue, lost customers, etc. I'd say they have a bone to pick.

BH may be better than all the rest, but that still doesn't give them an automatic "pass!"

I never said BH got an automatic "pass!", as you put it. Generators sometimes fail though, as was probably the case here.

I agree with what you say to a point. If anything those that actually lost revenue, and can prove that they actually had significant losses in revenue, should be compensated to some degree. For some odd reason though, I just don't buy that some poeple are losing thousands of dollars in a few hours time. If so, why are they on a shared server service plan if they are making that kind of money? If I had an internet based business making thousands of dollars in every few hours a day I'd be on a dedicated server (and mirrored), period. And even then there is no guarantee that I would have 100% uptime. I really do think some people expect 100% uptime 24/7, and that some people will complain just to complain. The internet isn't all there is to the world, and those that treat it as if it were need to get out more. Call me cynical, I've been called worse.

[Early Out]

If anything those that actually lost revenue, and can prove that they actually had significant losses in revenue, should be compensated to some degree.Actually, if BH's service agreement left open that possibility, I'd say that they should get a new attorney! :D
For some odd reason though, I just don't buy that some people are losing thousands of dollars in a few hours time. If so, why are they on a shared server service plan if they are making that kind of money? If I had an internet based business making thousands of dollars in every few hours a day I'd be on a dedicated server (and mirrored), period.I agree - I'm very suspicious of the "We're losing a million dollars every minute!" claims, and have to wonder about the business savvy of someone who would risk that revenue stream for a $7-a-month hosting bargain.
The internet isn't all there is to the world...Heresy!! :eek: ;)

[thebeard]

Just thought I'd put a new name on the string. I'm a new customer, joined during the power issues and my transfers have not completely propigated yet, so no real skin off my back in the lose of power.

I understand the lose of revenue due ot outages, I'm sure if those of you who can prove an average dollar a day income from your sites and to justify you millions of dollars a day lose, BH will make it right by you. I must agree with the comment about those taking in that kind of money and relying on a $7.99/month host...buy you own server and desiel backup...better yet, be a philanthropist, buy BH a 9 or 10 nice Cat desiel generators and help the rest of us out.

I run a coffee shop and a copy shop. Stuff breaks everyday, and we deal with it as best we can, and our loyal customers are understanding. Frustrating most of all for those who take pride in the service they provide when things don't work, when things break. I'm sure the staff at BH isn't having a party over the issue either.

As a new customer, I have enjoyed the great customer service of BH. As a small business owner I'm going to be understanding as BH deals with the issue...because I have confidence that they are addressing it and in the end their service will be better than it was before.

and that is my 2 cents!
:rolleyes:

[Evil_Dictator]

In fact, it doesn't say that the servers have diesel generator backup power at all. So, would it be OK if you discovered that the diesel generator backup power was there only for the CEO's hot tub? Any reasonable person reading that statement would assume that it meant that the servers were immune to power outages. Any other assumption would be unreasonable.
Companies get away with false advertising because we let them.

Actually, every cubicle has it's own hot tub. Every Friday we have a pool party. Naked women run around and beer flows from kegs faster than packets out of an OC-48 pipe. It's insane. Bluehost is the best place to work ever.


yes, as soon as you post everything you did at work on your personal blog or website.
you want compensation? mail them an envelope with a 35 cent stamp and i'm sure they'll make you 4 pennies. you can't expect the power issue to be resolved after the first downtime on friday in one business day. it takes time to correct these issues, as much time as it might take to remove your underwear from the recesses of thine hiney.
Good point, many times I've resisted the temptation to invite customers to come dig the change out of my car for downtime compensation but I remember I love every one of you guys from the newbies to the programmers that never fail to expose my ignorance. I've never worked with such a wacky and adventurous bunch.

[Early Out]

Actually, every cubicle has it's own hot tub. Every Friday we have a pool party. Naked women run around and beer flows from kegs faster than packets out of an OC-48 pipe. It's insane. Bluehost is the best place to work ever.And I thought I knew a few things about Utah! :D

[cbphoto]

Actually, every cubicle has it's own hot tub. Every Friday we have a pool party. Naked women run around and beer flows from kegs faster than packets out of an OC-48 pipe. It's insane. Bluehost is the best place to work ever.

Looks like it's time to move to Utah.

See you next week!

[Dustin]

My desk just has a calendar and some empty cans...

[Xtreme-Stunts]

I'm still seeing very often connectivity problems with the server. I often access
at the early morning and my ftp connection gets revoked or my file uploads are very slow.