I've been searching around a variety of hosting companies that offer managed dedicated servers. I would like it to be a Linux box running a Plesk control panel. Now here's the tricky bit: I need to have PHP4 and PHP5 both running on the server (if possible both as apache modules, not CGI). Different domains should be able to choose which version of PHP to run (possibly by using .htaccess file) Also need a host that has solid daily managed backups. Are there any managed hosting companies out there that can setup this configuration?? EDIT: I would also consider a VPS solution under this configuration . /EDIT Thanks! ScottHard to believe this has gone all day without a post. I figured someone would have taken a stab at this by now. 
Any particular reason for Plesk or just preference? If you include other control panels as options you are more likely to catch a few more fish in the pond.Edit: Also, any particular reason for needing both php4 and php5 as apache modules? There's been tremendious success having the lessor used one run as a cgi, and it honestly doesn't alter a whole lot. The only thing that changes (from our testing and feedback) when set up properly, is you can't do HTTP_AUTH interfacing and possibly some other rather uncommon things.Thanks for your response Jacob. The main reason for wanting Plesk is because I currently have another unmanaged dedicated server running Plesk with about 150 domains, and I thought it would be easier to migrate from Plesk-to-Plesk. However, if there are some easy options that preserve mail, DB, files etc for Plesk-to-cPanel (or possibly another control panel), I would certainly consider it. To be honest, I don't have much experience running PHP as a CGI, but have just been told by one of our developers that it is bad! I guess I just don't want to get caught out by signing up for a server and transferring all my sites then realising that none of them work running under CGI! (most of the sites are using a custom written and fairly clunky PHP4 CMS that is very temporamental about PHP settings). If a host could provide me with a solution that uses PHP4 as CGI and PHP5 as module and was willing to set me up with a free test account on another server, I could test my PHP4 CMS to see if it works ok as CGI. And if everything was OK I could proceed safely to get a managed server set up that way. If what I'm asking for just isn't possible, then my other option is probably to get two VPS servers (one running PHP4 and other PHP5). My only concern there is that I'm not sure about the reliability of VPS as I've never used one. Thanks!! ScottThanks for your response Jacob. The main reason for wanting Plesk is because I currently have another unmanaged dedicated server running Plesk with about 150 domains, and I thought it would be easier to migrate from Plesk-to-Plesk. However, if there are some easy options that preserve mail, DB, files etc for Plesk-to-cPanel (or possibly another control panel), I would certainly consider it. To be honest, I don't have much experience running PHP as a CGI, but have just been told by one of our developers that it is bad! I guess I just don't want to get caught out by signing up for a server and transferring all my sites then realising that none of them work running under CGI! (most of the sites are using a custom written and fairly clunky PHP4 CMS that is very temporamental about PHP settings). If a host could provide me with a solution that uses PHP4 as CGI and PHP5 as module and was willing to set me up with a free test account on another server, I could test my PHP4 CMS to see if it works ok as CGI. And if everything was OK I could proceed safely to get a managed server set up that way. If what I'm asking for just isn't possible, then my other option is probably to get two VPS servers (one running PHP4 and other PHP5). My only concern there is that I'm not sure about the reliability of VPS as I've never used one. Thanks!! ScottIf your moving to a VPS from a dedicated server, in general terms, I don't think you'd really be happy with the results.VPS's... really, from my experience, arn't so much a step 'between' shared and dedicated hosting, as a step sideways from shared hosting. With shared hosting you have little to no freedom, but (generally) large amount sof momentary access to lots of power, where as with a VPS you have lots of freedom but all your power is routed through a management system, which tends to make things slower. We've had VPS('s? es? s? vpi??) with control panels, without control panels, on good networks, on bad networks... and they've never been up to the same tasks as even your general athlon xp 2400+ dedicated server. Of course, that's just our expierience, your mileage may vary.As far as moving from Plesk to cPanel, when I look in the 'transfer an account from another server' i see "pXa (Pl*sk) 1.x, 2.x, 5.x, 6.x" which would lead me to beleive it has a transfer function for plesk of those versions, but I don't keep up on plesk so I don't know what that means in terms of the real world.Accounts can most likely be manually moved. It's no fun, I'll guarantee that, but most likely it can be done in that manor if you decided to leave pleask (which i'm not saying to do, of course, just covering all the bases.)Any specific reason you'd rather php5 run as a module than php4? The only other major change is files created/saved/modified under the CGI are owned by your user, instead of by 'nobody', but personally, I view that as a bonus. 
I just don't know much about plesk to say on what can be done with it. Maybe contact the guys at Rackspace, since I hear through the grapevine that they're rather big on Plesk.I hope some of this helps you out. Also, I'm not so sure how many hosts have done the php4-cgi/php5-module aproach. It really more common to see php4 as the module and php5 as the cgi, and typically a smarter setup, since you will have more users using php4 than php5, and the module does make things slightly more efficient.And.. you're very welcome. Have a nice night/good morning. It's nice and straightforward to run 4&5 side by side: mod_php for PHP4 and cgi for PHP5.The only other major change is files created/saved/modified under the CGI are owned by your user, instead of by 'nobody', but personally, I view that as a bonus.I don't The number of support issues for people requesting assistance in removing server-created files (for example, thumbnails/cache created by Gallery2) uses far less time than the problems (in my opinion) which could be caused by the webserver being able to delete all the users' web file - that's one of the main reasons for the 'nobody' philosophy in my view. And with the number of people running unpatched phpBB2 installs I think it should stay that way If what I'm asking for just isn't possible, then my other option is probably to get two VPS servers (one running PHP4 and other PHP5)There is another way, well - this is just a slightly crazy idea which popped into my head: If you have two IP addresses on a VPS account, run a webserver on each and assign a different subdomain to each. So split up your PHP4 and PHP5 stuff through a subdomain, and run mod_php on both.I've no idea how feasible that is though, or if it'd even work, but it sounds fun ok nice moveI sorta agree with vidahost's last suggestion...Personaly, rather then dealing with the issues of running one in a CGI mode and the other through mod_php, I'd just run two different webservers. They'd both beable to use mod_php... just one would be compiled against a php4 distro and the other aginast a php5 distro.But, that doesnt take into consideration your control panel issues... maybe it does... I dont use control panels to know if they are configurable enough to deal with multiple instances of a webserver. You might have to run two separate control panels.That's the problem - control panels will only deal with one webserver. Which is why I just run PHP4 & PHP5...cPanel isn't too invasive, so it leaves my php5 additions to httpd.conf alone. Apparently Plesk isn't so nice though, but I've not used it for a while so can't say.Different domains should be able to choose which version of PHP to run (possibly by using .htaccess file)This is really easy. Lookup what the 'AddHandler' .htaccess directive does That's the problem - control panels will only deal with one webserver.You are incorrect.You can run LSWS and Apache side by side with cPanel and have PHP 5 running with LSWS. That will work with absolutely no problems. You can have LSWS binded to a separate IP as well.litespeedtech.com = LSWS fyi.You are incorrect.
You can run LSWS and Apache side by side with cPanel and have PHP 5 running with LSWS. That will work with absolutely no problems. You can have LSWS binded to a separate IP as well.
litespeedtech.com = LSWS fyi.
Neat - will it add vhosts etc as with httpd.conf?Neat - will it add vhosts etc as with httpd.conf?
It can basically understand everything from the httpd.conf - and it will reload upon any changes I have actually ran this side by side with cPanel with no problems. It's also one of the fastest web servers available at this time - also it offers the best available API for running Ruby on Rails.It can basically understand everything from the httpd.conf - and it will reload upon any changes I have actually ran this side by side with cPanel with no problems. It's also one of the fastest web servers available at this time - also it offers the best available API for running Ruby on Rails.
That's very cool
I currently run Apache w/mod_php(4) and PHP5 as a CGI, but I've been looking into using lighttpd for RoR etc...now I have another option to examine. Thanks!That's very cool
I currently run Apache w/mod_php(4) and PHP5 as a CGI, but I've been looking into using lighttpd for RoR etc...now I have another option to examine. Thanks!
No problem!
Any particular reason for Plesk or just preference? If you include other control panels as options you are more likely to catch a few more fish in the pond.Edit: Also, any particular reason for needing both php4 and php5 as apache modules? There's been tremendious success having the lessor used one run as a cgi, and it honestly doesn't alter a whole lot. The only thing that changes (from our testing and feedback) when set up properly, is you can't do HTTP_AUTH interfacing and possibly some other rather uncommon things.Thanks for your response Jacob. The main reason for wanting Plesk is because I currently have another unmanaged dedicated server running Plesk with about 150 domains, and I thought it would be easier to migrate from Plesk-to-Plesk. However, if there are some easy options that preserve mail, DB, files etc for Plesk-to-cPanel (or possibly another control panel), I would certainly consider it. To be honest, I don't have much experience running PHP as a CGI, but have just been told by one of our developers that it is bad! I guess I just don't want to get caught out by signing up for a server and transferring all my sites then realising that none of them work running under CGI! (most of the sites are using a custom written and fairly clunky PHP4 CMS that is very temporamental about PHP settings). If a host could provide me with a solution that uses PHP4 as CGI and PHP5 as module and was willing to set me up with a free test account on another server, I could test my PHP4 CMS to see if it works ok as CGI. And if everything was OK I could proceed safely to get a managed server set up that way. If what I'm asking for just isn't possible, then my other option is probably to get two VPS servers (one running PHP4 and other PHP5). My only concern there is that I'm not sure about the reliability of VPS as I've never used one. Thanks!! ScottThanks for your response Jacob. The main reason for wanting Plesk is because I currently have another unmanaged dedicated server running Plesk with about 150 domains, and I thought it would be easier to migrate from Plesk-to-Plesk. However, if there are some easy options that preserve mail, DB, files etc for Plesk-to-cPanel (or possibly another control panel), I would certainly consider it. To be honest, I don't have much experience running PHP as a CGI, but have just been told by one of our developers that it is bad! I guess I just don't want to get caught out by signing up for a server and transferring all my sites then realising that none of them work running under CGI! (most of the sites are using a custom written and fairly clunky PHP4 CMS that is very temporamental about PHP settings). If a host could provide me with a solution that uses PHP4 as CGI and PHP5 as module and was willing to set me up with a free test account on another server, I could test my PHP4 CMS to see if it works ok as CGI. And if everything was OK I could proceed safely to get a managed server set up that way. If what I'm asking for just isn't possible, then my other option is probably to get two VPS servers (one running PHP4 and other PHP5). My only concern there is that I'm not sure about the reliability of VPS as I've never used one. Thanks!! ScottIf your moving to a VPS from a dedicated server, in general terms, I don't think you'd really be happy with the results.VPS's... really, from my experience, arn't so much a step 'between' shared and dedicated hosting, as a step sideways from shared hosting. With shared hosting you have little to no freedom, but (generally) large amount sof momentary access to lots of power, where as with a VPS you have lots of freedom but all your power is routed through a management system, which tends to make things slower. We've had VPS('s? es? s? vpi??) with control panels, without control panels, on good networks, on bad networks... and they've never been up to the same tasks as even your general athlon xp 2400+ dedicated server. Of course, that's just our expierience, your mileage may vary.As far as moving from Plesk to cPanel, when I look in the 'transfer an account from another server' i see "pXa (Pl*sk) 1.x, 2.x, 5.x, 6.x" which would lead me to beleive it has a transfer function for plesk of those versions, but I don't keep up on plesk so I don't know what that means in terms of the real world.Accounts can most likely be manually moved. It's no fun, I'll guarantee that, but most likely it can be done in that manor if you decided to leave pleask (which i'm not saying to do, of course, just covering all the bases.)Any specific reason you'd rather php5 run as a module than php4? The only other major change is files created/saved/modified under the CGI are owned by your user, instead of by 'nobody', but personally, I view that as a bonus. I just don't know much about plesk to say on what can be done with it. Maybe contact the guys at Rackspace, since I hear through the grapevine that they're rather big on Plesk.I hope some of this helps you out. Also, I'm not so sure how many hosts have done the php4-cgi/php5-module aproach. It really more common to see php4 as the module and php5 as the cgi, and typically a smarter setup, since you will have more users using php4 than php5, and the module does make things slightly more efficient.And.. you're very welcome. Have a nice night/good morning. It's nice and straightforward to run 4&5 side by side: mod_php for PHP4 and cgi for PHP5.The only other major change is files created/saved/modified under the CGI are owned by your user, instead of by 'nobody', but personally, I view that as a bonus.I don't The number of support issues for people requesting assistance in removing server-created files (for example, thumbnails/cache created by Gallery2) uses far less time than the problems (in my opinion) which could be caused by the webserver being able to delete all the users' web file - that's one of the main reasons for the 'nobody' philosophy in my view. And with the number of people running unpatched phpBB2 installs I think it should stay that way If what I'm asking for just isn't possible, then my other option is probably to get two VPS servers (one running PHP4 and other PHP5)There is another way, well - this is just a slightly crazy idea which popped into my head: If you have two IP addresses on a VPS account, run a webserver on each and assign a different subdomain to each. So split up your PHP4 and PHP5 stuff through a subdomain, and run mod_php on both.I've no idea how feasible that is though, or if it'd even work, but it sounds fun ok nice moveI sorta agree with vidahost's last suggestion...Personaly, rather then dealing with the issues of running one in a CGI mode and the other through mod_php, I'd just run two different webservers. They'd both beable to use mod_php... just one would be compiled against a php4 distro and the other aginast a php5 distro.But, that doesnt take into consideration your control panel issues... maybe it does... I dont use control panels to know if they are configurable enough to deal with multiple instances of a webserver. You might have to run two separate control panels.That's the problem - control panels will only deal with one webserver. Which is why I just run PHP4 & PHP5...cPanel isn't too invasive, so it leaves my php5 additions to httpd.conf alone. Apparently Plesk isn't so nice though, but I've not used it for a while so can't say.Different domains should be able to choose which version of PHP to run (possibly by using .htaccess file)This is really easy. Lookup what the 'AddHandler' .htaccess directive does That's the problem - control panels will only deal with one webserver.You are incorrect.You can run LSWS and Apache side by side with cPanel and have PHP 5 running with LSWS. That will work with absolutely no problems. You can have LSWS binded to a separate IP as well.litespeedtech.com = LSWS fyi.You are incorrect.You can run LSWS and Apache side by side with cPanel and have PHP 5 running with LSWS. That will work with absolutely no problems. You can have LSWS binded to a separate IP as well.
litespeedtech.com = LSWS fyi.
Neat - will it add vhosts etc as with httpd.conf?Neat - will it add vhosts etc as with httpd.conf?
It can basically understand everything from the httpd.conf - and it will reload upon any changes
I have actually ran this side by side with cPanel with no problems. It's also one of the fastest web servers available at this time - also it offers the best available API for running Ruby on Rails.It can basically understand everything from the httpd.conf - and it will reload upon any changes I have actually ran this side by side with cPanel with no problems. It's also one of the fastest web servers available at this time - also it offers the best available API for running Ruby on Rails.That's very cool
I currently run Apache w/mod_php(4) and PHP5 as a CGI, but I've been looking into using lighttpd for RoR etc...now I have another option to examine. Thanks!
That's very cool I currently run Apache w/mod_php(4) and PHP5 as a CGI, but I've been looking into using lighttpd for RoR etc...now I have another option to examine. Thanks!
No problem!