3 replies to this topic

[-ASO- Doug]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for your interest in A Small Orange.

We have a lot of servers (multiple hundreds), so if one goes down every couple of days, that's not terribly unusual. Most big web hosting companies will have multiple outages throughout a day -- it just happens. Usually the downtime is pretty minimal and easily correctable. If we do scheduled maintenance or moves or things like that, we do them after hours to avoid interruptions and inconveniences.

Does that help? Feel free to let us know if you have any other questions.

[billzo]

Brian, every web host has to do maintenance on their servers from time to time or reboot them, install new software, etc.  And I mean every web host.  ASO is no exception.  Servers are machines after all and require maintenance like any other.  The difference is that ASO tends to be a little more open about their business practices than what you are used to.  So, you will read a post every now and then about a server being down due to maintenance, something needing to be done, and you will also find a complaint here and there.  But don't let that discourage you from A Small Orange.  If anything, it should encourage you to sign up because you know that if there is a problem ASO is on top of it working to get it remedied and if there is a customer complaint, they are doing what it takes to satisfy the customer.  What you should be concerned about is what you don't see on message boards at other web hosts.

Most businesses are not as self assured as ASO to let you see their "warts and all".  Does any restaurant post negative comments made by customers on their bulletin board near the cash register?  No.  Does any construction company post negative comments made by its customers on its website?  No.  I have been here for four years now and I can honestly say that ASO is one of the best web hosts around if not THE best.  Are they perfect?  No human being is perfect nor is anything ever created by an imperfect human being. But ASO is exceptionally good.  If they  weren't, I would have been gone a long time ago.

I will assume your friend referred you to ASO for the reason that he or she thinks it is good.  Now you've got a second recommendation.