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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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GENERAL QUESTIONS
MANAGED SERVER QUESTIONS
VIRTUAL HOSTING QUESTIONS
RESELLER ACCOUNT QUESTIONS
SERVER CO-LOCATION QUESTIONS
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GENERAL QUESTIONS
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Is there a
trial period or money-back guarantee?
No, the EliteWEB services do not come with a trial period or money back
guarantee. The reason for this is that since EliteWEB is such a high bandwidth
service, if we were to offer such a refund policy, we feel too many individuals
will utilize a full month's service and cancel to avoid the bill. Also, due to
the sheer amount of orders EliteWEB generates, we feel our time would be best
spent building servers and providing support for legitimate, long-term clients
only. A trial period or money-back guarantee is just not practical due to the
amount of time our staff spends on each order/client. The only exception to this
would be if EliteWEB™ specifically advertises a sale with such, or adds such a
clause to a custom quote or contract.
Can I
switch from one EliteWEB™ service to another?
Virtual hosting, co-location, and dedicated servers may be changed, but it it is
more involved then just a billing modification. Virtual accounts will have to be
moved from your EliteWEB™ shared server to shared servers specifically setup on
the EliteWEB network. Reseller accounts cannot be moved, due to huge differences
in sales format...ie...sales by the accounts vs. sales by the block of
space/bandwidth. Co-Located servers would require IP address changes, to those
used soley on the EliteWEB network. Dedicated servers would require the most
changes, including IP address changes, hardware changes, as well as possibly
moving data from the old hard drive to the drive on the new EliteWEB machine.
EliteWEB™ does charge $65/hour system administration fees for making such a
transition on a dedicated server. For these reasons we highly suggest leaving
your current EliteWEB™ server "as-is", and just ordering new service from
EliteWEB as needed in the future.
What is
Cpanel™? Do you have a Demo?
CPanel™ is the brand name of the web browser control panel software that
EliteWEB™ utilizes on its servers. A demo of the control panel can be found
here. The software can be used to control a single website by an end-user, a
block of space for a reseller account with control over their clientele, as well
as the whole backend operation of a complete server using the WebHostManager™
backend (demo).
How long
have you been in business?
The company has been in business since June 1, 1991. The company started as a
retail store, then branched out as a distributor in the mid 1990's. In 1996, the
company was changed from a sole-proprietorship to a sub-chapter S Corporation.
August 1st 1996, the company was incorporated in the State of Pennsylvania, USA.
EliteWEB Technologies, Inc.™ entered the web hosting industry in December 1996.
Can I
visit the EliteWEB™ Data Center?
EliteWEB™ allows dedicated server and co-location clients ONLY to visit the
EliteWEB™ Data Center. Visits to the EliteWEB™ Data Center are by appointment
only, and arranged for a mutually convenient time for both the client and
EliteWEB™ staff. There is an international airport 10 minutes from the EliteWEB™
Data Center. The EliteWEB™ Data Center is directly off of the US Route 81 & 84
Super Highways, as well as very close to the Northeast Extension of the
Pennsylvania Turnpike (Route 476).
How is my
service monitored?
EliteWEB™ maintains internal and external monitoring systems for every server in
the EliteWEB™ Data Center. The servers are checked every 5 minutes via network
monitoring software. EliteWEB™ monitors uptime as well as individual features
and services running on each server. EliteWEB™ staff is notified via alarms,
email, screen popups, and paging, if a problem occurs. Please see our "Definition
of Managed Services", for a detailed explanation of our monitoring policy.
What is
the uptime?
EliteWEB™ strives to maintain a 99.5% network and server uptime service level.
This uptime percentage is a monthly figure, and does not include any scheduled
hardware/software upgrades, nor "Acts of God". Our definition of "Act of God"
includes; fire, flood, tornado, earthquake, telco fiber issues (ie...Verizon™
cutting a fiber line somewhere), backbone peering point issues (ie...Sprint™
having a router go down in Virginia that wipes out internet service for the
entire East Coast), hard drive failure (faulty hardware is rare, but cannot be
predicted nor avoided), as well as network floods, hacks, and attacks. If
EliteWEB™ fails to meet it's 99.5% uptime guarantee, and it is not due to one of
the above reasons, partial downtime credits will be made available to each
client, upon request, on a case by case basis. EliteWEB™ does not credit a full
month's service if we only have 99.4% uptime. This would not be financially
healthy for EliteWEB™, and in turn would only negatively affect the service
level EliteWEB™ provides to you. "Partial refunds for partial downtime" is our
standard policy. Please see our "Service
Level Agreement", for a detailed explanation of our SLA.
Are there
any hidden costs?
No. All costs are stated plainly on our website. We do not hide fees in
fineprint, or in our terms of service pages. The only costs that are commonly
found to occur beyond your expected flat monthly rates per service, are those
due to increased disk space or bandwidth usage. Pricing for such is plainly
stated on our website. EliteWEB™ very often will allow you to upgrade your
packages to the next size up, should you see an increase in disk space levels or
bandwidth usage for the current month, and not want to pay for such additional
usage. Disk space usage and availablility, as well as estimated bandwidth usage,
is available to you in the majority of the control panel versions included with
the hosting packages.
May I have
some examples of some sites hosted by you?
EliteWEB™ makes a sample
client page available to the public on it's website. This page has examples
of virtual hosting, dedicated server, co-location, and reseller clients
available.
Do you
have battery backups and generators?
Our Network Operations Center is backed up and protected by UPS (Uninterruptible
Power Supply) systems. In a very rare case of utility outages, our auto-start
generators start automatically, taking over for the UPS system and supplying all
necessary power for our Network Operations Center. Information on our facility
can be found on our
Network Infrastructure page.
What kind
of security does the EliteWEB™ Data Center have?
The EliteWEB™ Data Center in Scranton, PA USA is a high security facility.
Double metal security doors, with interior gating, protect the main entrance to
the facility. The windows-less facility has advanced security, fire,
temperature, and flood alarms, directly piped into the Security Monitoring
Company via phone, cellular, and internet connections. A Scranton Police Station
is less than two blocks away, and a Fire Station less than six blocks. A
16-camera digital video system monitors the interior and exterior of the Data
Center. This video system is monitored internally at the facility and externally
from the EliteWEB™ Sales/Support office. The video data is recorded live both on
and off site, and stored for several months ahead. Visitors cannot gain access
into the faclity without employee escort. The physical servers and equipment
area is secured from the visitor's area by huge metal doors, as well as metal
sheeting and bulletproof glass walls. Armed guards are planned for the future,
but not a necessity at this junction.
Can I
have adult content on my website?
EliteWEB™ does not allow adult content on the EliteWEB network.
May I
view your Terms Of Service?
The EliteWEB™ Terms of Service (TOS) for the EliteWEB service, including policy
and service guidelines, are available online at:
http://www.elitewebserver.com/policy.shtml.
What if
my site breaks your "acceptable usage policy" rules?
Users' sites/service may be suspended for violations of policy, or if extreme,
or second time offenders, sites may be cancelled. Each occurance is dealt with
on a case by case basis, and we try to work things out with every client.
Notifications will be sent, if EliteWEB™ takes any action on your account.
Do you
have a Service Level Agreement (SLA)?
The EliteWEB™ Service Level Agreement (SLA) for the EliteWEB service, is
available online at:
http://www.elitewebserver.com/policy/sla.shtml.
What is
your connectivity to the Internet?
The network is connected via Gigabit Ethernet handoff(s) (1000mbps) on a
redundant/dual-path OC48 (2048mbps) sonet-ring fiber-optic transport connection
to Commonwealth Telephone™ (CTSI™), NorthEast PA's 2nd largest Telco. Verizon™
(Formerly Bell Atlantic PA) and PPL Telcom™, (a sub-division of Pennsylvania
Power & Electric™ - PPL™) fiber is also available in the facility. The network
currently connects EliteWEB POPs (Points of Presence) in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre,
& Philadelphia, with others to be completed shortly. EliteWEB™ transit is
provided via Gigabit Ethernet (1000mbps) from Yipes!™/Level3™
(http://www.yipes.com), Cogent™ Communications (http://www.cogentco.com), &
BTN™/PCCW™ (http://www.btnaccess.com). For redundancy, EliteWEB™ is currently
running BGP4 (border gateway routing protocol) to maintain the speed and uptime.
If one backbone line goes down, it will balance the load to the other(s). If one
line gets congested, it will load balance the traffic. EliteWEB™ is currently
negotiating with major backbone providers to open POPs in the EliteWEB™ Scranton
PA facility. EliteWEB™ is currently the only major data center/co-lo facility
within 60-75 miles of the Tier-3 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre PA USA Metro Area.
How is
extra bandwidth billed?
EliteWEB™ maintains software on most servers and on all switches to monitor
individual website usage and server-wide usage. Bandwidth is billed per Gigabyte
(GB) over your monthly allocation, rounded up to the nearest Gigabyte.
Allocations are currently calculated based on the 50/50=100 calculation method.
For example, a 2000GB allocation would allow 1000GB of inbound (downstream) AND
1000GB of outbound (upstream) bandwidth. This calculation method is subject to
change with 30 days notice to clients. Utilization is based upon MRTG stats
taken directly from the managed switch port a server is plugged into. Usually
between the 3rd and 5th of the month you will receive your bandwidth overage
billing, if applicable, for the preceding month's usage. If bandwidth overage
billing occurs more than 30 days past the end of the period being billed for,
client is permitted the same amount of time to pay the bill.
How am I
billed?
EliteWEB™ invoices you via email. You can request a statement via email as well,
at any time. A secure web interface is provided for online viewing of your
account invoices/statements. Hard copy statements can be mailed per occassion
for those clients that request such. You will receive an invoice for each new
service/account order shortly after such service is activated. Your initial
service/account order invoice date will be your regular monthly billing date.
All further service/accounts ordered will be pro-rated to that date, and then be
billed regularly on that date every month (...if it is a monthly service).
Special arrangements can be made for custom billing requirements. EliteWEB™
accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Paypal™, Bank Wire
Transfers, Western Union, Company Checks, Personal Checks, Money Orders,
Electronic Checks, and Cash. You can opt to not have your credit card charged
every month, until you specifically submit a payment each month.
IMPORTANT: EliteWEB™ bills in advance for all services, usually 2-3 weeks prior
to the service renewal date. Payment is not due until the date of renewal,
however, customers with auto-debit payment methods will be charged upon advance
invoice creation.
NOTE: Therefore, you may receive an invoice for new service, and a monthly
renewal invoice only 7-10 days later. The invoices following will then be 30
days later, assuming you are on a monthly renewing service. If a client cancels
a service prior to renewal date, advance charges for that service will be
promptly refunded.
How much
assistance do you provide for my website?
EliteWEB™ will assist you with all support for services provided directly thru
EliteWEB™. EliteWEB™ will help you with basic settings for your email software
and ftp client, as well as assist you with using the web browser control panel.
EliteWEB™ is not responsible for teaching you how to use another company's
products. Example: EliteWEB™ will assist you with the settings for using MS
Frontpage™, but we will not teach you how to actually use the product itself.
You need to contact the software maker in such a situation, who provides tech
support for how to use their product. EliteWEB™ cannot even attempt to support
all the thousands of software products on the market. EliteWEB™ will attempt to
provide some tech support for the most popular programs our clients use.
EliteWEB™ is not responsible for assisting with your own programs and cgi
scripts. If you choose to install your own programs and cgi scripts on your
site, you are responsible fully for installing them. EliteWEB™ will provide
support for any program or cgi script that we provide pre-installed with your
web hosting package. EliteWEB™ is not responsible for designing, nor developing,
your website, including HTML and/or images. EliteWEB™ will attempt to give a
quick look at your design/development problem, and offer a suggestion if it is a
small issue. Anything complicated relating to design/development is not the
responsibility of EliteWEB™. Please see our "Definition
of Managed Services", for a detailed explanation of our server management
policy.
How fast
are service orders set up?
Virtual hosting account orders placed during normal business day hours may be
processed in 1-2 hours. If placed in the middle of a night, setup may not occur
until the following day. EliteWEB dedicated servers currently on average take
24-72 hours to set up. This timeframe fluctuates based on current hardware stock
and demand. Some servers may be available for instant/same-day set up as
advertised. If you ordered a EliteWEB reseller account or dedicated server, you
will have the ability to instantly setup accounts by yourself, after the initial
setup by EliteWEB™.
Does my
service get a control panel?
Every EliteWEB web hosting package comes with a web browser based control panel.
The control panel includes many features including; email configurations, chat
rooms, mailing lists, pre-installed cgi scripts, databases, chat rooms, and
much, much, more... A demo of the control panel can be found
here. EliteWEB reseller accounts come with access to WebHostManager (demo),
for administrating your service. Cpanel™/WebHostManager™ is available to
EliteWEB dedicated server & co-location clientele for a very nominal $19.95
monthly fee.
What type
of support do you offer? Average Response Time?
EliteWEB™ offers EliteWEB clientele support 24/7/365 via email, web based ticket
system, AOL Instant Messanger. Phone supportis available to EliteWEB clientele
for Reboots and Emergencies ONLY. We strive for response times of no more than a
few hours. Response times of just a few minutes are quite common during normal
business hours. EliteWEB™ has recently implemented a web based
support ticket system, which integrates all incoming support email into it.
The ticket system tracks support inquires by "time waiting" for reponse from the
support dept. The EliteWEB™ administration carefully monitors that the EliteWEB™
support staff maintains a fast response time, with courteous and helpful
service. Phone support is currently not offered on the EliteWEB product line,
except for emergencies and reboots, in order to keep the costs down. The
EliteWEB™ Support Forum is
provided for assistance from other clients, and for news and announcements.
Please see our "Definition
of Managed Services", for a detailed explanation of our support policy.
Is there
a discount if I pre-pay for several months in advance?
EliteWEB™ does not currently offer advance payment discounts on most of the
EliteWEB product line. There are yearly payment discounts on some of the virtual
hosting plans, of which details can be found on the order form.
What
about software upgrades?
EliteWEB™ handles all software upgrades/patches on all servers. We fully follow
all trends in the industry, and monitor all support/bug announcement groups. If
a new bug or security vulnerability is found, EliteWEB™ immediately upgrades our
systems. EliteWEB™ auto-updates the Linux systems every night from security
patch websites. As new software is released, including new versions of operating
systems, EliteWEB™ evaluates the new software. If the software's new version
does not have any security issues, or bug problems, the upgrade is implemented.
Does my
service have its own IP number(s) or is it shared?
This depends on the type of package that you order. Traditionally all EliteWEB
hosting packages come with a dedicated IP address. The exception to this is the
"Virtual Linux 1" packages, that are budget minded, and use shared IPs. EliteWEB
dedicated servers & reseller accounts have the ability to utilize IP based, or
IPless, virtual hosting configurations. Charges may apply to purchase additional
IPs for usage beyond your initial service allocation.
What if
the hardware fails?
EliteWEB™ stocks replacement parts for all servers. EliteWEB™ is always building
new servers for our shared hosting clients, as well as our dedicated server
clients, so a full inventory of parts is maintained. Hardware failures are
uncommon, but they do happen, and are a part of the hosting business. EliteWEB™
repairs all failed hardware promptly, to minimize any downtime caused by such.
EliteWEB™ replaces all failed hardware on virtual hosting, reseller, and
dedicated machines at no cost to the clientele. For details on such issues,
please review the documents in our
policy and service guidelines section.
What are
the setup fees and monthly costs involved?
There are many different services offered in the EliteWEB product line, and
several packages available within each service. Please check the pages of this
website for pricing details on each specific service and package.
What are
the hardware specs of the servers?
Every server at EliteWEB™ has different specifications. Whenever a virtual
hosting or reseller server reaches what we feel to be the limit, another server
is built. EliteWEB™ is constantly upgrading the server hardware on our network.
If more drive space, memory, or faster processors are needed, they are added in
at that time. The average shared server is a dual processor system, with
512-1024MB RAM, and 160mbps SCSI hard drive(s), with IDE backup. Dedicated
servers are built to ordering specification.
Do you
support International domain names and clients?
EliteWEB™ can host all international domains on its servers. EliteWEB™ can
accept foreign clientele, just please be advised that all correspondance must be
conducted in English. The client is responsible for handling the registration
process of foreign domain name(s). This must be pointed to nameservers on the
EliteWEB™ network as assigned, or you can use other nameservers and route the
domain name to the IP address you are assigned. EliteWEB™ cannot handle the
foreign domain registration process for you, due to the fact that we do not
speak all of the potential foreign languages that may be involved. EliteWEB™
will assist you however, with any technical information need to accomplish this.
What
happens if I decide to leave EliteWEB™
Generally, EliteWEB™ services are provided on a month to month basis, without
any required term contract. Some special offers, internet access services, or
custom quoted solutions, may have required contract terms and/or signed contract
requirements. All advance payments, for unused service periods, will be refunded
should you decide to leave--if they were not part of a required term contract.
EliteWEB™ does not prorate current service periods, for cancellations occuring
mid-service period. If you wish to cancel service, you MUST fill out the
Service/Feature Cancellation Form. If you do not have access to fill out the
required form, you may fax a signed cancellation request, and a copy of your
identification (drivers license, passport, legal photo ID, etc...) to
570-343-9533. The fax should include your billing account number, billing
account password, service/domain/circuit name/id, current service password,
requested service effective cancellation date, details of what specifically you
wish to cancel (all/partial service/features), and any other relevant
information/details. Not using the service, or moving your service elsewhere, is
NOT a valid method of cancellation--nor is EliteWEB™ even aware if such occurs.
What if
the server my website is on gets hacked or attacked?
Individually hacked websites are rare. If such occurs, usually they are a target
for a reason; hate sites, pirated software, etc... EliteWEB™ does not host such
websites. If such materal is found on a EliteWEB™ server, it is deleted
immediately and the user's account cancelled. Usually the target is the whole
server itself. Hackers usually go after a server just to say that "they did", or
to use the server to bounce off of to hack something more important. Rarely are
any users' files on the server damaged, erased, or modified. For this reason,
once a hacker is detected, a server can usually be cleaned up and the hacker
locked back out within a matter of hours. At that time the server is restored to
full security levels, as if the hack has never occurred. Most hackers get into a
system thru valid user accounts. We recommend you use complicated passwords for
your account. EliteWEB™ strictly reviews all orders for new clients, to make
sure they are legitimate. Unfortunately, some fake orders do get thru the
system, and that is one way a hacker can gain initial access. EliteWEB™ runs
security checks on the servers daily, so even if a hacker does get in, they are
found and dealt with quickly. Most hackers are not malicious, they are just
playing or testing their abilities. If an individual attacks the whole EliteWEB™
Data Center, measures are in place to cut off such floods and attacks
automatically at the backbone level and the router level. EliteWEB™ also uses
firewall technology to fend off most common methods of flooding and attacks to
the network. Please see our "Definition
of Managed Services", for a detailed explanation of our server management
policy.
What if I
want to upgrade my service?
You may upgrade or downgrade your EliteWEB service plan at any time, if you are
on a month to month default agreement. You will be required to pay the
difference in the setup fee for your current plan, and the plan you are
upgrading to, should you decide to choose a larger plan. You will then pay the
new monthly fee for the new service plan that you select. Changing dedicated
server plans may require system administration fees and/or hardware
modifications.
Why
should I choose EliteWEB™ as my service provider?
Simple. EliteWEB™ is one of the oldest web hosting companies in the industry,
being founded over a decade ago, all the way back on June 1st 1991. With most
hosting companies being started in the past 2-3 years, EliteWEB™ has an edge
over the competition; Specializing in web hosting since 1996. EliteWEB™
maintains one of the most feature rich hosting packages on the market, so
advanced that many hosting companies cannot compete. EliteWEB™ was one of the
first hosting companies in the industry to offer technical support via ICQ & AOL
Instant Messanger, as well as to offer high bandwidth packages (20GB+ per month)
to the general public. EliteWEB™ offers Cpanel™ & WebHostManager™ on it's
packages, the premier software in the business. It should be noted that the lead
developer of the Cpanel™ software, J. Nick Koston, is a former EliteWEB™
employee. EliteWEB™ is one of the few hosting companies that actually owns its
own data center. Most hosting companies, our competitors, co-locate their boxes
at data centers that they do not own. EliteWEB™ has won several awards for
providing some of the most complete hosting packages and support levels
available.
How do I
get started?
Simple! Just fill out the online form for the service you wish to order! You
will receive details shortly afterwards about how to proceed with your new
EliteWEB service plan!
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MANAGED DEDICATED SERVER QUESTIONS
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How many
domains can I host on my server?
EliteWEB™ does not put a numerical limit on the quantity of websites/clients you
can host on your EliteWEB dedicated server. Such numbers are only limited by the
amount of bandwidth you utilize and the hardware specifications of your server.
You can host hundreds of small websites on your server, or just a single large
site, that is strictly up to you. We do advise never putting more than 1000
virtual hosts on a single server, due to limitations within the operating
systems and web server software.
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VIRTUAL HOSTING QUESTIONS
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How do I
set up my email?
EliteWEB™ web hosting clients can set up POP Accounts, Forwarders/Aliases, &
Auto-Responders in the Web Browser Control Panel that comes with every EliteWEB™
web hosting package. This can be done by yourself, and without any assistance
from the EliteWEB™ staff.
How do I
upload my files?
All EliteWEB™ web hosting packages allow the usage of FTP, Telnet, SSH, File
Manager, MS FrontPage™, and other web development publishing programs, to upload
files to your website.
How do I
transfer my domain name?
EliteWEB™ will attempt to file the necessary electronic forms for your domain
name transfer with InterNIC. If EliteWEB™ is unable to file such with your
specific domain name registrar, EliteWEB™ will send you instructions on how to
do such yourself, including all necessary technical details. Clients may opt to
not have EliteWEB™ handle the domain name transfer, or to delay doing such, as
an option on the web hosting order form required for signup.
What is
included in my website package?
EliteWEB™ provides full hardware, software, support, and system administration
for your EliteWEB™ shared hosting solution. The software provided includes the
operating system, ftp & email software, web server software, and a control
panel. EliteWEB™ even includes free e-commerce shopping cart software.
Everything you need to conduct business on the Internet, or maintain a personal
website, is included in your EliteWEB™ hosting solution. EliteWEB™ will provide
basic support on services/software that we provide you with your account.
EliteWEB™ does not develop your website for you, nor provide tech support on how
to use software products that we do not provide to your directly...even if we do
support them. We are always more than willing to help you if we can though with
external issues, time permitting...
How many
sites are currently running per server?
EliteWEB™ does not have a set quantity of domains running on each machine. We
find that sometimes ten domains can utilize more resources than 200 others.
EliteWEB™ monitors each server's performance levels and attempts to maintain a
low server load average and high cpu availability. As needed, EliteWEB™ will
upgrade the hardware, to increase server performance. Individual domains that
become to much for the server to handle, and utilize too much server resources,
are moved to servers set up specifically for such resource intensive accounts.
Can I
host more than one domain name per account?
EliteWEB™ charges additional fees for every extra domain name you point to your
account. For a domain name that is parked on top of your main domain name, the
cost is a $25 one time setup fee. You may use an index.cgi script, to redirect
from that domain name to a sub-directory at no additional charge. EliteWEB™
charges a $25 setup fee, and $5.00 monthly for every additional domain name
parked to a sub-directory. Each additional domain name parked on top, or to a
sub-directory, receives one catch-all email POP account or forwarder for all
mail to that domain name. Parked domain names do not receive a control panel of
their own. EliteWEB™ usually recommends the very inexpensive "Virtual Linux 1"
accounts ($4.95 monthly) instead, due to the fact that they come with their own
control panel functionality.
What if I
want to upgrade to a dedicated server in the future?
Not a problem. EliteWEB™ will assist you in setting up the site(s) on your
dedicated server, and help you transfer all the files over as well. It can be a
very simple procedure, with minimal downtime. EliteWEB™ will leave the shared
server accounts active while the transfer is occuring, until dns properly clears
up, and you are satisfied that your site(s) are functioning perfectly on the new
dedicated server.
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RESELLER ACCOUNT QUESTIONS
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SERVER CO-LOCATION QUESTIONS
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