For your Internet presence, up to now you had to choose
between affordable but inflexible, often overloaded off-the-shelf
homepage accounts and less restrictive but expensive dedicated
servers that require you, however, to do everything yourself,
including chasing the all-too-frequent security updates. Today,
new exploitable software bugs are discovered almost daily.
Fortunately, thanks to our innovative
MODUS technology
("Managed On-Demand UNIX Servers"), there is an escape route,
a third way. The solution we offer is a full-blown UNIX server
box, several of which coexist on a powerful common platform,
completely isolated from each other. For instance, this site,
www.escapebox.net, runs in such a box already since 2002. Each
server box comes with 'root' access, its own official IP address
and contains loads of ready-to-use ISP-grade software that allows
you to do everything you ever needed an Internet Service Provider
for on your own.
This is why we call it the ISP-in-a-Box.
It is autonomous. You never again need
to depend on centrally run, and consequently centrally vulnerable,
often enough flaky services. There is a web, email, IMAP/POP, news, name
and database (SQL) server built into each server box, and more. All this
including strong SSL encryption, where applicable. To get an impression,
have a look at the specs page and also
our "Box Docs" (the menu to the left).
However, we do not bother you with system
adminstration chores. Due to our unique system architecture we are able
to do all this centrally, including daily data backups.
So you can concentrate on what you got that box for in the first
place, your Internet presence. Our
news/changes page
in the "Box Docs" area offers a glimpse of that perfectly normal
lunacy you have to deal with if you run servers on the Internet.
A challenge we spare you.
While we take care of the maintenance and security
updates of the 300+ server-oriented packages we provide, you can bring
your own software too, in order to utilize the versatility
UNIX systems are renowned for. Your creativity is the limit.
In short, you get the convenience of a homepage account, combined
with the flexibility of a dedicated server.
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Businesses and those with comparable standards
tend to appreciate quality, since avoiding hassle pays off in the long run.
With its focus on security and reliability our managed server solution is
meant for the busy Internet enthusiast as well as for professional use by
web design agencies, companies (esp. start-ups), software development
projects, organizations, clubs etc. who require a powerful platform that
adapts to growing demand.
At that, for a maximum of service quality we do
our own software development in key areas, which makes us less dependent
on potentially flawed third party products.
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But why managed? Well, apart from it just being
affordable with our approach, doing system administration yourself
costs time, and time is money. Not to mention that it is certainly
no fun in the long run. So why not have "James" do the chores?
Also, do you ever go on vacation, or on business
trips? Or are there times at which you are just too occupied to deal
with maintenance and security issues properly? Who is going to take
care of your server then? We do. With our professional managed
service there is no need to worry about things like these. In today's
increasingly challenging Internet environment it helps protect your
investment in time and effort.
Please note that apart from the centrally
performed maintenance that is built into each of our server boxes
we also offer full management where we would take care of the
user's individually installed application software as well.
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All the relevant services and daemons are up and
running when you get your server box. They are equipped with an
auto-configuration with regard to your IP address, domain name(s) etc.
So there is no need to put this data into the various config files
individually once you move in.
Also, everything works with the initial domain
name we generate and assign to your box when we set it up, including SSL.
So while you are waiting for the official registration or transfer of
your own domain name you can already work on your Internet presence.
For more individual aspects of the box
configuration, like setting up user and email accounts, enabling packages
that are off by default etc., there are detailed and easy-to-follow
how-to descriptions in our "Box Docs" (the menu to the left), which also
include numerous tips and tricks on how to achieve a maximum of usefulness.
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For an idea of what you can do with our
versatile server boxes, here is a list of just a few common uses:
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Web presence, especially of a more complex nature, possibly involving
multiple (virtual) domains, dynamic content, databases, shopping carts etc.
A PHP accelerator is included, and due to the built-in SSL capability
(strong encryption) credit cards and other confidential data can be
accepted too.
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Build a web portal, weblog/blog, news system, online community etc.
with a Content Management System (CMS) of your choice, like Typo3 etc.
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Provide your own web discussion forums and/or present your pictures on
the web. There are lots of forum and photo album freeware packages
available on the Internet that will run on our servers.
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Email system with IMAP4 and POP3 folders for customers, employees, friends
etc., supporting multiple (virtual) domains, SMTP-Auth, IMAP-Idle (Push Email)
and SSL. Comes with webmail and configurable spam protection based on
SpamAssassin and RBL (Realtime Blackhole List) services available on the
Internet. Additionally, high-volume mailing lists can be comfortably read
via the news server we included, with proper threading, auto-expire
etc.
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Run your own mailing lists, both open and closed group
mode supported.
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Establish your instant messaging outpost for ICQ, Yahoo!, AIM, MSN, IRC
and Jabber (+SSL), particularly if you live behind a firewall, be it at
work or at home.
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Fallback MX for your primary mail server.
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Primary or secondary DNS for your company network.
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Monitor your other hosts, networks and data links from the Internet's
perspective.
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Development and testing platform for Internet-centric applications
that otherwise an extra server machine would have to be set up for.
Subversion, CVS and JDK 1.3.1, 1.4.2 & 1.5.0 (Java) included.
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Use the box as an external backup device for important data.
A tool for efficient synchronization ('rsync') is included.
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Host the Internet presences of your customers, clients and friends
too, or even resell whole server boxes, possibly under your brand,
or bundle them with your own services (web design, Internet access
etc.). Please see our
B2B reseller options page
for more details.
Our system is based on
FreeBSD,
a UNIX derivative known for its
rare combination of appliance-like reliability and outstanding
performance. On the application level it is similar to and compatible
with other UNIX flavors like Linux, Solaris etc. For these very reasons
millions of sites
all over the Internet are already running on FreeBSD today.
So, what is a professional, care-free solution
like this going to cost you? Well, considerably less than a conventional
managed server*, thanks to the cost-cutting
effect of our special system architecture.
See for yourself on our prices page.
Also, for an instant hands-on impression you can
"test-drive"
these server boxes!
*
Please consider that Application Level Server Management done the
conventional way would set you back $100 to $200 a month. Not even
including the actual server! After all, the experts required for
this kind of work are expensive. On top of that you would lose 'root'
access. In light of this, our MODUS technology based server boxes are
certainly a bargain. To get an impression of just the highlights of
our maintenance effort please visit our
news/changes page.
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