D. Strout
Resident IPv6 Proponent
@trewq from Versatile IT was kind enough to provide me with a VPS to review in his new Phoenix location. I've had it for over a month now and have done some testing on it, so I figured it's time to write the review. Before I get in to specs, I'd just like to say that he has been great in working this out with me. He first proposed it on LowEndTalk, then when we moved over here he was kind enough to keep me up to date on how the server setup was going. Once set up, he kept up with me and was there to help out with a few requests. While not support tickets, I can attest from being a previous client of his in Dallas that tickets are handled promptly. Full points on customer service.
The plan I have to review is the "Phoenix Rising" plan, you can find the full specs here. I also own a VPS in Dallas, the 128MB plan, details here. What follows is in regards to the 1GB plan, but my experience with the 128MB plan factors in to my overall satisfaction. Anyway, I have run a ServerBear report on the 1GB plan which you can find here. I did a disk and network test, and to be honest, I wasn't impressed. Network is supposed to be gigabit, and I did get more than 11-12MB/s, but it was only around 20-25MB/s. I've seen better on networks that were supposed to be 100Mbit. This network was rather like 200Mbit. As for disk, these are hard drives we're talking about, not SSDs, and maybe I've been spoiled by RamNode and the like, but the speed was pretty consistently around 170MB/s. I've seen worse, but I've seen much better.
The ServerBear benchmarks will tell you more, but in terms of performance, this is not a great VPS. But as I've said, there are other factors. Support is phenomenal, most issues being fully resolved in a matter of an hour or two. Reliability is great too, on both my VPSes. I've never had any issues, especially with the 128MB one. It's a DNS box that I configured once over two months ago and have left running ever since, never giving me a shred of trouble, always there. It's a "known good" box when one of my other DNS boxes isn't working right.
@trewq has also shown he's forward-thinking by implementing - indeed requiring IPv6 on any nodes he sets up for the public. I might have had my review box a week or two earlier, but he wouldn't set it up until he got an IPv6 allocation from the Phoenix DC. I commend him on that. Finally, one thing that some have made an issue of is the lack of a website for Versatile IT. As of my writing this, the website is just a WHMCS portal for ordering. I agree that a website would enhance the image of this business, and @trewq was smart enough to put up a poll on LET asking others for their opinion. Since the majority were in favor, he expedited his plans for the website, which I'm sure we'll see soon. Again, concern for the customer and forward thinking.
So, is the VPS a speed demon? No. Will it reliably power your sites using the latest technologies such as IPv6? Yes. Can you count on excellent support? Yes! So for those two things, I say, well done Versatile IT and @trewq. And thanks again for this review box. I'm told I have it for free until the node fills up, so I'm going to enjoy it until then.
The plan I have to review is the "Phoenix Rising" plan, you can find the full specs here. I also own a VPS in Dallas, the 128MB plan, details here. What follows is in regards to the 1GB plan, but my experience with the 128MB plan factors in to my overall satisfaction. Anyway, I have run a ServerBear report on the 1GB plan which you can find here. I did a disk and network test, and to be honest, I wasn't impressed. Network is supposed to be gigabit, and I did get more than 11-12MB/s, but it was only around 20-25MB/s. I've seen better on networks that were supposed to be 100Mbit. This network was rather like 200Mbit. As for disk, these are hard drives we're talking about, not SSDs, and maybe I've been spoiled by RamNode and the like, but the speed was pretty consistently around 170MB/s. I've seen worse, but I've seen much better.
The ServerBear benchmarks will tell you more, but in terms of performance, this is not a great VPS. But as I've said, there are other factors. Support is phenomenal, most issues being fully resolved in a matter of an hour or two. Reliability is great too, on both my VPSes. I've never had any issues, especially with the 128MB one. It's a DNS box that I configured once over two months ago and have left running ever since, never giving me a shred of trouble, always there. It's a "known good" box when one of my other DNS boxes isn't working right.
@trewq has also shown he's forward-thinking by implementing - indeed requiring IPv6 on any nodes he sets up for the public. I might have had my review box a week or two earlier, but he wouldn't set it up until he got an IPv6 allocation from the Phoenix DC. I commend him on that. Finally, one thing that some have made an issue of is the lack of a website for Versatile IT. As of my writing this, the website is just a WHMCS portal for ordering. I agree that a website would enhance the image of this business, and @trewq was smart enough to put up a poll on LET asking others for their opinion. Since the majority were in favor, he expedited his plans for the website, which I'm sure we'll see soon. Again, concern for the customer and forward thinking.
So, is the VPS a speed demon? No. Will it reliably power your sites using the latest technologies such as IPv6? Yes. Can you count on excellent support? Yes! So for those two things, I say, well done Versatile IT and @trewq. And thanks again for this review box. I'm told I have it for free until the node fills up, so I'm going to enjoy it until then.
