Now that the AWS outage is behind us, I think it would be really helpful to get some discussion going with what are the cloud hosting options available other than AWS. I know most of you would say why even bother, just go with AWS. For me, the recent AWS outage has really put doubts into my mind about EBS and how persistence they are.
Personally, I have been using RackSpace cloud for some time. And I can share some of my experience with Rackspace Cloud, as well as what others have said.
If anyone knows of any other than RackSpace, please jump in and I'll update the main post
Rackspace Cloud
Rackspace has 2 physical locations in the US - ORD and DFW. Rackspace instances are VMs unless EC2. I know Posterous uses Rackspace Cloud http://www.rackspace.com/cloud/cloud_hosting_products/servers/compare/
PROs
1. Cheap - It's definitely cheaper than AWS. Since their lowest instance starts at 256MB, you can spin on up around $10/mth for working on less resource intensive tasks or for staging.
2. Better performance than AWS.
http://scripting.com/stories/2011/04/14/rackspaceBeatsEc2ByALot.html
3. Rackspace instances are VMs, so you get dedicated resources like cpu, memory and storage unless ECS, you only get cpu and memory and no storage.
4. Great support. There's alway someone that I can talk to for support. Web chat, etc and AWS has zero-support by default.
5. Basic form of VM imaging so you can back up your instance daily to hourly and recover any failing instance using those images. AWS has no default recovery, you have to DIY although I believe there are many solutions readily available.
CONs
1. I tried looking up more information about their cloud stack information but couldn't find anything more than this
http://www.rackspace.com/cloud/cloud_hosting_products/servers/technology/
2. No matter which location you are at ORD and DFW, it's within one DC. So if that DC goes down, you are down. You can roll out servers at either locations or both, but inter-DC traffic goes over the internet. To change DC or start servers at other location still requires you to talk to a support personel.
3. Does not have the other nifty cloud services like SNS, SQS, SES, etc.
Personally, I have been using RackSpace cloud for some time. And I can share some of my experience with Rackspace Cloud, as well as what others have said.
If anyone knows of any other than RackSpace, please jump in and I'll update the main post
Rackspace Cloud Rackspace has 2 physical locations in the US - ORD and DFW. Rackspace instances are VMs unless EC2. I know Posterous uses Rackspace Cloud http://www.rackspace.com/cloud/cloud_hosting_products/servers/compare/
PROs
1. Cheap - It's definitely cheaper than AWS. Since their lowest instance starts at 256MB, you can spin on up around $10/mth for working on less resource intensive tasks or for staging.
2. Better performance than AWS. http://scripting.com/stories/2011/04/14/rackspaceBeatsEc2ByALot.html
3. Rackspace instances are VMs, so you get dedicated resources like cpu, memory and storage unless ECS, you only get cpu and memory and no storage.
4. Great support. There's alway someone that I can talk to for support. Web chat, etc and AWS has zero-support by default.
5. Basic form of VM imaging so you can back up your instance daily to hourly and recover any failing instance using those images. AWS has no default recovery, you have to DIY although I believe there are many solutions readily available.
CONs
1. I tried looking up more information about their cloud stack information but couldn't find anything more than this http://www.rackspace.com/cloud/cloud_hosting_products/servers/technology/
2. No matter which location you are at ORD and DFW, it's within one DC. So if that DC goes down, you are down. You can roll out servers at either locations or both, but inter-DC traffic goes over the internet. To change DC or start servers at other location still requires you to talk to a support personel.
3. Does not have the other nifty cloud services like SNS, SQS, SES, etc.