Dedicated Basic Managment Terms
SOFTWARE
Operating System: Hostfolks will perform the initial installation and security/kernel patches and/or updates of any supported operating system, at no additional cost. Hostfolks supported operating systems currently include: Fedora™ Linux 1+, FreeBSD™ 4+, Windows™ Server 2003, & CentOS™ Linux 3+. End-of-life support is still currently being provided for Red Hat™ Linux 8+ and Windows™ Server 2000. Re-installation of any server, for reasons other than hardware failure, will be charged a flat rate of $65.00. Hostfolks will assist with troubleshooting and repairing basic operating system problems for supported operating systems. Hostfolks may install alternative operating systems, upon client request, which is dealt with on a case by case basis. Support may be limited in regards to alternative operating system setup/configuration, and/or for those clients choosing not to utilize a Hostfolks supported control panel--regardless of operating system selected. Hostfolks supported control panels currently include CPanel™, Plesk™, & DirectAdmin™. A flat rate of $9.95 is charged for VPS operating system re-installation.
Control Panel: Hostfolks will perform the initial installation and test of the supported control panel software for any server ordered with such. If a managed server includes supported control panel software, Hostfolks will support, to the best of it's ability, control panel related problems and issues. This includes, but is not limited to, support of basic control panel functions (ie: adding/removing accounts, dns functions, password changes, etc…) and limited support of control panel installed 3rd party software (ie: proftpd, pureftpd, mailman, agora). Hostfolks will not provide support of the control panel software, or any of its’ 3rd party software inclusions, regarding issues of software bugs or errors, and such issues should be brought to the attention of the software vendors directly for support. Hostfolks is not responsible for web development, non-supported 3rd party software and/or scripts (ie: compatibility, installation, maintenance), and/or ongoing daily administration tasks (ie: setting up new users, email accounts, & domains). Hostfolks, at it's discretion, may assist with initial custom setup/configuration of the server (ie: setting up new users, email accounts, & domains, and/or software modifications). Hostfolks will install supported control panels purchased through Hostfolks, at no additional charge, for Co-Location & External Licensing clientele. Re-Installation of control panels purchased through Hostfolks for Co-Location & External Licensing clientele, for any reason, will be charged a flat rate of $9.95. Support for control panels purchased through Hostfolks, for Co-Location & External Licensing clientele, will be billed at a rate of $65/hour. Installation of Hostfolks supported control panel software requires, and will only be performed on, freshly installed operating systems.
Software Updates/Patches and O/S Upgrades: Hostfolks will assist, upon request, with control panel updates and security patches on any system running a supported operating system and utilizing a Hostfolks supported control panel. Hostfolks supported control panels may automatically update, including their installed 3rd party software, and may be user-configureable whether or not to do such. Hostfolks may assist with control panel updates and security patches of systems running alternative operating systems, or not utilizing a Hostfolks supported control panel, dealt with on a case by case basis, at a rate of $65/hour. Hostfolks will automatically update and patch Sharedl Hosting and VPS backend, at it's best discretion. Individual VPS behave and are treated as regular systems in regards to control panel updates and patches, and Hostfolks will assist, upon request, with control panel updates and security patches on any VPS utilizing a Hostfolks supported control panel. Hostfolks may assist with security patches of any VPS not utilizing a Hostfolks supported control panel, dealt with on a case by case basis, at a rate of $65/hour. Hostfolks only delivers VPS with supported operating systems installed. Upgrades of operating systems will be dealt with on a case by case basis, and may or may not be subject to a flat $65.00 fee, dependant on complexity of the upgrade, and basis for such. The operating system of a VPS may not be able to be upgraded, and may require a complete re-installation, which may be done for a flat rate of $9.95. Hostfolks may assist with control panel updates and security patches for Co-Location & External Licensing clientele, dealt with on a case by case basis, at a rate of $65/hour.
HARDWARE
Maintenance and Replacement: If any hardware component on a Hostfolks supplied system fails, Hostfolks will replace it free of charge, within timeframes specified in the Service Level Agreement (SLA). All operating systems, supported and non-supported, as well as software/configurations installed prior by Hostfolks, will be re-installed at no additional cost to the client, in the case of failed hardware. For information regarding system restoration beyond the operating system and software/configurations, please see the section in this document entitled “Data Recovery/Backups”.
Hardware Upgrades: Information on installation/setup fees and/or monthly fees for hardware upgrades is available via the Features Add-On/Upgrade page. Upgrading hard drives to a different size or type of drive, requiring the re-installation of the operating system and software/configurations, and the transfer of data from the old system/drive(s), will be billed at a rate of $65/hour.
DATA RECOVERY/BACKUPS
Hostfolks always recommends purchasing backup storage/service with any and all systems/services. Clients may purchase backup drives and/or backup storage and perform their own backups--with or without Hostfolks or control panel supplied backup software enabled, or may purchase a managed backup solution from Hostfolks.
Hardware Failure: All operating systems, supported and non-supported, as well as software/configurations installed prior by Hostfolks, will be re-installed at no additional cost to the client, in the case of failed hardware.
If backup storage does not exist, Hostfolks will re-install the operating system and software/configurations previously installed by Hostfolks, on a new hard drive, and attempt to leave the defective drive in place for the customer to retrieve/restore data--for up to 72 hours after re-installation.
If a backup storage exists, and the client was performing their own backups--with or without Hostfolks or control panel supplied backup software enabled on the backup storage, Hostfolks will re-install the operating system and software/configurations previously installed by Hostfolks, on a new hard drive, and attempt to leave the backup drive and/or defective drive in place for the customer to retrieve/restore data--for up to 72 hours after re-installation. Hostfolks, at it's discretion, may assist with data restoration at a rate of $65/hour.
If a managed backup solution exists, and Hostfolks or control panel supplied backup software was enabled, Hostfolks will re-install the operating system and software/configurations previously installed by Hostfolks, on a new hard drive, and will assist with restoration of the system data, at no additional charge. Managed backup solutions exist automatically for all Hostfolks Virtual Hosting and VPS clientele, however, Hostfolks always recommends purchasing additional Remote Backup services as well.
Hostfolks cannot guarantee full, or even partial, recovery of data from a failed drive, but will work to the limit of their abilities to restore data from the failed hardware, based on defined policy and procedure. Client may purchase a defective drive from Hostfolks, at reasonable market prices, and have the drive shipped to them, or to a data recovery company, at their expense with a minimal handling fee.
Software Failure and Hacked/Compromised Operating Systems: Operating system re-installation by Hostfolks will be charged a flat rate of $65.00, and assistance with software/configurations and/or data recovery will be billed at a rate of $65/hour, in the case of a system suffering software bugs or operating system compromise.
If backup storage does not exist, Hostfolks will re-install the operating system and software/configurations previously installed by Hostfolks, on a new hard drive, and attempt to leave the bug-ridden/compromised drive in place for the customer to retrieve/restore data--for up to 72 hours after re-installation.
If a backup storage exists, and the client was performing their own backups--with or without Hostfolks or control panel supplied backup software enabled on the backup storage, Hostfolks will re-install the operating system and software/configurations previously installed by Hostfolks, on a new hard drive, and attempt to leave the backup drive and/or bug-ridden/compromised drive in place for the customer to retrieve/restore data--for up to 72 hours after re-installation. Hostfolks, at it's discretion, may assist with data restoration at a rate of $65/hour.
If a managed backup solution exists, and Hostfolks or control panel supplied backup software was enabled, will re-install the operating system and software/configurations previously installed by Hostfolks, on a new hard drive, and will assist with restoration of the system data, at no additional charge. Managed backup solutions exist automatically for all Hostfolks Virtual Hosting and VPS clientele,, however, Hostfolks always recommends purchasing additional Remote Backup services as well. Hostfolks cannot guarantee full, or even partial, recovery of data from a bug-ridden/compromised system, but will work to the limit of their abilities to restore data, based on defined policy and procedure.
Remote Backup: clientele are responsible for their own hardware replacement and re-installation of operating system and software/configurations, as well as data recovery. Hostfolks will supply assistance with connecting to the stored data, to the best of it's ability. Support may be available directly from backup software vendors for their product(s). Hostfolks, at it's discretion, may assist with data restoration at a rate of $65/hour, dealt with on a case by case basis.
Consulting/Networking: clientele, utilizing Hostfolks Remote Backup solutions, will be billed at a rate of $65/hour for hardware replacement work, operating system re-installation, and assistance with software/configurations and/or data recovery. Support may be limited for software/configurations not originally installed/provided by Hostfolks. If Hostfolks is not performing data recovery, Hostfolks will supply assistance with connecting to the stored data, to the best of it's ability. Support may be available directly from backup software vendors for their product(s), or the original vendor/installer of your other software/configurations.
MONITORING
Hostfolks will monitor a single protocol on each system, to verify that the system is operational. The default protocol that is monitored is HTTP (Port 80), however, on systems that do not respond to such, monitoring is performed via another protocol. Available monitoring protocols are HTTP, SMTP, FTP, SSH, and ICMP(PING). The customer may request that a specific protocol and port is monitored, rather than the Hostfolks default selection. Monitoring of multiple ports may be available at an additional cost. If a server fails to respond to a monitored protocol, Hostfolks will manually attempt to check the status of the server via another protocol. Hostfolks will automatically reboot systems that fail to respond after a second tested protocol fails. If the second tested protocol responds properly, Hostfolks will attempt to log into the system to restore/restart service on the initial failed protocol that was being monitored. Hostfolks does not charge for reboots to any system on the network. It is the client’s responsibility to update Hostfolks any time that the root password is changed on a system, otherwise Hostfolks will be unable to restore/restart failed monitored protocols automatically, and will not be held liable for failure to do such. It is the client’s responsibility to keep access by Hostfolks monitoring system ip addresses available to their system, and not blocked via firewall, and to notify Hostfolks any time a port is changed on a monitored protocol or if a protocol disabled. Otherwise Hostfolks will be unable to provide monitoring services, and will not be held liable for failure to do such. If a protocol is consistently unavailable to the Hostfolks monitoring system, Hostfolks may at it's discretion cease monitoring such protocol. In some circumstances, Hostfolks may override and change the root password to your system, in cases Hostfolks deems such necessary to correct an urgent issue, or to remedy an AUP/TOS issue.
AUP/TOS ISSUES
Hostfolksmay charge for dealing with AUP/TOS issues, and/or administration work required to prevent such from occuring again in the future. For details on such charges, please review the AUP/TOS policy.
ABNORMAL SUPPORT
Hostfolks charges a rate of $65/hour for support and/or administration work not included or specified by the terms of this management policy. Support and/or administration work not included or specified by the terms of this management policy, will be performed by Hostfolks at it's discretion, and dealt with on a case by case basis. Clientele will be informed of such charges in advance, and be required to give authorization to Hostfolks to proceed with such work.