I think the key here is to make a simple opt-in system to managed services. That way, the hardcore guys can get what they are already getting while also satisfying the noobs at the same time.

I come under the noob category - while I like linode's speed I just can't manage any of the stuff here, quite honestly I think its a miracle that I got my website up to be honest. I have been spending the last couple of months working out how the hell to access my SFTP - I just can't do it! If there is someone on linode that could do that through a managed service then I'm happy - though if its at extra cost I'll have to decline as I can't raise my costs much more as this is a hobby for me.

I like the idea though

This is exactly the idea, for those who may think we plan on switching to completely managed services. Management would be an optional "Extra" you can get if you want/need it. If you don't opt for management, you would have the same current Linode service you know you love.

I agree 100% with this. Also, the idea of helping sites scale, with load-balancing techniques is also great, making our sites have high reability with mirrors and increasing scale performance with multiple linodes or any other techniques the Linode staff knows better.

There are a lot of new customers you could attract with managed hosting. A lot more people need websites and decent hosting than know how to manage a Linux server. Many of them can't even consider Linode because they can't manage a linux server. You would open yourself to a much larger customer base if you started offering managed hosting.

As most of your current customers can manage Linux servers, I don't think many of us would opt for managed, because if we (current customers) wanted managed hosting, we'd be with a different provider.

Management doesn't have to be cheap if it is good. Rackspace is charging about $200/month to add management to their "cloud", which is cheaper than hiring someone, but still expensive. Plenty of people are willing to pay good money for high quality managed services, else corporations wouldn't have IT departments, and those of us who work in IT wouldn't have jobs.

@$200/mo No way. I'm one of the ppl who would actually sign up for managed hosting, but not at that price. Besides, Rackspace is known for being way overpriced.

Linode would be competing more w/ Knownhost's managed VPS. And if they really wanted to carve out a niche, they could provide managed nginx hosting, which is feasible now with the Froxlor control panel (free & open-source). Froxlor + stackscripts to set it up would be hella time & cost efficient for Linode so they could come in at the same or better price than Knownhost VPS. That would sell like hotcakes.

I have had a Linode 512 for a couple years now and love it, for all the reasons everybody else loves Linode. And I recently opened a "managed" account with another host for a new business -- I don't have the time to devote to becoming "hard core" enough to be able to do all the things necessary to keep a website up and running -- and secure.

I would prefer hosting my site on a Linode if a package was available that included security, updates, troubleshooting when needed, most of the things others have mentioned here. I seriously considered hosting the new site on a larger Linode but "chickened out" since I believe full-time managing of a server is beyond me at this point. I am sure I could develop the skills but that wouldn't leave me any time to run the business, same old story.

As much as I would like to see this kind of offering, I also wonder if Linode would still be Linode if this kind of a shift were made. My guess is it would be worth a try -- as an old sales manager used to say, right now there may be a lot of change being left on the table with all the people out there wanting to host sites but not having time and / or skill to manage the servers.

Pricing, naturally, is a critical part of the equation. For me, some kind of combination pricing, ongoing vs. "a la carte" setup might work: I'd pay a set amount for ongoing security and whatever it took to keep the server running. (Security was -- is -- the #1 reason why I chose managed vs. unmanaged). But if a "project" came up that required more help -- maybe I'd want to experiment with memcached or Litespeed or something -- I could get an estimate of how much extra that would cost and pay that if I wanted / needed the help. Or if my business grows and I need more capacity but want help setting that up. Lots of possibilities here.

This could help keep the monthly rates reasonable, and would encourage users to be as self-sufficient as possible while still having access to highly skilled help when needed. It might also help keep Linode's atmosphere as a place for the enthusiasts and hard-core types, while opening it up to more newcomers.

My "managed" account is ok, no major issues so far. But it isn't Linode by a long shot. Linode has spoiled me. Being able to host a "live" website without having to become a full-time sysadmin, while still having the benefits of Linode, would be the best of both worlds. The hope, of course, is that both of those worlds can in fact coexist! I think it would be worth a try.

So I vote "yes." Somewhat qualified, but definitely a yes.

I just hope their managed service will include a daily continental breakfast - because that would be really helpful and way cool.

hear hear mclinn. I second everything you said. And I might add, if Linode would like a couple beta testers for this managed service, I'll offer myself and I'd bet mclinn would be up for it too.

lol vonskippy, with fresh OJ please.

<agrees with jmedia & vonskippy>

I would be up for beta testing, sure!

And the breakfast is a great idea as long as the coffee is hot and fresh.

The competition will never know what hit 'em ...

A combination of OpenVPN for encryption and security, and firewall rules for access control should provide a far more powerful and flexible solution than VLANs while also being sufficiently secure. It's extra work, true, but VLANs have their own problems (like preventing me from accessing public services through the private network).

The idea of service monitoring -> automatic ticket is very interesting to me.

Many people on here run nearly mission-critical systems: websites, VoIP servers, etc. I am not and cannot be available 24/7 to deal with issue.

Most of the time my HA setup handles problem, but some sort of 24/7 ability to automatically troubleshoot issues would definitely be worth considering.

I'm not even live with anything on my linode yet, but I can see the value in having a service where someone familiar with my setup would apply security updates while I'm on vacation and monitor to make sure that nothing is running out of control.

I would like a managed HA setup across multiple datacenters with monitoring and backups.

It could be DB HA or HTTP HA or both combined. etc.

I agree with oak too.

I have referred two customers to Linode who previously had managed sites elsewhere and after the initial week or two of learning they're much happier with an unmanaged service.

Not wanting to tell you your job, but never understimate the difficulty in managing things for people.. Odds are, if a customer needs it managed, they're not educated enough to tell you what they really want, they only think they are.. and then you end up delivering what they asked for rather than what they had in their head but didn't communicate it to you.. and the costs involved in all that.

I also like the fact that Linode support guys are on the ball and talk at my level, all too often I've seen support departments balloon in size and before you know it you're talking to a guy who doesn't know what RAM is and is there just to take your call and put your query into a queue for you.

I use to work for a company like that, the first line support was pretty awful, sad thing is they used to support the people that built planes...nuclear submarines etc..

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