VDS Bandwidth & Webhosting TOS

[Espy]

Hi! Fair warning before you continue, my knowledge of running anything more than a server rented from a GSP is small. Never dealt with a VDS before, though I'm hoping using a managed one will greatly simplify things for what I need it for. I'm currently only renting a single gameserver and think it would be better to switch over to a managed VDS (and also a webhosting plan) for what the community currently wants, and because of this, have a few questions before I proceed.

First, bandwidth. My community isn't normally a target for DDoS attacks, but it's happened a few times before (none recently) and I'd rather know for a worse-case scenario: if a server gets hit by a DDoS, how likely/easy would it be for an attacker to exceed the allotted bandwidth for the VDS plan and start running up a bill? I'm more wondering about what is done automatically, rather than what is possible to do when I'm aware we're getting hit with one, in the case that I'm unable to do anything at the time of it happening.

Second, this would likely be better fitting in the webhosting section, but as you can run a webhost off of a VDS I figure I can just add it onto this thread. In the terms of service, it says clients may not "Run an auto-refreshing script such as a "shoutbox" that causes page refreshes more frequently than once every 30 seconds" - would a plugin such as TaigaChat for XenForo be disallowed because of this? What makes me question it is this bit on the description:

Inspired by the architecture behind all good 4chan-style imageboard scripts, this system replaces the extremely server-intensive calls to a PHP script on every refresh with a static HTML file that is rewritten when someone posts a message.

This creates a level of efficiency previously only reachable by embedded IRC chatrooms or custom server software. And the best part? It works on shared hosting.

Where previously maybe 10 or 20 people could chat on a low refresh time like 1 or 2 seconds without having an effect on server load and site speed, now most servers should have absolutely no problem handling hundreds of concurrent users.

[soja]

Most (D)DoS attacks here are filtered automatically at the router, so the traffic does not reach your VDS. This causes the attack to not be recorded on your bandwidth graphs or count towards your total monthly usage. If an attack does it through(I have had this a couple times in the last few months) it is usually very small game-focused attacks that consume very little bandwidth, and use an exploit in the game server to hit you offline.

I won't be able to give a definitive answer on the webhosting question, but serving semi-static HTML content is fairly easy and should be fine to use. I would wait for a staff comment on this, though.

[Edge100x]

We include so much bandwidth with our VDSes that you shouldn't have a problem even if an attack gets through. But, you can also block it with the Firewall page to eliminate it counting towards your allotment, or contact us to talk about it further.

The passage that you quoted only applies to websites hosted with us (directly). You can host applications like that on a VDS without having to worry.

[soja]

John, he mentioned he is looking at a managed VDS.

Espy, if you go with a managed VDS you will need to purchase web hosting separately.

[Espy]

The passage that you quoted only applies to websites hosted with us (directly). You can host applications like that on a VDS without having to worry.

Since I'm planning to have the VDS managed rather than unmanaged, I was under the impression I wouldn't be able to host a website off of it, and because of that was going to select "Add separate webhosting" when ordering it. I assume this means the website would be directly hosted with you guys, and not hosted on the VDS; would the add-on I linked in the OP be allowed to run on it, assuming the "speed-mode refresh system" feature is enabled?

[Edge100x]

Ah.

On our shared webhosting, any script would need to have a 30s or longer auto-refresh period, even if the resource is static. This is because of how Apache works internally with the memory usage of its processes.

[Espy]

Sorry if I should've posted a separate thread for this, but I have one more question before doing this:

Since I'm currently hosting a single gameserver from you guys, I have the "lite" webhosting plan that comes with it. As I said in the first post, I want to upgrade to a managed VDS + separate "standard" webhosting plan.

If I go through the purchase page for webhosting, and select "this is an upgrade to an existing server" and select the webhosting that comes with the gameserver to update, this should keep all of my data/databases/identifier the same, along with preventing it from getting removed when I update the gameserver to be moved over to the managed VDS, right?

Also, I assume the monthly payment for the gameserver will be stopped automatically when I update it to be hosted on the VDS, and I don't need to do anything else for it?

and finally, thanks for all the help. From what hosts I've tried, NFO has always been the best for both performance and support - and having forums where both people in the community and staff can answer questions, instead of only having support tickets, makes me feel like less of an annoyance when I have a small question that doesn't need immediate attention.

[Edge100x]

Since I'm currently hosting a single gameserver from you guys, I have the "lite" webhosting plan that comes with it. As I said in the first post, I want to upgrade to a managed VDS + separate "standard" webhosting plan.

If I go through the purchase page for webhosting, and select "this is an upgrade to an existing server" and select the webhosting that comes with the gameserver to update, this should keep all of my data/databases/identifier the same, along with preventing it from getting removed when I update the gameserver to be moved over to the managed VDS, right?

That's actually a really tricky case.

To keep the game server when you move it to a managed VDS, you'd need to order the VDS separately and then migrate over the game server. But, that would delete the webhosting component entirely.

To keep the webhosting, you could convert the current package into just standalone webhosting. But, that would delete the game server.

I think the only way to get what you want here (keeping both the game server and website, including all files and settings, while making them into separate packages and putting the game server onto a VDS) will require my manually splitting off the website into its own package while you order a separate VDS, then your moving the game server onto the VDS. Please open up a support request and have it escalated to me to look at this.

Moving the game server to the managed VDS will stop its subscription without a special credit for its remaining time, so this is a change that you'll want to make near the end of the game server's paid month.

Also, I assume the monthly payment for the gameserver will be stopped automatically when I update it to be hosted on the VDS, and I don't need to do anything else for it?

Yes, the subscription will be stopped when you migrate the game server.

and finally, thanks for all the help. From what hosts I've tried, NFO has always been the best for both performance and support - and having forums where both people in the community and staff can answer questions, instead of only having support tickets, makes me feel like less of an annoyance when I have a small question that doesn't need immediate attention.

I'm happy that we're able to meet your needs and we appreciate the kind words.