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The meaning of "Unlimited"

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impactgc

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I come to this site off and on and I noticed so many hosters offering "Unlimited" features.. Doesn't matter what it is.

"Unlimited" what does that mean? Servers have limits, connections have limits.

I am not sure why hosters offer "unlimited" - when truely it isn't. THERE ARE LIMITS. Aren't there?

So many hoster's offer "Unlimited" everything, but they know it is only a selling point. A selling point they can't really sell.

Who has tested a hoster when they offer unlimited. What was your findings?

I would like to hear from some hosters out there that DO offer "unlimited" and find out what they mean.

I don't mean for this post to sound negative. But thought I would bring it up.

Thanks,
Adam
 
All too true. I would never trust someone offering unlimited. Usually they place limits, like types of files, or size.
 
This issue has been brough up many times, if you did check FWS has a policy against "unlimited" accounts.
 
Yes, all systems have limitations, but when the limits are as high as they are it would be ridiculous to offer 15x10³º sql databases and 27x10¹² e-mails.

You’ll not be able to reach the system limitations no matter how hard you try.

There are offers of unlimited bandwidth also, and I have an account at a Norwegian server with a direct line to NIX (Norwegian Internet Exchange) where I have unlimited bandwidth usage.

This server has a 1Gbit connection where I have no issues pulling 100Mb/s of UNINET.

If they were to offer the specific the system limitations it would be 2214Tb a month. I wouldn't take such an offer seriously, but I did and do take their unlimited offer seriously.

You can't reach that level even if you run a newsgroup server with warez.

Sometimes simpler is better.
 
Dos4gw, ISPs(talking high-tier fibre providers that offer 100mbps or whatever) are usually unmetered, since you pay how many thousands of dollars a month it costs. However unlimited is the wrong word for this. All ISPs label these services as unmetered, I've never seen unlimited. Also, generally, the server itself doesn't have a 1GBit connection, it's usually shared amongst others or blend in a BGP4 mix in the datacentre.

Now with SQL databases, and mail boxes it's different. Those don't have a limit aside from system resources available. These can be labeled as unlimited. However, what happens when someone comes and uses too many system resources because of this? That's why these unlimited hosts generally impose a restriction(aka limit) on how much of the server's resources you can use(processing time, ram, harddrive space, even bandwidth).

Basically, don't expect to run FilePlanet off an unlimited shared hosting account for $5 a month. It doesn't work that way.
 
Data centres aren't that popular here in Europe as they are in the US, and none of the nodes connected to NIX are located in some sort of data centre.

The connected nodes are mainly ISPs, universities, and major enterprises.

All the nodes within the network I’m connected to are on Gigabit networks on Gigabit switches.

When they inform the customers they have a 1Gbit/s connection, and that you are free to use it as much as you like, you have unlimited transfer at 1Gbit/s.

Regarding Sql and email I was referring to server limitations, and you'd have to have a huge amount of Sql databases, ftp accounts, and email inboxes AND use them all at once to chew on the system recourses.
 
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I gess what they mean, is that the only limit you have is the space left on the hard drive and the transfer left for the month for the server. But I would not trust someone saying that.
 
The server doesn't have a monthly traffic limit to or from NIX. They pay a yearly price for the connection and are free to use that connection at max 24/7/365.
 
Space is always limited and can never be unlimited.

We also have unmetered connections for all our servers, as for this we are able to offer our clients "unmetered traffic" based on a FUP (Fair Use Policy), altrough we always advertise with traffic limits,but we never charged a client for using more traffic incluided in his/her monthly subscribtion,and we are not planning to do so as long the usage stays normal and is not affecting our other clients(Why should we charge our clients if we had to buy the traffic anyway even if it is not being used).But unlimited traffic is simply not possible,everything has its limit.

Regarding SQL,mail,ftp accounts etc, we also offer 'Unmetered', but we also have a FUP (Fair Use Policy) for this, if a client is using to much server resources we ask him/her to limit his use, but this is very unlikely.
 
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No offense to anyone but stop saying "unlimited" You are allowed to use "unmetered" but not "unlimited". Just letting you all know before one of the mod's or admin's get after you.

Regards,
 
First off you look at some of the posts they do say unlimited.. I am question the word used.. Not the difference between unmetered vs. unlimited.

I thank everyone for their comments.

By the way I am NOT offering unlimited hosting.. so why would a mod delete the post? there would be no reason. There is a difference between discussing it and offering.

FYI: http://www.freewebspace.net/forums/showthread.php?t=47714
Thanks,
Adam
 
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Yeah maybe unlimited features but not unlimited space and or bandwith. There is no such thing. Unmetered bandwith and space maybe but not the other. If you see posts offering unlimited space and bandwith then you need to report it. I actually meaning that when you post offers your not allowed to use "unlimited". I know a mod wouldnt delete this thread because it is not for an offer.

Regards,
 
impactgc, I believe that hosts can offer this because they do put limits on files and certain aspects of the hosting. We provide unlimited mysql databases. You can add as many mysql databases as you want, but when it comes down to the space that the mysql databases use, that is the limit that both stops the creation of the unlimited mysqls and the creation of any new files. So in fact you are right that no one can offer unlimited features. Unlike bandwidth, mysql databases are not completely a lie because diskspace is in the interim of the limit.
 
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however, unlimited bandwidth to the user is possible. It can be unlimited however there is going to be a max and that is the speed of the connection times the 31 days in the month that it can run. So literally you could have unlimited bandwidth. Except there is a limited speed.
 
We provide unlimited mysql databases. You can add as many mysql databases as you want, but when it comes down to the space that the mysql databases use, that is the limit that both stops the creation of the unlimited mysqls and the creation of any new files.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't that be confusing the customer when you don't mention their is a space limit. When hosters say unlimited mysql database and don't mention anything about space well then there is a problem. So when hosters mention the first half and not the second half hosters are speaking in half truth which isn't a good practice.

Thanks,
Adam
 
God, I hate this controversy so much, I think the term "Unlimited or Unmetered Bandwidth" is fine. If you have the resources, no one is going to max out a OC48 Line or similar... Have fun trying to...

Sometimes you just want to say, "If someone is foolish enought to believe that I have an Unlimited Hard Drive, then send me your money."

Of course, I'm way too honest and nice to ever do that to someone, but there are indeed dumb people in the world.

Sizzler has no problem offering "All you can eat" Dinners... anyone want to try offering, "All you can fit" Hosting?
 
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