[SAGE] A Nightmare in Dedicated Server Land

["Dustin Puryear" <dpuryear@usa.net>]

A Nightmare in Dedicated Server Land
By Dustin Puryear

A while ago we signed up for a dedicated FreeBSD server. The setup took a
few days and then we got our login information. I logged in and began
setting up the server only to find that when I was almost done that the
drive was going bad.

Problem: New servers should go through at least minimal testing before being
deployed.

We emailed support. After several email exchanges and a few phone calls the
server was fixed. This took around six days. We had never been able to use
the server we had paid for up to this point.

Problem: It should not take six days to fix a bad server that a client has
paid for.

So we got a new server with the same IP. Great! I recompiled the kernel (got
to keep away the evil hackers, right?), setup key files, and rebooted. The
server did not come up. Okay, something is wrong. Maybe it's a bad kernel,
perhaps I ran 'shutdown' instead of 'reboot', who knows? Okay, I'll request
service. I emailed support.

But wait I think. It took six days last time. The client may be out of
business if we wait another six days.

So I call support. I speak with Ryan. Ryan seems friendly, but he serves as
an excellent brick wall. "We have no dedicated server support. Just email
support." I tell Ryan "It took six days last time. We will be out of
business. We are paying for a server we have never used!" This goes on for
15 minutes. "We need help Ryan." "Sorry" we are told.

I then ask to speak to a manager. Ryan is technical support. I'm an upset
client. Technical support doesn't help upset clients; they help clients with
technical problems. Managers help upset clients.

Problem: Technical support should always hand off upset clients to managers.
That's why you pay managers--to handle these situations. You pay technical
support to provide.. well.. technical support.

Ryan refuses to let me speak with Jason, the manager. I ask to be put on
hold until Jason is available. I get put on hold for one minute, and then
Ryan returns. "Hey, look, you aren't going to get to talk to the manager.
Just email support." I say "No, I want to talk to a manager. I'm an upset
client, and that's why the manager is there." "Nope" says Ryan. Not going to
happen. The manager is busy with another call. "I'll wait" I say. "Sorry"
says Ryan; it's not going to happen.

Hey, if I have to pay $100 to get someone to load the generic kernel on the
FreeBSD server, then what the hell, we are happy to do it.

But we can't wait six days.

The End.