Is it standard for hosting companies?
 

To not give you root access for a dedicated server when requested, and when you request it to be informed that they will no longer manage the server if they do give you the root access you requested?

With managed hosting, yes. Some won't even give you root at any cost :)

Yes that is standard practice on managed hosting,which is why i self manage all my servers ;)

It's standard but if you went with one of the big boys here you can make them cater to your every whim so just email them a list. lol

It is standard practice for some.

If they say that, and you need root (ie you develop sites), it is time to move on.

It takes 10X longer to develop a site using ftp.

Yes......

When I used manage hosting I never wanted root access so I never knew what the
policy was.

If they are going to install ffmpeg, imagemagick, create new domains and all those things for me then I don't care about root access.

After setting up my dedicated server I honestly don't ever want to see another
DNS record again.

Please sing to the tune of "The neck bone's connected the head bone" :

"The MX is connected to XA and the XA is connect to the RX and
the PX is the post exchange and the RX doesn't sell sudafed"

:1orglaugh

It's not unusual, but I'd say most will give you the root password.

But don't confuse root (a user name) with ssh (an access method). FTP, SSH, telnet, all may be be used by root or any other user.

Say what? :1orglaugh:1orglaugh

Why are you laughing?

And go into detail please

We prefer to not give root access , this keeps the ability to install unstable scripts and such down , but usually if they need it to have a script installed or something it is not much of a problem as long as you notify what softwares are being installed

sounds like mojohost.

Because you're confusing root access with SSH access.

because you're fucking retarded.

I forgot to go into detail.

root is the default "admin" account on a unix or linux box. FTP is a protocol. Your reply made me chuckle and do a little facepalm.

One of my servers is managed servers and they provide me root access in addition to managing. So, it depends I suppose. However, it is not a US server but a European server in that case.

I remember back in the day paying $1200 a month for one box and they didnt want to give me root access. Things certainly have changed.

Ok. I have an unmanaged so programmer has root.

I have signed up for managed servers in past and ftp was the only access. It was a programmers nightmare so I switched boxes to unmanaged.

root isn't a method of accessing a server. root is the account with full admin rights on the server.

You can log in as root via ssh and do anything to the server. SSH access can also be given to any user but the user will not have the same abilities and accesses as root would have. A programmer shouldn't need root. A regular user account with SSH access is usually sufficient.

Standard practice for managed hosting. You don't need root access 99% of the time. If you ever do, hosting company will do whatever you need to do as root.

There's a very good reason for this: many, even those who think they are smart, are very capable of fucking up a server and then blaming the hosting company for the server not working.

No root = less headaches, happier customers... as long as the hosting company is responsive when you do need to do something as root, that is.

Edit: and if you're talking about the company that I think you're talking about, all you need to do is go on chat or call and they'll do whatever you need. If any programmer is saying that they can't do something because they don't have root access (and can't wait 30 min for the hosting company to address it), they are full of it.

oh i understand why they don't want to give root access to their managed hosting customers - i just wanted to see how standard it is. i have root at one hosting company and not at another.

My managed host gives me root.

Exactly.

Well said. :thumbsup

There are plenty on GFY, among other places, claiming this.

:2 cents:

There are also some who have the sometimes unwritten policy we used to have - you can get root if you have an actual need. Those who don't know the difference between root and ssh don't get root for sure. They may get neither.

With the exception of M, most of the hosts who say "no root" will actually provide the password for us, for example. Either they already know us, or when I explain I intended that particular Apache feature to work. Giving access to the someone who helped create the system in the first place is different than giving the same access to any random person who asks. So they use common sense sometimes.

All good points. Still I prefer the many who do provide access at least once they know it's a qualified person needing it. We recently waited six weeks to even get a reply from a popular and normally very good host. After emails to their support went unanswered, I emailed and ICQed the president of the hosting company. Still no answer. We had to wait until they called needing our help with a different customer. With proper access, we could have fixed the sites six weeks sooner. They were down completely for a few hours. That was extremely frustrating.

So I will add...

The host that blocked all access accept ftp also only allowed 1 IP to access..

Imagine trying to get a site designed, a programmer to coordinate, and me accessing as well.

restricting IP's that can log on via FTP is to protect your server - you just need to get the programmer and designer's IP addresses and ask your host to add them to the whitelist.

it's a hassle, i don't like it, but i've been hacked a few times and now i just deal with the nuisance of adding IP's to the whitelist.

If that's actually true I would find a new host. Who was it?

i cant afford root... :(

Depends on the host, but yes this seems to be common practice. In most cases though if there is some abnormal situation they will give out root. I've gotten root on managed hosts where the host was simply unable to wrangle ffmpeg into submission etc.

Webair got this policy. I dont really care since they take care of everything for me.