Multi-site service on one account

[maxa]

A client wants to set up a service where small companies can order a very simple homepage from him with quite much of the setup process automated. The order form would write the necessary data to a MySQL database for the produce of the homepage later, quite automated if I understand him right.

Since RSP does not allow database usage from outside the hosting account, I only see this possible if all these homepages would be hosted in one ant the same hosting account. This would probably fit perfect since my client is looking for a very simple and cheap solution for his clients. This way, I would have, say hundreds of small homepages on one Corporate account. The third party client would have no access to the CP or FTP and can only order, say three e-mail addresses at setup. I would of course have to buy a lot of extra “domain hosted” upgrades to the account but that would not be a problem.

Do you se any problems with this arrangement?
Did anyone see any script out there that could be helpful in setting up a thing like this?

[Guest]

From my own searching awhile back, I believe Drupal has the ability to create multi-site setups off of one Drupal installation. There is also a multisite script for Joomla and Mambo, as well as phpNuke and I believe postNuke also.

[maxa]

From my own searching awhile back, I believe Drupal has the ability to create multi-site setups off of one Drupal installation. There is also a multisite script for Joomla and Mambo, as well as phpNuke and I believe postNuke also.

Thanks Identity, but I think that is too advanced. I think my client is looking for something much simplier to set up (for his client's).

Did someone try phpCoin? Would that be a helpful start? Maybe it would be something for my business...

[Guest]

phpCoin is more of a standard billing and hosting setup script, but the end user will be looking at starting with a blank slate... my impression is that you are looking for more of a user friendly, no web-knowledge needed front end. Not sure phpCoin is going to provide that.

The web isn't really a plug an do environment... at least somewhere along the way, someone has to really deal with all of the challenges. Sounds like your client is looking to offer an easy front end solution to their customers without dealing with all of the backend required to deliver that. As the saying goes, you don't get something for nothing. The web is a balance beam... the more that is given on one end needs to be counterbalanced on the other end.

If this is what they are looking for, then you may want to figure out how to provide the solution they want, with you taking on (directly or outsourcing) the backend to make their part simple also, but I certainly wouldn't do this at a discount. At some point, people need to learn that the web isn't some magic fountain where you can get all that you want without putting anything in.

[Guest]

Well, I do not know the names but there is a few, scripts that will do more or less what your looking. Try looking around at this link There are many pages on there to chose from.
You may also have to find a free html editor to give them also?
I was going to set something up like this a while back, and give people a subdomain name. but I never finished it, because of trying to authencate the DNS for a subdomain, but it sounds like your going to set up a whole domain in advance for them so it should work.
Anyway good luck, and let us know how it goes!
-Peace-

[Guest]

You may want to work off of the Multihoster script, and integrate the billing yourself. That script is a nice template for making those type of websites.

I also heard from the owner that they are releasing a pro version of this which has billing integrated. This may be exactly what you are looking for.