Possible switch from MB 4.4 - advice needed

[webarama]

Hi.

 

(Sorry this is so long)

 

We run a hosting company with around 2000 active clients. Mainly shared hosting, dedicated servers, domains, certificates.

 

Currently running MB4.4 almost manually. Doing it the way we do now is time consuming and running our business this way costs more than it should.

 

Upgrades and new orders are add-ons are common for our clients (we do it pretty well, so people stay with us for years normally and buy lots of additional products) - but it's time consuming and costly doing it all manually.

 

We have spent 2 months playing with MB5.x as we need to automate our business now in order to continue our growth.

 

It's pretty clear that MB5 is not yet at a level which is going to satisfy our needs. We approached MB for a quote to do things the way we wanted. Their 'professional services' quote was $7,200 USD! So I have started to investigate other potential software to make my billing/automation nightmare go away.

 

So, some questions about WHMCS (in no particular order):

 

1. Does whmcs handle automated setups within Plesk (I am assuming yes)

 

2. Can it setup on Plesk at the client level (ie we as admin set client permissions and limits and allow client to manage domain limits)?

 

3. Will subsequent orders from an existing client be added onto the same client automatically? ie can we add additional 'packages' and 'add-ons' to an existing client's limits within Plesk?

 

4. Being based in Australia, we'd like to use an Australian based registrar called Distribute.IT - I notice no 'module' is available for them. Can we pay to have someone integrate this feature?

 

5. Is there anything we should know about whmcs which would stop us from automating our plesk shared hosting environment and domain registration, renewal and transfer. In other words, are there any 'show stoppers'?

 

6. What will it cost us to have all our clients migrated from MB to whmcs? (bad name by the way, no offense intended but I have mentioned it 4 times in this post and have had to look each time, as I almost type whcms by mistake - anyone else think the name needs a change?)

 

7. SSL ordering automation at all?

 

Again, sorry for the length of this post, but I have only just discovered this product and I am looking forward to hearing more. I've been on 'Modern Bill Island' too long and I feel like I need a holiday.

 

Thanks in advance.

[bucketshop]

Dave,

 

Glad to see you made it... or considering making the jump

 

I can answer #7 for you. There is not SSL automation at all.

 

I use resellerclub/directi for domains and now they are selling Thawte certs, it would be nice if Matt could use Directi's API to add that functionality in WHMCS. I would also like to see the option to have WHMCS generate the Private Key and CSR independent of any control panel... since some dedicated server clients do not use a CP and it would just be a convenience to them.

 

I am not sure of the history of WHMCS but it might have sprang from WHMAP or dissatisfaction with it that is.... I dunno though and I would imagine that Matt is looking for a different name to get away from the WHM/CPanel stigma.

 

Maybe WHCS (Web Host Complete Solution).

 

G'Day Mate

 

TP