Resource Abuse Monitor

[GGWH-James]

I've made an addon that is being used within our hosting environment on our shared servers. It's very loosely based on a non-functional script from that apparent * (from what I've read here and other places around the 'net) at WHMCS Gold. While searching for a working addon like this, I came up short, so went ahead and made it instead. What his addon was supposed to do gave me ideas.

 

It's taken me some time to get everything working just right, but after having been using it on our own servers, seems to be working alright with no bugs at the moment. Would there be an interest in this type of addon if I were to release it, and if so, how much would you be willing to pay? I think that I'd offer both monthly and one-time fee options.

 

It's nice to have this sort of thing automated for us now instead of having to manually take action against those abusing our shared resources. There is still more that can be expanded upon with it and I have every intention of doing so as we use this for our own business and I do have more ideas for it. Revisions would, of course, be offered to licenced users.

[laszlof]

You'd need to provide more details on exactly what it does. This post is pretty vague.

[GGWH-James]

You'd need to provide more details on exactly what it does. This post is pretty vague.

Ya, I suppose that may help, eh?

 

It integrates with ConfigServer Security & Firewall and although I only have it monitor alerts that I want to specifically monitor, more-or-less anything that the CSF can generate as an alert should theoretically be able to be monitored and recorderd by the addon. Today, I started putting all text into the language file so that users could translate it to whatever languages are used within their own system. As for what it specifically does, you need to install and configure CSF/LFD on your server and then isntall this addon.

 

The addon will monitor the e-mail alerts sent by CSF/LFD and take action based upon the alerts which it's set to watch for. Within the admin interface, you can specify at how many recorded alerts the account should be sent an e-mail warning them of pending suspension for resource abuse as well as the actual e-mail sent. You can also set if you want the addon to automatically suspend an abusive account and the threshold that needs to be met for that to happen (i.e. X number of alerts within Y period of time) or you can disable the automatic suspensions and manually suspend accounts which don't take corrective action after receiving a warning e-mail(s).

 

I was thinking about adding to the admin interface where you can select which specific alerts you want the addon to watch for; but for now, I have the alertsbeing watched for hard-coded though. There is also a client-side interface which they can access form the client area to view the abuse history for each of thier services.

Edited September 18, 2010 by GGWH-James

[jhamon]

Hi,

 

I would be interested in trying this and reporting back.

[GGWH-James]

Hi,

 

I would be interested in trying this and reporting back.

Once I've finished getting the language stuff done and added some more code that's in my head, I'll have a copy ready for initial release. We've been running it for a few weeks now without issue, but I need to package it ready for use by others. Hopefully, within the next week; by next weekend.

[EasyWHMCS]

I'm intrested in using this also..

[Ashley.S.]

I'll be keeping an eye on this

[RaXa]

I'm interested too.

[thernes]

Interested.

[GGWH-James]

I'm just cleaning up the code a bit and adding a few options to the admin interface. However, I should have an initial release available over the coming days. Installation and usage instructions will be available within our knowledgebase and the module itself can be obtained from here once it's been made available.

 

New versions will be available for those with active licences as we expand upon the monitored alerts and interface updates. We should have the first release ready for general use before the week's out. Screenshots and such will be added to the order page once it's been made available.

 

Edited September 21, 2010 by GGWH-James

[GGWH-James]

We're finalizing the knowledge base articles specific to this module and its order page. We're looking to have v1.0 available before the day's out.

 

As previously stated, all alerts that this module watches for are hard-coded and cannot be disabled at present. However, the alerts being watched for really should not be disabled for any Web host looking to stabilize their shared servers. With that said, we will be making each and every alert that our module watches for into an off/on option within the administrative interface and allow you to decide, specifically, which of the available alerts that you want to watch out for.

 

This module started as a direct response to our own in-house needs and requirements; and the lack of any real functional solution. As such, we have the most important alerts being monitored at the moment; the primary ones needed to curb abuse and to keep all of our shared servers stable, preferably with little to no further intervention on our part with regard to abusive clients. We have much better things to do with our time than to waste it having to chase down the user(s) responsible for slowing a particular our server to a crawl. This module now does all of that for us, and even takes pre-defined actions, without requiring interaction from us.

 

Our licensed users will find that not only will we be greatly expanding upon the alerts available to be watched and improving the administrative interface, but if there are any alerts that you specifically want/need, a simple ticket requesting as much will get it into our next (minor) release; sooner rather than later. Upgrading is as simple as overwriting the old files with the new, no reconfiguration necessary; with exception of any new features, of course.

 

Once we have the current alerts moved into the admin panel as off/on options and have heard back from some of our users as to any additional alerts which they may like to be included at present, we will be pursuing the monitoring and control of inodes on a per user basis as well. This will also be a part of this module, most likely for the v2.0 release of it.

 

This module can be and is quite powerful, but it will be even more-so with our active development of and plans for it; an absolute must have for any shared Web hosting provider! One other thing that I should probably mention, you can monitor every shared server within your network with a single installation of this module; we don't limit the number of servers. You just need to install CSF on all of the servers which you would like to monitor with it and send all of their alerts to this one module.

Edited September 22, 2010 by GGWH-James

[merlinpa1969]

How is this different than the module from whmcsgold?

[GGWH-James]

How is this different than the module from whmcsgold?

For one thing, it works. For a second thing, it's actively developed and supported. For three, it will have a lot more functionality than theirs ever was to have had or ever would. Not to be an ass, but it already has more functionality than that other 'module' ever did. Oh, and did I mention, it actually works as described? The other thing is, when ordering from us, you actually get delivery of the product; we don't just take your money and not deliver; this is not vaporware and we're no scammers as some others have proven to be.

Edited September 22, 2010 by GGWH-James

[Ashley.S.]

For one thing, it works. For a second thing, it's actively developed and supported. For three, it will have a lot more functionality than theirs ever was to have had or ever would. Not to be an ass, but it already has more functionality than that other 'module' ever did. Oh, and did I mention, it actually works as described? The other thing is, when ordering from us, you actually get delivery of the product; we don't just take your money and not deliver; this is not vaporware and we're no scammers as some others have proven to be.

+1 to that message, any ideas on how much you will be charging for the add-on?

[GGWH-James]

+1 to that message, any ideas on how much you will be charging for the add-on?

We're still throwing pricing around here and it's not been finalized as of yet, nor will it be until the "Order Now" buttons are actually active. However, we've got some tentative pricing on the order page. The support and update package, after the first year for the Owned license is currently set at $15(USD)/year; we just haven't gotten that displayed on the order page just yet.

 

If you were to purchase a Leased license first to try it out and then decide to upgrade to an Owned license, we've setup the upgrade process the same as with say, hosting packages within WHMCS. So credits and price differences should be calculated by WHMCS the same as it would if upgrading a hosting package; taking into account any unused time on your Leased license. Upgrades are done through the client area using the Upgrade/Downgrade button as with other services.

 

For what it is that we're offering, the on-going development and upcoming featureset, and that we don't limit the number of servers which can be tracked with it, I don't think that the tentative pricing is out-of-line. However, as said, the pricing is not yet set in stone though. If you have any suggestions with respect to that, feel free to let me know. I can't make any promises with regard to that, but will discuss it with the others here though. We value the input and opinions of our clients; current and potential alike.

 

The other thing I should maybe mention, is that we pro-rate all of our recurring payments from the 1st of the month. So if you were to purchase a Leased license today, for example, it would cost something like $1.42(USD) and the next invoice would be due October 1st for the regular monthly rate; assuming a monthly billing cycle that is.

Edited September 22, 2010 by GGWH-James

[Ashley.S.]

thanks for the explanation Jamroar, it's greatly appreciated

 

For what your prices are looking at now, your prices look pretty cheap & good, so should be well worth the money for it

 

The only question remains now, is would you be willing to offer a trial and/or a money back guarantee, because these days I am very very cautious as to where my money goes for scripts, software, plug-ins and/or add-ons, etc. without the assurance that either a trial is there to test the product out first or a money back guarantee is available, in the event that the product does not work or does not live up to it's expectations, to ensure that I'm not getting ripped off by anyone.

 

I've already been ripped off by others in the past, and I don't fancy taking the chances with anyone else these days, because unfortunately, sometimes just saying/promising it, is not enough

[GGWH-James]

thanks for the explanation Jamroar, it's greatly appreciated

 

For what your prices are looking at now, your prices look pretty cheap & good, so should be well worth the money for it

 

The only question remains now, is would you be willing to offer a trial and/or a money back guarantee, because these days I am very very cautious as to where my money goes for scripts, software, plug-ins and/or add-ons, etc. without the assurance that either a trial is there to test the product out first or a money back guarantee is available, in the event that the product does not work or does not live up to it's expectations, to ensure that I'm not getting ripped off by anyone.

 

I've already been ripped off by others in the past, and I don't fancy taking the chances with anyone else these days, because unfortunately, sometimes just saying/promising it, is not enough

What we'll most likely end up doing, is something similar to what we do with our hosting packages. We have a promo code for our hosting packages that is restricted to one use per client which gives 99% off of the first invoice. That gives new clients a chance to test drive us with very little risk; literally, cents.

 

I'm not sure exactly as of yet, but we will more-than-likely be offering something similar for this and any future modules, but the coupon would be restricted to one use per client, not per module. For example, if a client were to use the coupon on this module, they couldn't use it again on another module in the future.

Edited September 22, 2010 by GGWH-James

[GGWH-James]

thanks for the explanation Jamroar, it's greatly appreciated

 

For what your prices are looking at now, your prices look pretty cheap & good, so should be well worth the money for it

 

The only question remains now, is would you be willing to offer a trial and/or a money back guarantee, because these days I am very very cautious as to where my money goes for scripts, software, plug-ins and/or add-ons, etc. without the assurance that either a trial is there to test the product out first or a money back guarantee is available, in the event that the product does not work or does not live up to it's expectations, to ensure that I'm not getting ripped off by anyone.

 

I've already been ripped off by others in the past, and I don't fancy taking the chances with anyone else these days, because unfortunately, sometimes just saying/promising it, is not enough

https://gg-webhosting.net/knowledgebase/101/WHMCS-Addon-Modules.html

[Ashley.S.]

ok thanks for that, I'll probably give it a whirl when it's all ready to order in the next week or so

 

my last piece of advice would be to allow use of it once per addon module you release, if you release more than one, so users can try out each one, just to be sure it is what they want, and that it works on their server system

[EasyWHMCS]

Any eta on this module ?

Is it just a recode from the whmcs gold one ? - Will you be releasing the inodes monitor one also ?

Cheers

[thernes]

Posted earlier today

 

http://forum.whmcs.com/showpost.php?p=163013&postcount=11

We're finalizing the knowledge base articles specific to this module and its order page. We're looking to have v1.0 available before the day's out.

[Collin1000]

Looking forward to this. $15 is reasonable and within my price range.

[merlinpa1969]

For one thing, it works. For a second thing, it's actively developed and supported. For three, it will have a lot more functionality than theirs ever was to have had or ever would. Not to be an ass, but it already has more functionality than that other 'module' ever did. Oh, and did I mention, it actually works as described? The other thing is, when ordering from us, you actually get delivery of the product; we don't just take your money and not deliver; this is not vaporware and we're no scammers as some others have proven to be.

 

I asked a simple question,

and Yes you do sound like an ass....

 

I apologize if a simple question put your " Manhood " in question

 

I can say that if this is how you answer a presales question Im not sure that I would want to have to ask a support question....

[GGWH-James]

Any eta on this module ?

Is it just a recode from the whmcs gold one ? - Will you be releasing the inodes monitor one also ?

Cheers

We're waiting on, quite literally, one thing. Once done, we will enable ordering of it. I don't want for it to be offered prematurely; QA's a big thing around here. But, don't worry, I'll let you know as soon as it's available though.

 

I don't have the WHMCSGold one, I did get some basic ideas from what I saw of it though as to funcitonality, as I said in my first post, while searching for a solution prior to working on this one and went from there. I don't know the last time that they actually fulfilled an order there. I had tried to order the one free mod that they offer, and that was a joke. So, I definitely wasn't about to send them any money. I didn't wanna be another one of their scammed 'clients' who paid for something that they never got, and didn't work for those who had managed to get it.

 

We will be looking at adding support for inode monitoring for the v2.0 release; along with other stuff. I've got a few ideas about that, but need to do some more research/testing to determine the best way to go about handling the inodes.

Edited September 22, 2010 by GGWH-James

[GGWH-James]

v1.0.0 of this module has now been made available at https://gg-webhosting.net/cart.php?gid=9 This module is being, and will continue to be, actively developed; license holders can always download the latest version from within their client area.