Split domain & hosting providers?

[pcal]

Hi guys,

 

I have a couple of questions...

 

My existing business is part time, very small and totally manual. I want to automate it so it can build itself up. I have hosting facilities provided by one wholesaler using a cPanel system, but have domain name registrations through a different provider. The domain name provider says they have a plugin compatible with WHMCS, which is the main reason I'm looking at your product.

 

So... Can I use two different providers for domain names and hosting accounts without running foul of WHMCS's requirements?

 

Also, I have a suite of geo domain names, and plan to sell e-mail addresses for use through a webmail interface only - ie, without cPanel access at all. Can I set up creation of an e-mail address on a pre-existing hosting account (one for each geo domain) as a product through WHMCS?

 

Finally, assuming the answer to the previous question is yes (as I hope it is!), is there the ability to sell such an e-mail only account through an auction process rather than at a set fee. I'm thinking of offering a set renewal fee for addresses, but original sale of the name by an auction. If such a thing can't be integrated directly into WHMCS, can it be linked to an external provider like eBay to conduct the auction, and then provision the service through some API from the eBay system?

 

Thanks in anticipation,

 

Pcal

[And then there was one les]

My existing business is part time, very small and totally manual. I want to automate it so it can build itself up.

A business does not grow itself even when automated there is still a lot of work you have to put it to get out the growth.

 

 

So... Can I use two different providers for domain names and hosting accounts without running foul of WHMCS's requirements?

Domain names and hosting provisioning is done by modules, Yes you can use different providers, you can even use many providers for each if you choose to.

 

Also, I have a suite of geo domain names, and plan to sell e-mail addresses for use through a webmail interface only - ie, without cPanel access at all.

cPanel has an email only theme, you use this, there is still cpanel access but it only provides access to email functions.

 

Can I set up creation of an e-mail address on a pre-existing hosting account (one for each geo domain) as a product through WHMCS?

The email creations would be done in cpanel, you again could make or have made a module to allow you to create those from whmcs.

 

is there the ability to sell such an e-mail only account through an auction process rather than at a set fee. I'm thinking of offering a set renewal fee for addresses, but original sale of the name by an auction. If such a thing can't be integrated directly into WHMCS, can it be linked to an external provider like eBay to conduct the auction, and then provision the service through some API from the eBay system?

This sort of thing is more difficult to achieve, however, as long as you can have a module put together that your ebay auction can work with i see no reason for this to be impossible, WHMCS does have an API and you could do it in this way as long as ebay gives you the capacity to send the information you need to the whmcs installation

 

The last part is going to need a lot of consideration, everything else is pretty straight forward, You can sell your email only hosting through whmcs as long as a package exists in whm, you can sell it in whmcs.

Edited May 19, 2013 by CDJ Hosting

[pcal]

Thanks for your reply. ..

 

I was hoping to be able to create an email address directly as a product in its own right rather than using WHM's email only theme. My objective is not to have multiple subdomains like the email only theme would create, but rather addresses on the domain itself. EG: john.smith@location.net rather than john@smith.location.net

 

 

From your comment it seems such a capability doesn't exist in the system as is. But is it within the realms of possibility that a module could be written to achieve this?

 

Regards,

pcal

[And then there was one les]

From your comment it seems such a capability doesn't exist in the system as is. But is it within the realms of possibility that a module could be written to achieve this?

 

You hit the nail right on the head there pcal, It is achievable with a module.

 

A variation on the current cPanel server module that whmcs provide would do what you need. The current module works with a reseller account, In your case you want it to work with a single account to create emails on it.

 

There are plenty of developers surrounding the whmcs community. You can try posting a request in the marketplace forum and see who can come up with what you need, they will be able to better price it for you, I personally have no idea what this would cost you, but i would look at drawing up a contract with them where you own the rights to the coding and make sure it is open source so you can modify it to your needs.

 

Its possible some will go for that, but they may want a restriction on your resale of it.

[pcal]

It is achievable with a module.

 

Thanks for that.