Hosting Services

Overview

MDHosting Ltd provides professional web hosting services tailored for small to medium-sized businesses, with a focus on WordPress sites and e-commerce applications. All hosting is delivered from high-performance servers located in Germany (Hetzner datacentres) for optimal GDPR compliance and reliable EU-based infrastructure.

Established: 2015 Primary Market: UK small businesses and organisations Current Client Base: ~30 active accounts

Hosting Packages

Standard cPanel Hosting

Our primary hosting platform uses industry-standard cPanel for easy management and includes enterprise-grade features at competitive pricing.

Key Features:

Control Panel: cPanel/WHM - industry standard for easy management
Storage: 160GB NVMe SSD (shared across accounts)
RAM: 8GB server memory
Bandwidth: 20TB monthly allocation
Operating System: AlmaLinux 10.1 (RHEL-compatible)
Web Server: Apache with nginx proxy
Security: SSL certificates included (Let's Encrypt)
Backups: Daily automated backups, 30-day retention
Uptime: 99.98% historical uptime
Support: 24/7 staff support via ticket system

Technical Specifications

PHP Support: - Multiple PHP versions available (7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3) - Per-directory PHP version selection - PHP extensions: Common extensions pre-installed - Memory limits: Configurable per account

Database Services: - MySQL/MariaDB databases - phpMyAdmin for database management - Automated database backups - Import/export tools included

Email Services: - Unlimited email accounts - IMAP/POP3 access - SMTP with authentication - Webmail (Roundcube, Horde) - SpamAssassin anti-spam filtering - Email forwarding and auto-responders - Catch-all email addresses

Security Features: - Free SSL certificates (Let's Encrypt with AutoSSL) - SSH access available (key-based authentication) - ConfigServer Security & Firewall (CSF) - Fail2Ban intrusion prevention - ModSecurity web application firewall - ClamAV malware scanning - Regular security updates

WordPress Hosting

WordPress is our most popular platform, optimised for performance and security.

WordPress Features:

One-Click Installation: Deploy WordPress in under 5 minutes
Automatic Updates: Keep WordPress core secure (optional)
Plugin Management: Install and manage plugins via cPanel
WP-CLI Access: Command-line WordPress management
Staging Environments: Test changes before going live (via cPanel)
Performance: Optimised PHP and MySQL configurations
Security: Hardened WordPress installations
Backups: Daily WordPress-specific backups

Recommended Specifications: - PHP 8.1+ for optimal performance - MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.3+ - At least 512MB PHP memory limit - Caching enabled (recommended plugins supported)

E-Commerce Hosting

Full support for popular e-commerce platforms:

WooCommerce: - Optimised for WooCommerce performance - SSL certificates included - PCI-DSS compliant hosting infrastructure - Payment gateway compatibility (Stripe, PayPal, etc.) - Shopping cart optimisation

Other Platforms: - Magento (resource requirements assessed per site) - OpenCart, PrestaShop supported - Custom e-commerce solutions

E-Commerce Features: - Enhanced security monitoring - Priority support for e-commerce issues - Regular security audits available - GDPR-compliant data hosting (Germany)

Domain Services

Domain Registration: - 400+ TLDs supported - .co.uk, .uk, .com, .net, .org and more - Competitive pricing - Free WHOIS privacy (where available) - DNS management included - Domain transfers supported

DNS Management: - Primary and secondary DNS servers - Custom DNS records (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, SRV) - TTL configuration - DNSSEC support (planned with PowerDNS migration)

Additional Services

Website Migration

Free Migration Service: - Migrate from existing hosting provider - Transfer files, databases, and email accounts - DNS changeover assistance - Zero downtime migration where possible - Post-migration testing and verification

Requirements: - Access to existing hosting control panel or FTP - Database access credentials - DNS access for nameserver changes

File Management

File Manager (web-based)
FTP/SFTP access
SSH access (on request)
Git version control support
Cron job scheduling
Log file access

Developer Tools

SSH/Shell access (for developers)
WP-CLI for WordPress management
Composer for PHP dependency management
Node.js support (specific versions on request)
Git deployment workflows
Custom PHP configurations

Service Level Agreement

Uptime Commitment

Target: 99.9% uptime Historical Performance: 99.98% uptime Measurement: Monthly calculation excluding scheduled maintenance

Scheduled Maintenance: - Announced minimum 48 hours in advance - Typically performed during low-traffic periods (02:00-04:00 GMT) - Security updates may require emergency maintenance

Performance Standards

Page Load Time: <3 seconds for optimised WordPress sites
Database Response: <100ms for typical queries
Email Delivery: <5 minutes for outbound mail
DNS Propagation: <24 hours for changes
Support Response: <24 hours for non-urgent tickets

Backup and Recovery

Backup Schedule: - Daily automated backups at 02:00 GMT - 30-day retention period - Off-server backup storage - Database and file backups included

Recovery Options: - Self-service restore via cPanel - Full account restoration on request - Point-in-time recovery (within 30 days) - Individual file/database restoration

Recovery Time: - Self-service: Immediate - Full restoration: Within 4 hours (business hours) - Emergency restoration: Within 1 hour

See Backup & Recovery Procedures for detailed recovery procedures.

Resource Limits

Fair Usage Policy

Hosting operates on a shared infrastructure with fair usage expectations:

Typical Account Limits: - Disk space: Generous allocation (monitored for abuse) - Bandwidth: 20TB monthly pool (shared across server) - CPU: Burst capacity available, sustained high usage may require upgrade - MySQL: Reasonable database sizes and query volumes - Email: Unlimited accounts, reasonable sending limits (anti-spam)

Resource Monitoring: - cPanel resource usage statistics - Notifications for approaching limits - Proactive monitoring for performance issues - Upgrade recommendations when needed

Restricted Activities

Cryptocurrency mining
File sharing/hosting services
Proxy services or VPNs
Adult content
Warez, piracy, or copyright infringement
Spam or bulk email sending
Resource-intensive applications without approval

Support Services

24/7 Technical Support

Contact Methods: - Email: admin@mdhosting.co.uk - Ticket System: Via client portal (mdhosting.co.uk/billing)

Response Times: - Critical issues: <1 hour - High priority: <4 hours - Standard queries: <24 hours (business days)

Support Scope: - Server and hosting infrastructure issues - cPanel and email configuration - WordPress installation and basic troubleshooting - DNS and domain configuration - SSL certificate installation - File and database restoration - Migration assistance

Not Included: - Website design and development - Plugin/theme customisation - Content management - SEO services - Third-party application support (beyond basic installation)

Client Portal

Access: https://mdhosting.co.uk/billing Platform: Powered by Blesta billing automation

Portal Features: - Account management and service provisioning - Invoice viewing and payment processing - Support ticket system with email integration - Service upgrades and plan changes - Domain management and DNS configuration - Resource usage statistics and monitoring - Secure payment account management (card details obfuscated) - Knowledge base access

Security: - SSL/HTTPS encrypted connections - Password-protected accounts - Payment card tokenization (no raw card data stored) - PCI-DSS compliant payment handling via Stripe/PayPal integration

Pricing and Billing

Money-Back Guarantee

14-Day Risk-Free Trial: - Try our services risk-free for 14 days - Full refund if not satisfied - No questions asked cancellation policy

Refund Policy: - Refunds within 14 days of signup - Hosting fees refunded (domain fees non-refundable) - Pro-rata refunds not available after 14 days - Cancellation available anytime

Payment Methods

Accepted Payment Methods: - Credit/Debit Cards (via Stripe) - Primary method - Visa, Mastercard, American Express - Secure PCI-DSS Level 1 processing - Instant payment confirmation - PayPal - Optional alternative - PayPal account or guest checkout - Additional payment security option - Bank Transfer - Available for annual plans - Manual processing (2-3 business days) - Invoice provided upon request

Payment Security: - MDHosting does not store card details - All payment data processed by Stripe/PayPal - PCI-DSS compliant payment handling - Secure HTTPS checkout

Billing Cycles: - Monthly billing available - Annual plans (discount available) - Automatic renewal (can be disabled in client portal)

Cost Optimisation

Current Infrastructure Costs: - Server: £16/month (Hetzner CPX31) - DNS servers: £10/month (2x CX22) - Control panel: £40/month (cPanel licenses) - Total: £66/month (£792/year)

Planned Savings: - Migration to ApisCP (open-source) will eliminate £480/year in cPanel licensing - Target timeline: Q2-Q3 2025 - No service disruption expected - See ApisCP Migration Plan for details

Geographic and Compliance Considerations

Data Location

Server Location: Germany (Hetzner datacentres)

Benefits: - Full GDPR compliance (EU data processing) - No international data transfers required - German data protection laws - UK-EU adequacy decision applies - Low latency to UK (<50ms)

Compliance Standards

GDPR: Full UK GDPR and EU GDPR compliance
Data Protection: ICO registered (ZB044018)
Security: Regular security audits and updates
Backups: Encrypted backup storage
SSL/TLS: Strong encryption for all connections

See GDPR Compliance for detailed data protection procedures.

Future Service Enhancements

Planned Improvements (2025)

Q1 2025: - Wazuh security monitoring deployment - Enhanced intrusion detection - Real-time security alerting - Compliance reporting dashboard

Q2 2025: - PowerDNS migration (enhanced DNS security) - DNSSEC implementation - Hidden master DNS architecture - API-driven DNS management

Q2-Q3 2025: - ApisCP control panel migration - Modern API-first management - Cost savings (£480/year) - Enhanced security features - Improved performance

Q3-Q4 2025: - Premium security monitoring service (optional) - Enhanced backup packages - GDPR compliance assistance for clients - Managed WordPress service tier

Client Responsibilities

While we manage the hosting infrastructure, clients are responsible for:

Content Management: Updating website content and managing users
Application Updates: Keeping WordPress, plugins, and themes updated
Data Protection: GDPR compliance for data collected via their websites
Backup Verification: Testing restoration procedures occasionally
Security Practices: Strong passwords, secure admin access
Resource Usage: Monitoring resource consumption
Legal Compliance: Ensuring content complies with UK law

Client GDPR Obligations

Clients who collect personal data via their websites (forms, e-commerce, analytics) are data controllers and must ensure their own GDPR compliance. MDHosting provides the infrastructure but is not responsible for client data collection practices.

Getting Started

New Client Onboarding

Account Registration: Sign up via Blesta client portal (https://mdhosting.co.uk/billing)
Service Selection: Choose hosting package and configure options
Payment: Complete initial payment via Stripe or PayPal
Account Setup: Automated provisioning via Blesta (typically <1 hour)
cPanel Access: Receive login credentials via email
Domain Configuration: Point domain to our nameservers
Website Migration: Free migration assistance if needed
Support: Ongoing 24/7 support available via portal ticket system

Nameservers

Point your domain to our DNS servers: - Primary: ns1.mdhosting.co.uk - Secondary: ns2.mdhosting.co.uk

Propagation typically takes 4-24 hours depending on previous TTL settings.

For technical infrastructure details, see: - Server Inventory - Infrastructure Overview - Security Overview

Last updated: January 2025