123Systems.net poor support

Here you can find my experience with 123Systems.net support.

Summary:
- I had a VzDump of my old VPS and I wanted them to import it on my new VPS they were hosting.
- They asked me 15$ fee
- I paid
- They lost (?!?) the dump file
- I uploaded the dump file again
- They were not able to restore it on the new VPS
- I asked them to give me the error log or refound me
- They credited me back the 15$ (on their website credit balance, not back in my credit card...)

Moreover, as soon as they credited me back the 15$, they produced an invoice for the following month for the VPS and automatically paid it with my credit balance. I want to highlight that it was not time for automatic billing to happen.



Here it is the full log of the support ticket:
======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 28/04/2011 07:51

Hello,

I'm migrating my VPS from my old provider to you.
I have a dump of my openVZ VPS and I need to be restored into my active vps (maia).

I wait for your instructions.

Thank you
Matteo
=======================================================

Staff

- 28/04/2011 09:15

Hi,

We need the dump file.
=======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 28/04/2011 09:20

How can I send it to you?

Maybe I can upload it to my VPS directly and you can take it from there?

Or via email?
=======================================================

Staff

- 28/04/2011 09:22

You can upload it to the current VPS and we will do it that way.

=======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 28/04/2011 09:25

Very good!

I'll do it in 6 hours an write you back!

Thank you
=======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 29/04/2011 20:58

ok, you can find the vps dump on maia vps, in the /root/backup_640.tar.gz
file

Restore it in the maia vps itself when you can.

Thank you
Matteo

=======================================================

Staff

- 01/05/2011 13:18

Matteo,

An invoice has been generated and once paid we will complete the restoration.

=======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 02/05/2011 04:52

Invoice paid.

Thank you

=======================================================

Staff

- 02/05/2011 10:30

Matteo,

Do you still have this backup? I am unable to locate it on your VPS.

=======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 02/05/2011 10:42

It should be in /root directory. The only tar.gz file.

I should have a copy of it but I cannot access it now.
=======================================================

Staff

- 02/05/2011 10:42

Could you please reinstall your OS and upload it again please? I am unable to locate it.

=======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 02/05/2011 10:57

Done

/root/backup_640.tag.gz
=======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 03/05/2011 03:59

Is the backup correctly restored?

Matteo

=======================================================

Staff

- 03/05/2011 16:48

Matteo,

We need to know what OS this previously was so we can modify the .conf file so it boots properly.

Thanks.
=======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 03/05/2011 16:57

Debian 5 - 64 bit

=======================================================

Staff

- 03/05/2011 17:06

VPS has been restored successfully.
=======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 04/05/2011 04:45

The mysql server is not running and I'm not able to start it anymore:
"Starting Mysql server ............................................ failed"
Why?

I expected to have an identical copy of my VPS running with all the services
as before.

Matteo

=======================================================

Staff

- 04/05/2011 11:58

We imported what was given, If the services do not work then it's not our fault
=======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 05/05/2011 04:07

Let's summarize what happened:


- 29/04/2011 20:58: backup of a working vps uploaded
- 01/05/2011 13:18: invoice generated
- 02/05/2011 04:52: invoice paid
- 02/05/2011 10:30: something went wrong and the backup file disappeared - need to reinstall os and upload it again
- 02/05/2011 10:57: backup uploaded again
- 03/05/2011 16:48: you asked me the installed os
- 03/05/2011 16:57: I replied
- 03/05/2011 17:06: "VPS has been restored successfully"

That's not true. I gave you a backup of my working vps where all the services were working correctly. Yesterday I worked to make Mysql working again - some files were corrupted and some directory permissions were not right. And I haven't check yet why Tomcat is not working - I'll do.

What I expected was that I would have given you a working vps backup and in a few hours I would have got a new working vps.
As you see, I paid the invoice at 02/05/2011 04:52 and got the vps at 03/05/2011 17:06 that is 37 hours later. Moreover the vps is not working as I expected and I have been involved many times to be supported.

So, I'm not satisfied with the support that I have paid.
=======================================================

Staff

- 05/05/2011 04:20

I untared the file you gave me, And started the VPS. That is all that needed to be done.

=======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 05/05/2011 04:30

Maybe a vzdump --restore was a better solution, don't you think?
=======================================================

Staff

- 05/05/2011 04:30

I tried that and it did not work therefore i did the next best thing.
=======================================================

  

Matteo || Client

- 05/05/2011 04:33

What was the problem? If the vzdump --restore does not work I can ask why to
my previous vps provider since they guaranteed it would have worked.
Do you have any output or log?
=======================================================

Staff

- 05/05/2011 04:34

I can try again if that is what you wish.
=======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 05/05/2011 04:36

Since I worked on the maia vps to make mysql working,
I'm happy if you can try again on a different vps and let me have the logs.

Thank you
=======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 05/05/2011 14:35

Moreover I see that all the files are root:root and the permissions are not
preserved in the migration.
That's why almost any service is not working.

Let me have the logs of the vzdump --restore (tried on a different vps ;-)
) so I can understand what to do next!

Thank you.
Matteo
=======================================================

Staff

- 05/05/2011 15:21

Since you stated you already have all of the services working this is no longer a priority request and will be completed soon.
=======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 05/05/2011 15:48

Honestly I only stated I had restored the mysql service ;-)
The other services are still not working!

I don't feel confident to point the dns to a server that I'm not sure is
fully working.
=======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 09/05/2011 05:09

Any news?

Can we find together the optimal solution?
If you give me logs that prove the backup file was not correct, I can
ask for a better one.

I need to go on with the work and, by the moment, I'm stuck.

Thank you.
Matteo
=======================================================

Matteo || Client

- 11/05/2011 06:52

I have to reopen the ticket.

The server is not working.
If the guilt is mine since I gave you a backup file that was not possible to import correctly, please let me have the logs.
Otherwise please credit me back the support fee and I will setup the server again by myself.

Thank you.
=======================================================

Staff

- 11/05/2011 14:25

The $15.00 has been added to your credit balance.
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