Digital.com’s Rating for Rackspace
Our Editor’s rated Rackspace 5 / 5 based on user ratings, pricing, and features offered.
Table of Contents
Rackspace – A Reliable Cloud Hosting Platform
Genuine Rackspace Cloud review (2022 update) from real people on Twitter to help you make the best-informed decision whether or not you should buy cloud hosting from Rackspace.
Rackspace is one of the world’s leading managed cloud hosting companies, and their aim is to help businesses focus on their business and let Rackspace handle everything else without the challenge and costs of managing infrastructure and application platforms.
With the main headquarters based in San Antonio, the Rackspace family has grown massively over the years. Right now, the company boasts over 5,900 employees and boasts offices in each of the following territories;
- UK
- The Netherlands
- Switzerland
- Hong Kong
- Australia
- India
- And Mexico
Global Presence
This global presence has seen Rackspace serve over 300,000 customers in 120 different countries. The company has come a long way since starting in 1998.
The fact that two-thirds of Fortune 100 companies are hosted by their platform is a testimony to their services.
Meanwhile, the company boasts many accolades and awards.
They are the leading contributor to hosted Internet Retailer Top 1,000 e-commerce websites too. Quite frankly, it’s hard to find a more reputable service in the field.
What is Rackspace’s Core Product?
Rackspace offers premium cloud servers running on high-performance SSD servers with scalable and secure infrastructure and their award-winning 24/7/365 customer support via phone, chat, and email is included with every plan.
Rackspace’s cheapest cloud hosting plan is 23 per month. Get your cloud server spun up in less than a minute.
What is Rackspace?
Rackspace is a provider of managed cloud services. It specializes in a variety of different services aimed at businesses across the globe.
They’re known for their support of digital transformation efforts and for their regulatory compliance.
Their goal is simple: remove the stress of cloud services, allowing businesses to focus on making money.
Video above: An Austin-based marketing and advertising agency explain the reasons they chose Rackspace for their blue-chip clients.
What Hosting Plans And Cloud Platforms Does Rackspace Offer?
When purchasing cloud hosting from Rackspace, you can choose from the following options.
We have compiled a few scenarios when you may find it beneficial to use a specific cloud hosting option below:
| Hosting Type | Public Cloud | Private Cloud | Hybrid Cloud |
| Use Cases and Scenarios | Single page application (SPA) testing Easy-to-access resource Supplementary resource for a more sophisticated service | Resource convenience and availability for multiple businesses E-commerce platforms Hosting application resources | Private cloud applications to run on public cloud resources Backup in case of traffic spikes and task splitting Deploy resources on one cloud while running the applications on another |
Public Cloud
Built on the OpenStack platform, clients can use this option for a whole host of reasons. This includes virtual storage and digital databases. The ability to spin servers in under 60 seconds and launch applications with just one click is great. Quite frankly, the Rackspace public cloud facilities are among the very best.
This is perfect for e-commerce and other website types. With dedicated support along the way, every aspect of infrastructure and network facilities will be at an optimum level. This leaves businesses with the perfect opportunity to focus on the cores of their operation.
Private Cloud
This type of cloud facility offers the ultimate level of security and data protection, putting the minds of business owners at rest. Private cloud spaces monitored by Rackspace offer a dedicated environment for businesses to grow.
As well as OpenStack, there are two other hosting options. The private cloud can be powered by Microsoft Cloud or VMware vCloud. It all adds up to the ultimate level of personalization. When working with Rackspace IT experts, all businesses should find a way to make this work.
Dedicated Servers
Similarly, Rackspace’s dedicated servers are managed to the highest standard. Businesses can opt for a quick solution or a more tailored option. Either way, the resources are there to produce great results.
Full customizability is available for dedicated servers with the following 10 options being variable:
- Processors
- Memory
- Operating System
- Local Storage
- Database Software
- Virtualization
- RAID Configuration
- Managed Backup
- Monitoring
- GPUs
Ultimately, the dedicated servers are aimed at lower overheads while increasing security and performance. The flexibility available ensures that all companies can do just this. By using these three features, any business is capable of fulfilling their ultimate desires.
Video above: How do you manage multiple clouds? Rackspace offers efficient solutions to this problem.
Hybrid Cloud
Arguably the biggest selling point for Rackspace’s services is the level of versatility. Computers play such an integral role in modern business that all operations require services tailored to their goals. Rackspace provides it in abundance.
Their infrastructure allows the customer to mix and match the three types of cloud computing (public cloud, private cloud, or dedicated server) in any form deemed necessary.
Multi-Cloud Hosting
If you have multiple applications, you can opt for Multi-Cloud Hosting, where you rely on multiple providers (such as Amazon Web Services, OpenStack, and VMWare). The exact decision as to which application is hosted where is dependent on the needs of your company.
Rackspace Features
Regardless of the Rackspace Cloud option you choose, you are taking advantage of:
- The knowledge and expertise of over 3,000 engineers trained in all things Linux, Windows, and VMWare
- AWS
- Alibaba Cloud
- Google Cloud
- Government Cloud Solutions (Rackspace offers FedRAMP, FISMA, NIST, and DFARS-compliant cloud portfolio management)
- Microsoft Cloud
- OpenStack Cloud
- Rackspace’s top-notch support
- Four plans of high-quality
Furthermore, many other web hosting vendors build a package, and you pick from a limited number available (usually 3-4 options). Rackspace, however, builds your package based on the needs of your company, so no two companies will have the same hosting.
How Rackspace Benefits a Variety of Industries
Rackspace’s qualities don’t stop there, though. Their IT solutions are aimed at helping companies from every industry and can bring results in a long list of different ways.
E-Commerce with Rackspace
E-commerce management is arguably the biggest feature. The versatile nature of Rackspace ensures that the experience remains customer-focused at all times.
They also use the most popular and well-regarded platforms, such as Magento and Oracle. Again, with the aim of eliminating client stress, Rackers are always monitoring trends to help ensure the best results.
Regardless of the website type, uptime is vital. Rackspace is a particularly reliable provider for web hosting. This will inevitably increase the chance of profit. After all, regular and extended downtime can be a real Achilles heel, and sever ties with customers too.
Innovation in App and Web Development
Rackspace is a leader in innovation too and understands the changing climate. This is why mobile and web app development is an increasingly popular trend for businesses. Meanwhile, collaboration and productivity facilities can help a company grow too.
A lot of this information will go over the heads of business owners. That’s why the help of over 3,000 cloud experts will always be appreciated. Even when using basic solutions such as email management.
Video above: Rackspace promotes solutions that support digital transformation efforts while providing for regulatory compliance. The company states that over 2,500 health care providers use Rackspace.
Rackspace Cloud Control Panel and Plans
The Rackspace Cloud Control Panel is a simple and intuitive-to-use interface where you will manage everything (that you can) related to your hosting and infrastructure. Some of the things you can do include:
- View and manage your resource usage
- View and manage your assets, including servers, files, and load balancers
- Access control panels for any other Rackspace hosting instances you might have
Unfortunately, the Rackspace Cloud Control Panel is a proprietary option that is not used by any other companies, so familiarity with other control panels will likely not be advantageous.
Plans
The versatility of Rackspace solutions is so vast that most plans are dealt with on a job by job basis. This can feel a little unappealing for some businesses, but there’s no doubt that this route offers value for money.
As well as getting great deals, it’s the perfect solution for businesses seeking efficiency. There is no fat on these services as plans are tailored to individual companies. This means that the business always gets an offering that suits their circumstances.
In any case, it removes the stress of organizing and managing those IT solutions.
Customer Service and Technical Support
The level of support and assistance is another aspect that stands Rackspace in great stead — the company refers to its support as “fanatical.” Their team is ready to help on a 24/7 basis, and getting in touch couldn’t be easier.
Video above: Rackspace explains their strategy to be “one of the best service companies.”
Businesses have the option of contacting their regional base directly. The company has Rackers (employees) at hand ready to support via the website’s Live Chat facilities. Or there’s always the option of email.
Phone and Skype Support
Those with dedicated servers can call a phone line reserved for just these users (there is a number for US clients and one for international clients).
Those with dedicated servers can call a phone line reserved for just these users (there is a number for US clients and one for international clients). Similarly, there are also phone numbers for users based on the technology they are using (e.g. AWS, OpenStack, or legacy technologies). Email support is done via the ticketing system.
Rackspace also offers Skype facilities for both sales and general inquiries too. Additionally, the website boasts a variety of different guides, tips, and FAQs. The managed solutions provider is always there to hold your hand every step of the way.
Community
As well as the direct help of employees, Rackspace boasts a lively community for businesses to ask the help of their fellow customers. With such a large client base, this can be a very helpful tool indeed.
The community is served by a forum, which makes it easy to understand. Moreover, it offers the opportunity to build relationships with fellow clients too.
Is Rackspace Right for Your Business?
There is a good reason for Rackspace’s standing in the market. And their expert cloud management services can be hugely beneficial. It’s not the perfect solution for every business. But if managed cloud computing is an avenue worth taking, this is a server that should at least be on the shortlist.
Pros and Cons of Rackspace
Now that we have covered the services and features of Rackspace Cloud at a high level, what are the upsides and downsides of opting for this provider?
Pros
Rackspace is one of the most experienced, managed cloud hosts around
Everything is customizable, so you will get a hosting package that meets your needs exactly
Cons
Rackspace is not for the faint of heart. The company offers a lot, and you will have to make a lot of decisions when getting your site up and running.
Rackspace will definitely help you, but ultimately, the decision is up to you.
Rackspace Cloud Plans & Prices
Rackspace let you choose from a range of configurations and add-ons. All Rackspace Cloud plans come with solid-state drives (SSD) as standard. For the latest and most up to date prices visit Rackspace’s website.
| Plan name | Diskspace | Bandwidth | Monthly price |
|---|---|---|---|
| General 1-1 | 20 GB SSD | Unlimited | 23 |
| General 1-2 | 40 GB SSD | Unlimited | 47 |
| General 1-3 | 80 GB SSD | Unlimited | 93 |
| General 1-4 | 160 GB SSD | Unlimited | 187 |
Best Rackspace Cloud Hosting Alternatives
- Linode Review
- Vultr Review
- DigitalOcean Review
- Cloudways Review
About Rackspace
Rackspace is a provider of managed cloud services.
It specializes in a variety of different web hosting services aimed at businesses across the globe.
With 20 years of experience under their belt, this American company is one of the largest companies in the industry.
- 1 Fanatical Place, San Antonio, TX, 78218, United States
- 180 096 1445
- Official website
- Founded by Pat Condon, Dirk Elmendorf, Richard Yoo and Graham Weston in 1998.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rackspace
With such a complex service, you will without a doubt have some questions you want quick answers to. Here are a few which we covered for you. If you can’t find the answer here, head over to Rackspace’s community forum or FAQ section.
