For Moodle hosting, you should check out this page on Moodle Performance: http://docs.moodle.org/en/Performance
As far as a server goes, your needs will vary depending on your total users within the site, and, more importantly, the number of concurrent users.
Hosting -- and outsourcing hosting -- for mission-critical apps is one place where you get what you pay for. On a shared host (ie, most of the $10 and under web providers) your site will be one of hundreds or even thousands sharing system resources. If any one of these sites has an issue that eats up system resources, your site will be affected.
On a Virtual Private Server (available for around 20/month and up) you are usually guaranteed a greater percentage of system resources, and on some plans you are guaranteed a specific MB of RAM at all times.
And, of course, on dedicated servers you are the only person/school using the machine.
For a public-facing web site with a small number of people updating content (possibly, the Joomla site) you can usually get by with cheap hosting (although the real cost between shared web hosting and an inexpensive VPS is minimal -- under 120 in some cases, for an entire year). For an interactive web site, you should definitely look at a VPS or better.
Westhost has some good VPS and Managed Dedicated server options, although while you have SSH access you do not have full root access. Rackspace is a great company, with excellent service, although they are also very expensive. Another good option is to find somebody local to you with whom you can establish a person to person relationship; about the only thing you can be certain about with any hosting option is that, it some point, it will be inaccessible. When that happens, it helps to have a person to call.
Cheers,
Bill
--- On Tue, 8/12/08, Bruce Lemieux <blemieux@cushing.org> wrote:
> From: Bruce Lemieux <blemieux@cushing.org>
> Subject: Web Hosting Solution with Joomla, Moodle
> To: ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
> Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2008, 12:51 PM
> Hello:
>
> We are looking at moving our web hosting off-campus. We are
> looking to
> find a reasonable solution that offers options with Joomla
> and Moodle.
> Does anyone have any recommendations for a good reasonable
> web hosting
> service?
>
> Sincerely:
>
> Bruce Lemieux
> Director of Technology
> Cushing Academy
> 39 School Street
> Ashburnham MA 01430
> blemieux@cushing.org
> Phone: 978-827-7075
>
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