Last Revised: 08/28/2023
Overview
The General Terms and Conditions outlined in the Universal Terms of Service Agreement pertain to your usage of the Site and the Services provided. This Service Agreement, referred to as the Hosting Service Agreement specifically regulates your utilization of Sentinel Hosting services, also known as the ‘Hosting Services’ or ‘Hosting.’ To ensure clarity, any capitalized terms utilized within this Service Agreement, but not explicitly defined, are defined in the Agreement itself.
Description of Services
Virtual Private Server (“VPS”): Our VPS plans (powered by Hostley23) allow you to host your website on a server shared with other customers. You will only have control over your server space and the ability to configure your virtual instance on the server according to your preferences.
Support: The benefit of utilizing our VPS hosting plans is our support. All server management, including updates, is monitored by Hostley23. You have no need to worry about updating the latest settings. And, should you require assistance, Sentinel Hosting is your first and direct contact with Hostely. We’re here to make sure everything is working smoothly for you.
Expert Services: Sentinel Hosting, nor Hostley23, will have access to your databases. Should you require database optimization or specific settings we can assist in connecting you with a third party, qualified with such tasks.
Hosting Backup: Our hosting backup services and plans ensure that all your website files are securely backed up to the cloud once every day. There are no storage limitations, but please note that only the four most recent backup files are retained. These backups are automatically processed and can be accessed by you at any time. In the event that you need restoration services, we recommend reaching out to Chris Ayers at CMA Communications. It’s important to note that restoration fees may apply if CMA Communications assists you. Additionally, if you cancel your Hosting subscription plan, any hosting backup services included in the plan will also be canceled.
Account Termination
Termination of Hosting Services: Upon the expiration or termination of your Hosting Services, it is understood and agreed that you must cease using the Hosting Services and relinquish the use of the assigned IP addresses and server names associated with the Hosting Services. This includes updating the domain name system (“DNS”) for your domain name(s) to point away from our servers. It is your responsibility to transfer your website or server content from our servers prior to the termination of the Hosting Services. We do not offer website or server content transfers via FTP or any other means to another provider. In the event that you fail to move your website or server content before cancellation, all such content will be permanently deleted, and we will not be able to provide you with a copy of the content.
Abusive Activities and Other Threats: By using our servers and hosting services, you acknowledge and agree that you are prohibited from engaging in abusive activities that may threaten the stability of our network, and cause disruption of internet services to Sentinel Hosting, our customers, or third parties. This includes using our servers and your website as a source, intermediary, reply to address, or destination address for activities such as mail bombs, Internet packet flooding, packet corruption, denial of service attacks, or any other forms of abuse.
Engaging in server hacking or perpetrating security breaches is strictly prohibited. We reserve the right to remove websites that contain information about hacking or links to such information. Additionally, the use of your website as an anonymous gateway is not allowed. Running software or scripts on our servers that cause excessive server load, as determined by us, is also prohibited.
You agree that if you violate this Service Agreement or engage in activities that jeopardize the stability of our network, we reserve the right to temporarily or permanently remove your website from our servers. Furthermore, if any website associated with your hosting account is in violation of this agreement, all websites associated with the account may be removed.
Please be aware that Sentinel Hosting reserves the right to scan your hosted account for malicious content, such as malware. If any such content is discovered, we may remove it at our discretion for security purposes.”
Storage/Security: It is your responsibility to take appropriate measures to (1) prevent any loss or damage to your website or server content; (2) maintain independent archival and backup copies of your website or server content; and (3) ensure the security, confidentiality, and integrity of all your website or server content that is transmitted through or stored on our servers.
Sentinel Hosting is not a file archive, and we hold no liability for any loss, damage, or destruction of your content. This service is not designed to be PCI (Payment Card Industry) or HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliant environments and should not be used or considered as such. In our sole discretion, you are prohibited from using the Service in any manner that impairs the functioning or operation of our services or equipment. This includes, but is not limited to, using the Hosting Services as: (1) a repository or storage for archived files; and/or (2) a platform for hosting material that can be downloaded through other websites. Please be aware that in the event of a compromise to your server or account, we reserve the right to conduct a forensic examination.
Website & Server Content: To ensure compliance, please refrain from including the following content on your website: 1. Image hosting scripts that enable anonymous users to upload images for display on other websites, similar to Photobucket or Tinypic. 2. Banner ad services for displaying commercial advertisements on other websites or devices. 3. File dump/mirror scripts that allow anonymous users to upload files for others to download, similar to Rapidshare. 4. Commercial audio streaming services that involve more than one or two streams. 5. Push button mail scripts that allow users to specify recipient email addresses. 6. Anonymous or bulk SMS gateways. 7. Backups of content from another computer or website. 8. BitTorrent trackers. 9. Any script that causes a degradation in the performance of our server or network environment. By adhering to these guidelines, you can help ensure the optimal performance and integrity of our server and network environment.
Unlimited storage and bandwidth: Our hosting plans are specifically designed to accommodate personal, small business, and organizational websites. As such, we offer unlimited bandwidth, unlimited disk space, and the ability to host multiple websites. This means that we do not set strict limits on the amount of bandwidth, websites, or disk space you can utilize for your website, as long as it complies with our Service Agreement. However, it’s important to note that if the bandwidth, number of websites, or disk space usage of your website poses a risk to the stability, performance, or uptime of our servers, data storage, networking, or other infrastructure, we may need to take action. Our goal is to ensure a reliable and efficient hosting environment for all our customers, and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation in maintaining the optimal performance of our servers.
cPanel: Sentinel Hosting utilizes cPanel. By using Sentinel Hosting service, you agree to and are bound by the cPanel EULA, hereby incorporated by reference.
Softilicious: Sentinel Hosting utilizes Softilicious (leading Auto Installer for cPanel, Plesk, DirectAmin, etc.). By using Sentinel Hosting service, you agree to and are bound by the Softilicious Terms of Service, hereby incorporated by reference.
CDN: Sentinel Hosting does not include a CDN, directly. You may connect your website with a CDN service by registering with that service.
SSL: Free SSL certificates are provided by Let’s Encrypt. These certificates can be installed by accessing your cPanel. For security reasons, Sentinel Hosting will never release your private key, even per your request. Your free SSL certificate is bound to your domain, hosted by Sentinel Hosting. Should you choose to cancel your hosting service, you will need to create a new SSL certificate with your new host service provider. Let’s Encrypt will automatically reinstall/update your SSL certificate on predetermined schedules. Should you experience any issues with your SSL certificate, please visit our contact page or email contact@sentinel-hosting.com to notify us.
WordPress (WP) Premium Support: Your initial CMS installation is free, courtesy of Sentinel Hosting and CMA Communications, LLC. If you are in need of premium support, installation, design and management, please contact us. Additional service fees apply, and we reserve the right to charge any/all fees before commencing any requested work.
eStore / eCommerce: It is your responsibility to ensure that any product listed for sale on your website complies with all relevant laws and regulations in the locations where your items can be purchased. We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to assess whether the sale of a specific item is illegal or otherwise prohibited. In such cases, we may cancel your Service.
Premium Support/Expert Services: Sentinel Hosting will provide as much direct support as possible to resolve any challenges you may incur. Should we not be able to resolve the issue quickly, we will escalate your support request to our vendor, Hostley23, to expedite a resolution.
Hosting Migration: You may take control of your own website migration from one host to Sentinel Hosting’s hosting server. Hosting migration is a courtesy service. We do not guarantee the availability, possibility, or time required to complete a hosting migration. Some hosting companies may save data in an incompatible or proprietary format, which may make it impossible for us to assist you in transferring data from another host.
After a Hosting Migration, it is your responsibility to thoroughly review the functionality and accuracy of the content that has been migrated to its new location. If you are satisfied with the data migration, you must update the DNS record for the domain name to ensure the website is published in its new location. Please note that we do not perform website backups or archives during a Hosting Migration. To avoid any data loss, we strongly advise you to create a backup of your third-party-hosted website before initiating the migration. During the migration process, please refrain from making any changes or revisions to your website.
Please be aware that we cannot be held liable for any delays in website resolution or loss of data that may occur as a result of the Hosting Migration. Additionally, please note that Hosting Migrations are not available for websites that have over 10GB of data or more than 100,000 files.
In order to facilitate the migration of your WordPress files into our hosting environment, we may install a plugin on your external WordPress site. It is important to note that this plugin will not make any changes to your source site. Its purpose is solely to facilitate the Hosting Migration of your WordPress files. Once the Hosting Migration is complete, you are welcome to disable the plugin on your source site.
Uptime Guarantee: We provide a Service Uptime Guarantee of 99.9% availability per month. If we fail to meet this guarantee in any given month (as determined solely by us), you have the option to contact us and request a discount of 10% off your next month’s hosting fee. Please note that the Service Uptime Guarantee does not cover service interruptions caused by the following: 1. Periodic scheduled maintenance or repairs that we may conduct from time to time. 2. Interruptions caused by custom scripting, coding, or the installation of third-party applications by you. 3. Outages that do not affect the appearance of your website but only impact access to certain features such as FTP and email. 4. Causes beyond our control or those that are not reasonably foreseeable. 5. Outages related to the reliability of specific programming environments. This discount is provided by Sentinel Hosting.
Email: Sentinel Hosting offers unlimited free email accounts, each with a capacity of up to 500MB. By choosing our unlimited free email service, you authorize Sentinel Hosting to create an email account for you in cPanel, including setting up a password. Please note that due to the structure of our VPS Hosting service, we are the exclusive provider for creating new emails, and you will not have the ability to create your own. To request a new email account, simply reach out to us, and we will promptly create one for you and provide you with the necessary access information. In the event that you misplace your password, please contact Sentinel Hosting for a password reset. While we, as the admin of cPanel, have the ability to access the webmail version of your email account, we want to assure you that we will not access your email messages without your explicit permission. Your privacy and the confidentiality of your email communications are of utmost importance to us. In the event that you decide to switch hosting services, it is your responsibility to download, archive, back up, and/or save any important emails before canceling your subscription with Sentinel Hosting. We recommend taking the necessary steps to safeguard your crucial email data.
Sentinel Hosting provides self-managed VPS hosting for a monthly fee of $25. With self-managed hosting, you have full control and responsibility for setting up and managing your own domain(s), email account(s), SSL certificate(s), and other related aspects. When you sign up for self-managed VPS hosting with Sentinel Hosting, you will receive an email from support@hostley.io. This email will provide you with important information and instructions to get started. Please make sure to keep an eye out for this email. For any support or assistance related to your self-managed hosting, you can rely on our trusted partner, Hostley23. They will be your go-to resource for guidance and support throughout your hosting journey. Should you have any questions or encounter any issues, simply submit a support ticket through Hostley23’s platform, and their team will be ready to assist you. It’s worth mentioning that your payment agreement will be directly with Sentinel Hosting, while support tickets and assistance will be provided by Hostley23. This ensures a seamless experience, where you have the convenience of managing your payments through us while benefiting from the specialized support offered by our partners. If you have any further inquiries or require additional information about our self-managed VPS hosting, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help you make the most of your hosting experience.
It’s important to note that Sentinel Hosting does not have access to assist you with these tasks. When your self-managed VPS hosting is created with Sentinel Hosting, you will receive an email from support@hostley.io. Payment agreement will be with Sentinel Hosting and support tickets will be through Hostley23. They will be able to provide you with the necessary guidance and support to ensure a smooth experience.
Please keep in mind that with self-managed hosting, you have the freedom and flexibility to customize and manage your hosting environment, via cPanel, according to your specific needs and preferences. Hostley23 will monitor and manage hosting settings.
If you have any questions or require further clarification regarding self-managed VPS hosting, please don’t hesitate to contact our support team. We’re here to help you make the most of your hosting experience.
You are responsible for indemnifying, defending, and protecting Sentinel Hosting from any claims, losses, or expenses that may arise directly or indirectly from your use or misuse of any third-party software. The providers of the third-party software are considered third-party beneficiaries of this Services Agreement and have the right to enforce their rights under this agreement.
We retain the right to modify, change, or discontinue any Third-Party Software at any time. It is understood that you will cooperate in taking the necessary steps to install any updates to the Third-Party Software. Please note that the Third-Party Software is not sold or distributed to you. Its usage is strictly limited to the Hosting Services and cannot be employed outside of this context. In order to provide the Third-Party Software, we may need to share your personal information with third-party providers. You acknowledge and agree that your use of the Third-Party Software is subject to our agreement(s) with these providers. Additionally, if the Third-Party Software requires a service or license agreement from the third-party provider, you must consent to and abide by those terms and conditions before downloading, installing, or using the software. It is important that you do not remove, modify, or hide any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary rights notices that are embedded in or on the Third-Party Software. Reverse engineering, decompiling, or disassembling the Third-Party Software is prohibited, except to the extent permitted by applicable law. You acknowledge and agree that the third-party providers (along with their affiliates and suppliers) do not make any representations or warranties about the Third-Party Software offered in connection with the Hosting Services. They expressly disclaim any liability or damages, whether direct, indirect, or consequential, arising from the use of the Third-Party Software. It is important to note that support for any Third-Party Software will be provided by us, not by the third-party providers (or their affiliates or suppliers).
When using Sentinel Hosting’s VPS Servers for Hosting Services that involve storing specially protected data, the following additional terms apply: 1. You are prohibited from submitting any unencrypted Protected Health Information (PHI), as defined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), through the Hosting Services. 2. Unless a mutually acceptable Business Associate Agreement (BAA) in accordance with HIPAA has been established between the Parties, you are not allowed to submit any encrypted PHI through the Hosting Services. 3. You are not permitted to submit any unencrypted Personal Data that is subject to regulatory protection under the Applicable Laws of the United States federal, state, or local governmental authorities through the Hosting Services. 4. Without providing prior notice and obtaining prior consent from the data subject, as required by Applicable Law, you are not allowed to submit any encrypted Personal Data through the Hosting Services. Please ensure compliance with these terms when using the Hosting Services involving Sentinel Hosting’s VPS Servers and storing specially protected data.
By using Sentinel Hosting, you also agree to Hostley23’s Terms of Use (hostley.live)