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For those of you that are in the hosting business (or know about it), what's the best way to get the knowledge needed to provide professional support and get a job providing said services?

Running a web host isn't as easy as it sounds. It requires time, patience and dedication. You need good quality hardware in place, with round the clock support. You need a firm knowledge in the systems you are running

I don't want to start my own host, but rather learn the skills to provide support for one.

Oh, is it just webhosting or VPS hosting?

If its just webhosting, learn a bit about PHP and the control panel used.

If its VPS hosting, youll need to look at learning some Linux commands

Both, ideally. And what about finding a host to provide support for? Any thoughts on that?

Get some apache and general linux books. They'll be the best start .

For finding a job just go to some hosts websites (many have a career page) or check on webhostingtalk.

You don't need to know an awful lot (Basic LAMP + cPanel), the job is given to any average Sameer-sixpack who can type. That said, being a web host support tech isn't something I would aspire to.

being something and being good at something are two very different things.

I think your best bet is to give up the idea of magically jumping into the deep end and coming out on top on your first try. Instead of your first driving lesson being a Porsche at 120 down a busy highway, why not try out a slow, safe car with seat belts?

Instead, consider gradually wading into the market. For example, I think that working as a tech for one of these hosting companies would not only look great on your resume, but help you to learn the ropes, familiarize yourself with the most popular issues, learn the people skills to deal with difficult people, and learn the processes and policies that these companies have for good reason.

What I'm saying is that paid training and experience awaits you if you work for one of these companies for a little while.

One of the things that really makes a difference is customer service. Your customers put bread on your table, and when they aren't happy, you need to take it with a grain of salt, but also with a seriousness, especially if they all aren't happy. Even if you are technologically inept, taking care of your clients will net you more clients, more business, and exponential growth.

Your best bet might be to go onto a Cisco or Comptia A+ course I know Comptia A+ is just an introduction to Linux and generally working as a technician