Talk:Rackspace Technology#2000s History

Is downtime relevant? I'm not sure. Most hosting companies experience downtime at some point, the most common cause being power failure... It just seems unbalanced to mention this against almost a decade of largely problem-free hosting?

As they advertise their business using the message "Zero-Downtime Network" and they promise a 100% uptime guarantee it is very relevant. There are hosting companies who have a lot less downtime, but as Rackspace is attempting to win business by claiming it is a perfect business model in the Uptime area, it should be plain for people to see on Wikipedia that FACT, it is far from perfect.

Plus as someone who has had first hand experience and has a server with rackspace, they do not honour the uptime guarantee.

They also hold you to a contract claiming they are NOT in breach even after downtime. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 93.97.29.188 (talk) 21:22, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

The bottom half of the article disappeared after my edit. iots in the html editable material and the diff says i added 318KB. Any ideas. Thanks, SqueakBox 20:53, 8 August 2008 (UTC)

The second paragraph under Downtime is incorrect - a pickup truck did hit a transformer outside of the data center, but it did not explode. The first paragraph was taken directly from communication from Rackspace, but the second paragraph wasn't. I work at Rackspace and was there the night this happened. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 4rp70x1n (talk • contribs) 18:34, 31 May 2009 (UTC)

Also, the truck struck a transformer, not a generator. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.3.128.198 (talk) 02:09, 5 June 2009 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Tech201805 (talk • contribs)

This is one of the worst written articles i've come across in this industry. While it does have alot of details most of it's from the company itself with alot of references from Rackspace. It appears to be written from a PR standpoint, 'recent events' are never really relevant on WikiPedia. Also the history shows page edit history from ip blocks owned by the company. I think that pretty much sums up who wrote the article and the reason for it's existence is an advertisement. Woods01 (talk) 04:29, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

Also - whereas Rackspace may be the catchy name of a company, it is also a generic term for space in a 19 inch comms cabinet, and anyone looking for that information is going to have to wade through all of this drivel before they find what they are looking for... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.169.180.190 (talk) 21:49, 19 July 2009 (UTC)

I second that. It is pure drivel —Preceding unsigned comment added by 93.97.29.188 (talk) 21:24, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

This sentence

"The beginnings of Rackspace's Fanatical Support started once Rackspace realized that no company at the time could fulfill their unique requirements -"

should be removed because:

1) the term "Fanatical Support" has not yet been introduced in the article, so it shouldn't be referred to here. It is described well enough in a later paragraph.

2) The sentence asserts that "no company at the time could fulfill their unique requirements" which is POV.

3) "their unique requirements" makes no sense. Rackspace's unique requirements? What did Rackspace require? This could be rephrased as "the industry's unique requirements" but what are those requirements, and why are they unique?

Leotohill (talk) 23:25, 5 September 2010 (UTC)

:User "Richardyoo" has rewritten the problem sentence as "While most companies focused on the technology end of hosting, Rackspace created its "Fanatical Support" offering to focus on service and support". This addresses my concerns.

Leotohill (talk) 02:03, 7 September 2010 (UTC)

I notice this has been discussed before on the talk page, but those discussions seem to be stale so I'm starting a new one.

I boldly removed the section on downtime, which has since been readded by an IP [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rackspace&curid=12757523&diff=454095820&oldid=453928890] without addressing the points I made in my edit summary. My feeling on this issue is that it is a minor one. Wikipedia shouldn't be trumpeting the company's guarantee of "zero downtime" (especially without a reliable secondary source discussing it, and neither should the section be only a listing of every single time the company goes down. It seems very much undue weight to me to discuss the matter in great detail. The information is currently in the article, and I won't remove it without further discussion, but I'd love to see more opinions on this one. Dayewalker (talk) 17:44, 5 October 2011 (UTC)

:I'm not sure I understand the inclusion. The cite given clearly shows this as an SLA with specific refund levels for downtime. Many, if not most, large providers set a 100% uptime SLO/SLA (Dreamhost, for example). I'm not sure why the claim is notable outside of some strong secondary sources stating such, and the odd laundry list of every single outage is very odd. Frankly, if that the extent of outages, this seems more promotional than anything else. Kuru (talk) 18:47, 5 October 2011 (UTC)

::Right then since there are no other objections for over a month, then that section will stay removed.

It appears the name is now officially "Rackspace Technology". Would it make sense to rename the page to match? Aaron Bruce (talk) 19:21, 10 August 2020 (UTC)

{{Edit COI|P}}

Hello Wikipedia,

I would like to make a proposal to content in the Early history subsection on this page regarding the founding of Rackspace. The sources that support this first paragraph are either defunct or not appropriate for Wikipedia. Additionally, there is some history missing from these early days. Because of this, I would like to propose the following replacement of the first paragraph:

:Rackspace was founded in 1996 by Richard Yoo, Dirk Elmendorf and Patrick Condon. Two years later, Graham Weston and Morris Miller provided seed capital and began managing the company.{{cite news |last1=Takahashi |first1=Dean |title=Web-hosting service Rackspace files for IPO |url=https://venturebeat.com/business/rackspace-files-for-ipo/ |access-date=19 September 2024 |work=VentureBeat |date=28 April 2008}} The company began after Yoo dropped out of Trinity University and launched Cymitar Technology Group out of a garage, through which the company sold internet access to his former classmates.{{cite news |last1=Killelea |first1=Eric |title=‘The end’: Rackspace founder says it’s ‘on trajectory of death.’ Other former Rackers not so sure. |url=https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/Rackspace-Yoo-ransomware-attack-17703197.php |access-date=29 October 2024 |work=San Antonio Express News |archive-url=https://archive.ph/ftGdM |archive-date=2023-01-20}} In 1998, the company was renamed Rackspace.{{cite news |last1=Killelea |first1=Eric |title=‘The end’: Rackspace founder says it’s ‘on trajectory of death.’ Other former Rackers not so sure. |url=https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/Rackspace-Yoo-ransomware-attack-17703197.php |access-date=29 October 2024 |work=San Antonio Express News |archive-url=https://archive.ph/ftGdM |archive-date=2023-01-20}} That year, Weston became CEO.{{cite web |title=Graham Weston profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/graham-weston/ |publisher=Forbes |access-date=15 November 2024 |language=en}}

:In 2005, following Hurricane Katrina, Rackspace employees volunteered to refurbish the Montgomery Ward into a shelter for 1,300 people.{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Justin |title=Business Owners Pitch In |url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2005/11/01/8360967/index.htm |access-date=29 October 2024 |work=Fortune Small Business Magazine |date=1 November 2005}}

:Lanham Napier entered the company in 2000 as its chief financial officer.{{cite news |last1=Killelea |first1=Eric |title=‘The end’: Rackspace founder says it’s ‘on trajectory of death.’ Other former Rackers not so sure. |url=https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/Rackspace-Yoo-ransomware-attack-17703197.php |access-date=29 October 2024 |work=San Antonio Express News |archive-url=https://archive.ph/ftGdM |archive-date=2023-01-20}} In 2006, Yoo left Rackspace{{cite news |last1=Killelea |first1=Eric |title=‘The end’: Rackspace founder says it’s ‘on trajectory of death.’ Other former Rackers not so sure. |url=https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/Rackspace-Yoo-ransomware-attack-17703197.php |access-date=29 October 2024 |work=San Antonio Express News |archive-url=https://archive.ph/ftGdM |archive-date=2023-01-20}} and Napier was named chief executive officer (CEO).{{cite news |last1=Hicks |first1=Nolan |title=Rackspace CEO steps down |url=https://www.expressnews.com/business/local/article/rackspace-ceo-steps-down-5223025.php |access-date=19 September 2024 |work=San Antonio Express News |date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.ph/uUQjn|archive-date=2024-07-02}} Weston stepped down as CEO and that year, he was named chairman.{{cite web |title=Graham Weston profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/graham-weston/ |publisher=Forbes |access-date=15 November 2024 |language=en}}

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{{textdiff |Rackspace was launched in October 1998 with Richard Yoo as its CEO. Although most hosting companies focused on the technology end of hosting, Rackspace created its "Fanatical Support" offering to focus on service and support.{{cite web|url=http://www.hostsearch.com/interview/rackspace_managed_hosting_interview_october_2004.asp|title=Web Hosting Interview – Rackspace Managed Hosting|access-date=August 13, 2007}} On March 28, 2000, Rackspace received funding through lead investor Norwest Venture Partners and Sequoia Capital. George J. Still, Jr.,{{Cite web|last=MarketScreener|title=George J. Still - Biography|url=https://www.marketscreener.com/business-leaders/George-Still-05GFTZ-E/biography/|access-date=June 5, 2020|website=www.marketscreener.com|language=en}} Managing Partner at Norwest, subsequently joined the Board of Directors.{{cite web|url=http://sec.edgar-online.com/2000/05/19/11/0000912057-00-025595/Section2.asp|title=Edgar Online S-1A Filing|access-date=November 13, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205165209/http://sec.edgar-online.com/2000/05/19/11/0000912057-00-025595/Section2.asp|archive-date=February 5, 2009}}|(Rackspace was founded in 1996 by Richard Yoo, Dirk Elmendorf and Patrick Condon. Two years later, Graham Weston and Morris Miller provided seed capital and began managing the company.{{cite news |last1=Takahashi |first1=Dean |title=Web-hosting service Rackspace files for IPO |url=https://venturebeat.com/business/rackspace-files-for-ipo/ |access-date=19 September 2024 |work=VentureBeat |date=28 April 2008}} The company began after Yoo dropped out of Trinity University and launched Cymitar Technology Group out of a garage, through which the company sold internet access to his former classmates.{{cite news |last1=Killelea |first1=Eric |title=‘The end’: Rackspace founder says it’s ‘on trajectory of death.’ Other former Rackers not so sure. |url=https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/Rackspace-Yoo-ransomware-attack-17703197.php |access-date=29 October 2024 |work=San Antonio Express News |archive-url=https://archive.ph/ftGdM |archive-date=2023-01-20}} In 1998, the company was renamed Rackspace.{{cite news |last1=Killelea |first1=Eric |title=‘The end’: Rackspace founder says it’s ‘on trajectory of death.’ Other former Rackers not so sure. |url=https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/Rackspace-Yoo-ransomware-attack-17703197.php |access-date=29 October 2024 |work=San Antonio Express News |archive-url=https://archive.ph/ftGdM |archive-date=2023-01-20}} That year, Weston became CEO.{{cite web |title=Graham Weston profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/graham-weston/ |publisher=Forbes |access-date=15 November 2024 |language=en}}

In 2005, following Hurricane Katrina, Rackspace employees volunteered to refurbish the Montgomery Ward into a shelter for 1,300 people.{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Justin |title=Business Owners Pitch In |url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2005/11/01/8360967/index.htm |access-date=29 October 2024 |work=Fortune Small Business Magazine |date=1 November 2005}}

Lanham Napier entered the company in 2000 as its chief financial officer.{{cite news |last1=Killelea |first1=Eric |title=‘The end’: Rackspace founder says it’s ‘on trajectory of death.’ Other former Rackers not so sure. |url=https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/Rackspace-Yoo-ransomware-attack-17703197.php |access-date=29 October 2024 |work=San Antonio Express News |archive-url=https://archive.ph/ftGdM |archive-date=2023-01-20}} In 2006, Yoo left Rackspace{{cite news |last1=Killelea |first1=Eric |title=‘The end’: Rackspace founder says it’s ‘on trajectory of death.’ Other former Rackers not so sure. |url=https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/Rackspace-Yoo-ransomware-attack-17703197.php |access-date=29 October 2024 |work=San Antonio Express News |archive-url=https://archive.ph/ftGdM |archive-date=2023-01-20}} and Napier was named chief executive officer (CEO).{{cite news |last1=Hicks |first1=Nolan |title=Rackspace CEO steps down |url=https://www.expressnews.com/business/local/article/rackspace-ceo-steps-down-5223025.php |access-date=19 September 2024 |work=San Antonio Express News |date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.ph/uUQjn|archive-date=2024-07-02}} Weston stepped down as CEO and that year, he was named chairman.{{cite web |title=Graham Weston profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/graham-weston/ |publisher=Forbes |access-date=15 November 2024 |language=en}}}}

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Is an editor willing to update the article for me? I will be around on this page to answer any questions. Thank you, Wikipedia Nicholas for Arsenal Group (talk) 22:19, 10 February 2025 (UTC)

:{{Respond|yellowcheck|Partly done:}} I've gone ahead and replaced the first paragraph. I'm not so sure about the relevance of the second and third paragraphs... ⸺(Random)staplers 05:27, 11 February 2025 (UTC)

::Thanks Randomstaplers for the partial implementation!

::For the content about the shelter, I included it because it was a very well covered topic ([https://www.denverpost.com/2005/09/17/home-is-sweet-even-if-its-a-ward-store/| 1], [https://www.crn.com/news/channel-programs/171000543/texas-hosting-company-opens-doors-to-katrina-victims 2], [https://www.expressnews.com/150years/leaders/article/Graham-Weston-set-out-to-work-family-s-cattle-6503760.php| 3]) that is included in the Windsor Park Mall page and seems relevant here due to the large push from Rackspace employees that contributed to this effort.

::As for the information on Napier, Yoo and Weston:

::*Napier is not mentioned at all and was a large figure in the history of the company

::*Yoo was introduced but the conclusion of his involvement is not mentioned so it currently reads as if he is still there

::*Weston is introduced as CEO but it is not clear that his position changed and it reads as if he was CEO for longer than he was.

::Please let me know what you think. Nicholas for Arsenal Group (talk) 17:28, 19 February 2025 (UTC)

{{Edit COI|P}}

Hello Wikipedia,

While editors finish considering my above request, I wanted to post another request for the History section. This includes:

• Remove, "from a building once occupied by Datapoint Corporation"
• This is not supported by the source.
• Add, "The revitalization of the mall lead to development in the surrounding area, including the creation of Racker Road and the frontage road Fanatical Way, inspired by the company's trademark "Fanatical Support".{{cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2013/03/21/storming-the-castle-inside-rackspace.html?page=all|last=Goddard|first=Dan|newspaper=San Antonio Business Journal|date=March 21, 2013|accessdate=January 10, 2014|title=Storming The Castle: Inside Rackspace Headquarters | archiveurl = http://archive.today/xOZzN | archivedate = 2014-01-10 }} "Fanatical support" was the company's motto to describe its customer service. {{cite news |last1=Overholt |first1=Alison |title=Cuckoo for Customers |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/48967/cuckoo-customers |access-date=31 October 2024 |work=Fast Company |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012131007/https://www.fastcompany.com/48967/cuckoo-customers |archive-date=12 October 2012}} This consisted of the disuse of voicemail, live customer support, and London-based customer service representatives always accessible, which at the time news reports attribute to giving Rackspace an "edge" in the web hosting industry.{{cite news |last1=Lorek |first1=L.A. |title=Rack and reign; Web host Rackspace makes a simple promise to clients: You will get fanatical support. |work=San Antonio Express-News |date=3 June 2004 |quote=Rackspace banned voice mail from its phones. The company provides live customer support around the clock by phone and on its Web site. When it's 2 a.m., a person in its London office answers the phone or Web inquiries. Providing responsive customer service has helped give Rackspace an edge in the highly competitive Web hosting industry.}} Later, Rackspace’s Fanatical Support would be used to describe a service of providing customer representatives when businesses were implementing cloud hosting.{{cite news |last1=Mosbrucker |first1=Kristen |title=Rackspace's support for Microsoft's new privately chartered cloud could poach business clients — or give it bigger wings |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2017/07/12/rackspaces-support-for-microsofts-new-privately.html |access-date=31 October 2024 |date=July 12, 2017 |work=San Antonio Business Journal|archive-url=http://archive.today/lHow5 |archive-date=2024-10-31}}
• This is to add missing history about the basis of how the company functioned and the things it implemented, something well covered in journalistic outlets.
• Add directly after the above, "The company went public in 2008 at $12.50 per share and reached a peak in 2013 at approximately $80 per share.{{Cite news|url=http://www.expressnews.com/business/local/article/It-s-official-Rackspace-exiting-New-York-Stock-10591228.php|title=It's official: Rackspace exiting New York Stock Exchange|last=Brezosky|first=Lynn|date=November 3, 2016|access-date=November 3, 2016 |work=San Antonio Express-News}}"
• This is to add missing information about the company's reception and performance.

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Thank you, Wikipedia Nicholas for Arsenal Group (talk) 21:05, 27 February 2025 (UTC)

:Well, I've implemented most of it. The stock price is not necessary and would require further revisions to the following paragraph. I am not entirely sure about the bizjournal.com and fastcompany.com references but see no reason to exclude them at this time. It seems like they may possibly be promotional rather than news sites at first glance though. —DIYeditor (talk) 21:06, 14 April 2025 (UTC)

:: DIYeditor Thank you for implementing this, I see what you mean about the stock prices.

:: I had some questions about previous request, Talk:Rackspace_Technology#Founding_History that are still unanswered, would you like to weigh in on that?

:: Editors were unsure about including the following so I provided some context I think is helpful in understanding why the proposed information is pertinent.

::::In 2005, following Hurricane Katrina, Rackspace employees volunteered to refurbish the Montgomery Ward into a shelter for 1,300 people.{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Justin |title=Business Owners Pitch In |url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2005/11/01/8360967/index.htm |access-date=29 October 2024 |work=Fortune Small Business Magazine |date=1 November 2005}}

:::Lanham Napier entered the company in 2000 as its chief financial officer.{{cite news |last1=Killelea |first1=Eric |title=‘The end’: Rackspace founder says it’s ‘on trajectory of death.’ Other former Rackers not so sure. |url=https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/Rackspace-Yoo-ransomware-attack-17703197.php |access-date=29 October 2024 |work=San Antonio Express News |archive-url=https://archive.ph/ftGdM |archive-date=2023-01-20}} In 2006, Yoo left Rackspace{{cite news |last1=Killelea |first1=Eric |title=‘The end’: Rackspace founder says it’s ‘on trajectory of death.’ Other former Rackers not so sure. |url=https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/Rackspace-Yoo-ransomware-attack-17703197.php |access-date=29 October 2024 |work=San Antonio Express News |archive-url=https://archive.ph/ftGdM |archive-date=2023-01-20}} and Napier was named chief executive officer (CEO).{{cite news |last1=Hicks |first1=Nolan |title=Rackspace CEO steps down |url=https://www.expressnews.com/business/local/article/rackspace-ceo-steps-down-5223025.php |access-date=19 September 2024 |work=San Antonio Express News |date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.ph/uUQjn|archive-date=2024-07-02}} Weston stepped down as CEO and that year, he was named chairman.{{cite web |title=Graham Weston profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/graham-weston/ |publisher=Forbes |access-date=15 November 2024 |language=en}}

::I included content about the shelter, because it was a very well covered topic ([https://www.denverpost.com/2005/09/17/home-is-sweet-even-if-its-a-ward-store/| 1], [https://www.crn.com/news/channel-programs/171000543/texas-hosting-company-opens-doors-to-katrina-victims 2], [https://www.expressnews.com/150years/leaders/article/Graham-Weston-set-out-to-work-family-s-cattle-6503760.php| 3]) that is included in the Windsor Park Mall page and seems relevant here due to the large push from Rackspace employees that contributed to this effort.

::Napier is not mentioned at all and was a large figure in the history of the company

::Yoo was introduced but the conclusion of his involvement is not mentioned so it currently reads as if he is still there

::Weston is introduced as CEO but it is not clear that his position changed and it reads as if he was CEO for longer than he was.

{{reflist-talk}}

::: I would like to seek further input on this request. Please let me know what you think. Thanks Nicholas for Arsenal Group (talk) 16:19, 18 April 2025 (UTC)