Sometimes I Don't Understand Hosting Companies

A client of mine purchased use of a server with one of the myriad of hosting companies that have sprung up in recent years.

He purchased a Windows 2003 Server, with SQL and a couple of other add-ins for a fairly reasonable price and a fairly reasonable set-up.

So I began to set-up the machine. First I had to configure the Web server with all the Web sites. Next, a specialty package for test giving. Third, SQL Server.

STUCK! I found that they loaded the SQL server, but not the Enterprise Manager! How are you supposed to work a SQL server without the Enterprise Manager, to add tables, configure databases, and so on and so forth?

So I call technical support. Quickly gliding through the over abundance of voice mail options, I get a gentleman on the phone. After giving him the obligatory identifying information, I ask, "Where is the enterprise manager?"To my chagrin, astonishment and anger, he said: "We don't load the Enterprise Manager." Excuse me? "You don't load the EM! How am I supposed to configure my SQL Server?" I asked. His reply? "You can load it yourself"

Great, I buy/lease a server with SQL server, and now I have to buy the package myself to load the Enterprise Manager!

Fortunately, Microsoft offers a Web version that does most of what I need, and it worked. But give me a break, hosting companies. If you're going to provide services, provide them!