What are the requirements to run a successful data server?
Set real measurable targets that align with your objective - what is your uptime going to be, what is the respnse time going to be, how much stoarge is always going to be available etc...
I could setup a server, advertise it as having 0% uptime SLA, and charge a fortune for it... although I would be unlikely to get any customers, I would also be unlikely to break my SLA
Make sure check the support our hours and their support. We were being worked with peer1 and fastservers.net. Both of them were provided great customer support.
I have to agree that you need to have good planning and hard work to ensure that all is running smoothly. I have heard stories about how people thought it was going smoothly and then it just went to pot quickly.