Choosing a multi-user server

Hi all,

(I hope its ok to post this topic here - wasn't really sure where to put it)

I'm familiar with AS and with server-side programming, but multi-user servers are new to me and I'd like to learn how its all done. But I dont really know where to start.

Which socket-server should I choose? and will it be easy to switch to different servers later? There seem to be so many servers available:

Unity
ElectroServer
Jabber
AquaServer
MultiServer
Swocket
Fortress
FlashNow
...

I dont run my own server so ultimately i'll have to choose a host that offeres a socket-server.

I just bought Jobe Makar's FlashMX Game Design Demistyfied book which has chaperts on multi-user games which use EletroTank's ElectroServer, so maybe thats where I will start, but its much easier to find hosts that are running Jabber or Unity than it is to find a host with ElectroServer.

Any advice/pointers much apprecaited,

Nick

I don't know too much about any other multi-user servers but i'd go with Flash Communication Server MX.

Comm Server MX would be great but it is far more expensive than the other solutions :(

try my server, CommbyKD, its free for developers and pretty powerful :)

Dan