ASO was purchased by Brent Oxley, who also owns HostGator, and ASO purchased DrakNet. Through this entire thing, I haven’t talked to Brent, negotiated with Brent, had coffee with Brent. Nothing.

ASO is run by ASO people regardless of who owns the company, and ASO and Hostgator are separate entities, serving different markets, with different hosting philosophies. Most of the people I work with have been with ASO since before Brent purchased the company.

If you’re concerned that ASO is going to turn into a carbon copy of HostGator or is somehow controlled by HostGator and their hosting viewpoints, I can assure you 100% that’s not the case. I would not have done this if the philosophies of the acquiring company with regard to higher quality weren’t substantially similar to my own. HostGator serves a certain market, and they do it well – but it’s not ASO’s or DrakNet’s.

ASO is an independent entity that shares an owner with HostGator, but it’s a fruit off its own tree.