With Bitcoin services like Pools and Exchanges, you are probably better of asking yourself, if you should be considering dedicated hardware, instead of which host to use. The security you can provide then, is far higher when you add in a Good datacenter and multiple dedicated servers for specific purposes.
Too many big Bitcoin services have been "compromised" in some shape or form, due to the weakness of a 3rd party providing their hosting was too easy to access sensitive data.
Have you tried operating a private pool directly from home/office, using your own miners and a few select people.
The expenses of getting up to a point where it is profitable size, is why some pools closed this year, the variance of smaller pools can make it difficult.
My pool is not for a select people, not to mention I don't even have a "group". And I cannot run it from home/office because my internet is crap, and can be on and off(for days).
