Just as a note to those who may be following this thread or might refer to it in the future, I wanted to make a couple of observations.
Robert's comment about GoDaddy reflect the norm and not the exception. I haven't had any accounts hosted there but I have worked with their hosting for a client. Hard to deal with. I had a couple of domains registered there and have moved all but one. Still trying to get that one moved!
If you are looking at going the VPS route and don't know how to manage your server, find somebody that offers managed servers. Then, make sure their customer support is good. While there are good and bad about all the hosting companies, do a bit of research to find what is best for you. And again, there is a wealth of knowledge at WebHostingTalk. Do your homework.
With just a bit of digging I was able to find
http://www.innohosting.com/ who offers managed servers and free migration help. Also, ResellerZoom seems to get high marks. (Wow, you can find about anything on the interweb!)
I am seriously considering consolidating some accounts and going to InnoHosting. I used to be in the hosting biz (didn't know anything about it but muddled through with lots of happy customers) but sold it. May make the plunge again since InnoHosting will provide end-user customer service.
Hope this helps those who are scratching their head about hosting and having their own virtual server.
Russell