If you have hundreds or even thousands of customers it's far from acceptable to throw a product base like this at them.
DALnet:
Current global users:
39745 Max: 96747
bahamut-1.4(35). kernel.ga.us.dal.net CiIM TS5ow-r[RELEASE]
UnderNet:
There are
48067 users and
69813 invisible on 38 servers
u2.10.11.04. Amsterdam.NL.EU.undernet.org B30AEFfIKMpSUv
IRCnet:
Current global users:
120162 Max: 130855
2.10.3p3+hemp. warszawa.irc.pl aEFHiIJKMpRtTuwZ
EFnet:
Current global users:
128743 Max: 136513
2.8/hybrid-6.3.1(20020418_1). irc.efnet.pl ACeGiKMpZ TS5owc
...
Guess what, those IRCds are FREE