We're being assisted but expect periodic outages [update: back to normal]

[Ian]

The numbers on the server are going through the roof. An hour ago each time it came back up they couldn't get in quick enough to login and work to get it stable because the load was so high.

Needless to say this was an event I didn't plan for, but they're working wth us now to try and keep things stable. But I've been warned to possibly expect 3-minute outages or so along the way. It's going to be quite a day.

UPDATE: SINCE THIS WAS FROM EARLIER TODAY THINGS ARE BACK TO NORMAL

Ian

 

[Pats726]

Re: We're being assisted but expect periodic outages

Thanks for the update...you are doing a GREAT job..and I really doubt anyone thought today and yesterday would be as BUSY as it has been...Thanks again..for the great site!!!!

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Re: We're being assisted but expect periodic outages

thanks for taking the fall, ian, but we all know that it's all Belichick's fault for trading Seymour...i just know that the "New England Patriots are a team that hates their coach" now...

(this is a pretty emotional day, so in case someone's on a hair trigger out there, I'll cover myself by adding that I'm just kidding and channeling a well-known ex NFL'er Mediot)

 

[IcyPatriot]

Re: We're being assisted but expect periodic outages

This situation is best explained by borrowing the famous words of Laurence Maroney.

The server ... when there is huge Pats news ... blows it's wad too early.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Re: We're being assisted but expect periodic outages

God I hope when the news later this week breaks out about Brady being traded to the Broncos for Orton and a 2010 first rounder it doesn't screw up the site again!

 

[carolinatony]

Re: We're being assisted but expect periodic outages

I enjoy this site and get more news on here than anywhere else. Its a shame
it seems to crash a lot.
I wish you the best in getting it resolved.

 

[Fencer]

Re: We're being assisted but expect periodic outages

Suggestion 1: Lose the photos in the signature files.

Suggestion 2: Google on vBulletin caching. If you do so regularly, do so again. There are a LOT of options. I'd be surprised if you hadn't tried several, but I'd also be surprised if you'd examined all of the reasonable ones.

 

[italia44]

Re: We're being assisted but expect periodic outages

come on.......lets celebrate the beginning of the season by getting the donations up closer to the 312 target......or Ian,go to a nice round figure of $25 per year.

....jeez....I got more than that back with the nice T-shirt and the surprise additions.

Ian,at least let some people volunteer to pay $25/yr.

Oh.....BTW,I'm disabled and live on SSDI....so I don't want people to think I'm some rich guy with money to burn.
Peter

 

[Ian]

Re: We're being assisted but expect periodic outages

Suggestion 2: Google on vBulletin caching. If you do so regularly, do so again. There are a LOT of options. I'd be surprised if you hadn't tried several, but I'd also be surprised if you'd examined all of the reasonable ones.

That's only part of the problem - and at this stage not easily fixable. Once the changeover occurs I'll be dumping the images out of the database and onto the main server, which will lighten the load a bit, but I can't do it now because it will time out and mess things up horribly. Dumping over half of the DB (over a 1G of data) did a great job in speeding things up normally, but that doesn't fix the in/out problem that goes on when thousands of people decend out of nowhere as they did today. It was ugly and there were so many people here that each time it came back up, the load shot right up immediately and there were mere seconds to take a shot at shutting things down so we could work on things. It took like four or five tries before we could finally get in

It was a long day to say the least. I was actually heading out the door with my family for breakfast around 10:30 or so when the news of Seymour broke and all hell broke loose here. We finally left at 1:00 while they took it back down to upgrade Plesk and made some memory related configuration changes, - so my wife was less than impressed.

Hopefully we'll have the other server installed later this week, which will house the database and should speed things up quite a bit. We're also upgrading the processor in this one.

I'll then be sending out a mass e-mail to invite everyone to hit it just like a game day to test it. Because I am beyond done with dealing with this believe me :explative

 

[Ian]

Re: We're being assisted but expect periodic outages

I enjoy this site and get more news on here than anywhere else. Its a shame
it seems to crash a lot.
I wish you the best in getting it resolved.

This week it will finally be over. Probably Thursday or Friday, so I'll keep everyone updated.

Ian

 

[Ian]

Re: We're being assisted but expect periodic outages

God I hope when the news later this week breaks out about Brady being traded to the Broncos for Orton and a 2010 first rounder it doesn't screw up the site again!

Something like that I'm pretty sure would shut us down for good

 

[thewaylifeshouldbe]

Re: We're being assisted but expect periodic outages

Something like that I'm pretty sure would shut us down for good

Hey Ian,

Are you running both DB and Web on the same server?

And since I am asking, are you using RAID HD's?

 

[Ian]

Re: We're being assisted but expect periodic outages

Hey Ian,

Are you running both DB and Web on the same server?

Yes - and we're moving the DB to a new separate server and upgrading the processors and RAM in both, and the two will be housed together and directly connected at the datacenter.

And since I am asking, are you using RAID HD's?

Yes - and believe it or not I paid extra for RAID Dual SCSI drives for this current one (although we run backups to play it safe). Runs great when the load is balanced - but when we get hit hard with a huge amount of visitors in less a matter of minutes that's when the problems start.

 

[thewaylifeshouldbe]

Re: We're being assisted but expect periodic outages

Yes - and we're moving the DB to a new separate server and upgrading the processors and RAM in both, and the two will be housed together and directly connected at the datacenter.



Yes - and believe it or not I paid extra for SCSI drives for this current one. Runs great when the load is balanced - but when we get hit hard with a huge amount of visitors in less a matter of minutes that's when the problems start.

Sounds like you're on track to resolve the issue. I was initially wondering if the Live Topic feature was jacking the overhead, but the mod is supposed to be more bandwith friendly.


Do like the Orange Mane does to cut down on server load until you get your upgrades: Require registration.

I will sign up for the VIP tomorrow. I know the cost of your upgrades, not counting the time taken from your family keeping this place alive. Donate my stuff to the local Goodwill please.

 

[Ian]

Re: We're being assisted but expect periodic outages

Sounds like you're on track to resolve the issue. I was initially wondering if the Live Topic feature was jacking the overhead, but the mod is supposed to be more bandwith friendly.

That was the point of this mod - but it's underutilized by most, which is unfortunate

Do like the Orange Mane does to cut down on server load until you get your upgrades: Require registration.

Barring any major event we're generally fine - so unless they ship Brady out this week I'm hoping we'll make it until the other server is added

I will sign up for the VIP tomorrow. I know the cost of your upgrades, not counting the time taken from your family keeping this place alive. Donate my stuff to the local Goodwill please.

That's very kind of you. Your package comes directly from the ProShop - so be sure to donate it yourself locally once you receive it

Ian

 

[thewaylifeshouldbe]

Re: We're being assisted but expect periodic outages

That's very kind of you. Your package comes directly from the ProShop - so be sure to donate it yourself locally once you receive it

Ian

Ah hell, I went ahead and did it.

Thanks for the efforts, Ian.

 

[Ian]

Re: We're being assisted but expect periodic outages

Ah hell, I went ahead and did it.

Thanks for the efforts, Ian.

You're welcome, thanks for the input and your donation - and be sure to PM me with your address and shirt size