What's with the SF crashes?

[rnoldh]

I was down for about 3 hours today.

I'm definitely not a techie. Are we sure this is a problem of not having a dedicated server?

If so, I posted this on 3-16-07:





Re: Transparent Moderation Log & Site Topics

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Quote:
Originally Posted by tiecollector
I don't think there is any way around a dedicated server for a site this big. Will cost you about 5x as much though. I had already assumed you were on a dedicated server.

I thought there is a dedicated server too.

I'm not a computer guy though. It seems like computer hardware prices are going down, and specs are going up.

To you techies out there. How much would a sufficient dedicated server cost. I'm just guessing $1000-1500. Is that about right?

For all the time I spend on this site, and enjoyment I get, I would be willing to contribute toward an SF server.

I'm thinking 100 people at $10 each would be $1000. Is that feasible? 100 people contributing $10, and buying a server for $1000. Could you see that happening?

What do you think?
__________________________
"but what good is style if you have no character?"

globetrotter 2-2-07




If J wants to set up a specific Paypal account (or use his own, since I trust him), why don't we really see about a group buy of a server!

What do you techies and SF stalwarts think?

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

I think the flames emanating from the CF threads melted the server.

 

[rnoldh]

Originally Posted by Ambulance Chaser

I think the flames emanating from the CF threads melted the server.

Yes, definitely a conspiracy. Read Post #91 on that CF thread!!!

 

[GQgeek]

One shouldn't complain about something that's free.

 

[chorse123]

I don't think any of the above posts was a complaint.

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by GQgeek

One shouldn't complain about something that's free.

Are you complaining (for free) about these people who complain?

 

[rnoldh]

Originally Posted by GQgeek

One shouldn't complain about something that's free.


I though my OP was an offer and not a complaint!

 

[LabelKing]

The gravitas of Audrey.

 

[GQgeek]

Originally Posted by rnoldh

I though my OP was an offer and not a complaint!

honestly, i just read the complaint, not the stuff in italics posted below.

Either way, the server is just part of the cost. You need a connection that can handle the load, and then there are the bandwidth fees to consider. There's also the power costs of a server drawing a couple hundred watts 24/7.

How the server itself would need to be speced would of course depend upon the actual demands placed upon it. For my own curiosity, I'd like to know what sort of bandwidth we consume.

Honestly though, for a site like this, hosting is probably the best solution. Then J doesn't have to worry about backups, patching, and maintenance himself. I'm sure he's got more than enough to do with his own job...

 

[j]

Mainly, I'm not that comfortable with running a web server - no experience, learning it would be inefficient, etc. I am okay doing basic web stuff but I don't know the back end well at all, and I'm not excited to learn.

Colocation is one option, where I would get a server and put it in a colocation center, but then I'd have to have someone maintain it and update it, etc.

The hosting co is trying to get me to go to at least a high volume server, which I will call them about tomorrow. It looked for a while like we might be able to hang on this one, but today apparently we were producing 66% of the traffic on the web server, and crashed it.

The database errors are caused by maxing out the number of connections, which probably happens when the web server gets choked up with a lot of people on it at once.

There may be a cheaper hosting service I could also look into - I went with the best for right now because I wasn't interested in any stress, and I have been with them for 11 years now and they know their stuff. But I might be able to find a host that is more optimized for the kind of load a forum puts on a server, etc.

Anyway, sorry, I'm looking into it.

And GQG, this month we have sucked down 68GB of bandwidth so far. The plan we're on right now includes 200GB so we are fine on that. But just wait until we expand/revamp the shoe Appreciation gallery.... oops I've said too much.