Server Migration & Recent Downtime

[Andem]

Dear Members,

I apologise profusely for the recent weeks with technical difficulties and site downtime. What happened several weeks ago resulted in 12 hours of downtime and it's been a rocky road since. I've realised that the current server setup is not sufficient to offer the improved services I've implemented in the past months.

While I don't just run one hard drive to save forum and site data, it's spread across many servers and backed up several times per week. I've figured out that the hard drive that is used for the majority of live data has some issues and it's impossible to fix while the site is live.

I would have had to shut down the site for an unspecified amount of time (perhaps 2 days or more) to fix the errors and that simply isn't acceptable. Furthermore, I think it's time to upgrade the entire network and work on page load times. As of several days ago, I started working on content serving and moved all images, javascript and some site data to an older but effective server dedicated and configured to serve those files faster.

This morning I woke up to another day of 12 hours of downtime and I've decided to upgrade the network. It looks to be a very exciting move and I've already hired a professional security team to make our new server hardened to any security threats (something of which I did myself on our current setup).

Here are some of the details:

• 12 GB of really fast RAM
  • An upgrade from our current 4GB, slower memory
• 3 large hard drives (2 for backup) at 15K RPM
  • An upgrade from our current 7200 RPM mutli-hard drive setup
• a 100Mbps redundant uplink
  • We're currently on a 10Mbps uplink
• A much faster Quadcore/Multiprocessor setup
  • An improvement from our current Dualcore, single processor setup

I'm excited to announce that the new server should be setup within the next 24 hours and live to everybody sometime next week. I will be shutting down the forums when I start migrating data. It should last for about 1 hour and I'll let everybody know before I do in the CanadianContent.net forum.

I look forward to a huge improvement in site downtime and also a much faster setup for better user experience.

Until the migration is complete, the main Canadian Content web server will be monitored incase of downtime.

 

[shadowshiv]

It is a post like this that shows why this is the best site out there! You care about your Membership and try everything in your power to make their visits here as enjoyable as possible.:smile:

Kudos!

 

[Cannuck]

Will the site still have that fresh minty smell?

 

[shadowshiv]

Will the site still have that fresh minty smell?

Let me brush my teeth first.;-)

 

[Mowich]

Gadzooks, this site has become my favorite new 'drug'. I thought I was going into withdrawal when I couldn't get on. Thank you so much Andem for the explanation. Am really looking forward to the new improved Canadian Content Forum.

 

[Cliffy]

No kidding. Last night I was standing there beside myself. Thanks for all the work and the explanation.

 

[shadowshiv]

Gadzooks, this site has become my favorite new 'drug'. I thought I was going into withdrawal when I couldn't get on. Thank you so much Andem for the explanation. Am really looking forward to the new improved Canadian Conten Forum.

Isn't it shocking how much CC has changed from when we both started(you in 2005 and myself in 2007)? I remember white. Lots and lots of white. It is amazing the amounts of extras that are now here.

 

[Andem]

Yeah the white was a big change from the older look before 2007 which was blue with lots of curves. I'm modernising the site right now and I think the coloured background makes a big difference in site experience.

Another thing that's changing is the increased usage of AJAX technology where you don't have to reload 10 pages just to change settings or refresh the homepage to see new threads. Expect some more usage of that, especially on a server that can handle the load

 

[Mowich]

Isn't it shocking how much CC has changed from when we both started(you in 2005 and myself in 2007)? I remember white. Lots and lots of white. It is amazing the amounts of extras that are now here.

Shadowshiv, I think you might have me mixed up with someone else? I am a recent member. I think I joined around the end of October, 2009. ;-)

 

[shadowshiv]

Shadowshiv, I think you might have me mixed up with someone else? I am a recent member. I think I joined around the end of October, 2009. ;-)

You almost got me until I saw that ;-) smilie at the end!:lol:

 

[kryptic]

Here are some of the details:

• 12 GB of really fast RAM
  • An upgrade from our current 4GB, slower memory
• 3 large hard drives (2 for backup) at 15K RPM
  • An upgrade from our current 7200 RPM mutli-hard drive setup
• a 100Mbps redundant uplink
  • We're currently on a 10Mbps uplink
• A much faster Quadcore/Multiprocessor setup
  • An improvement from our current Dualcore, single processor setup

I am jealous.:headbang:

 

[Avro]

Big thanks the Andem, for doing something he really dosen't need to to improve the CC experience for others.

You Rock!

 

[AnnaG]

It sounds awesome to me, Andem. I just wish that when hubby or I posted a vidclip it wouldn't be duplicated in the post. IE like the ones I posted in Zan's B-day thread.