I have a question about which server bests fits my needs and was hoping an experienced member of this forum can help.

I currently have a Raq4i 512RAM. I have CGI scipts (including 2 message boards) and the CPU is always heavly loaded. (Some scripts have been removed because of this, but it doesn't seem to be helping yet). PHP is active on a few sites (which includes a banner script for generating revenue). The server is CONSTANTLY using swap space:

total used free shared buffers cached
Mem: 505 495 9 310 10 24
-/+ buffers/cache: 461 44
Swap: 1152 150 1002
[admin admin]$ free -
total used free shared buffers cached
Mem: 517188 514016 3172 345240 10484 24368
-/+ buffers/cache: 479164 38024
Swap: 1180100 151144 1028956

And we do about 300 gigs of traffic a month. The server blocks users when swap is high (I can't even get in sometimes!) and it crashes altogether about once a week.

Now, hopefully this gives you a little idea of what I need, because my Raq just isn't cutting it anymore.

The Rackshack.net $399/month plan isn't an option for financial reasons, but I am willing to go up to $200/month. Given my problems above, can some kind person make a reccomendation on a new server plan for me?

Thanks so much!!!!!

Can someone please help me?

Try a 1GB of RAM on a PIII 800+ and setup a generous swap.

Have you considered diversifying your load. Look at your big sites and see if maybe they're ready for their own server. It might save you some money to move a site or two off of the cobalt onto a dedicated server.

Bulletin Boards usually shred up cobalts. This has been my experience.

get a new server and split the load :) You definetely need a higher speed CPU. If your server is swapping a lot - you need to add more memory :)

How about replacing your cgi forum with something like VBulletin? That should help somewhat. :)

FreeBSD + SCSI HD + 1GB RAM and you'll be in peace!

SCSI HD won't be even needed. Most IDE hd are good enough today, especially those 10.000 rpm hd's. But use a good fan!! And take a 2u server case :)

Well if you know how much you can afford, buy the highest performing hardware that you can get for that much. It looks like it would be their 1.3Ghz white box with some additional memory, and SCSI.

And then hire someone to tune your software.

Why should you hire someone to do the software? A good host installs/and configs his own server. So that when something goes wrong the host knows what he should do.

And when you let it do be someone else, you won't learn it. Or am I missing something?

Originally posted by Starhost
Why should you hire someone to do the software? A good host installs/and configs his own server. So that when something goes wrong the host knows what he should do.

And when you let it do be someone else, you won't learn it. Or am I missing something?

What do you mean when you say "host"?

Why would everyone need to learn how to configure software?

The person responsible for configuring the software should have already learned to configure it.

When I say host, I'mean webhost.


And ofcourse not evrybody needs to be able to configure a server. But in a few post earlier stead hire someone to configure the server.

That would mean that the knowledge isn't available in the company it self. And I think at least 1 people in (or directly contacted to) the company should be able to configure the server. Because what happens if the server crashes e.d.?

Originally posted by Starhost
When I say host, I'mean webhost.

And ofcourse not evrybody needs to be able to configure a server. But in a few post earlier stead hire someone to configure the server.

That would mean that the knowledge isn't available in the company it self. And I think at least 1 people in (or directly contacted to) the company should be able to configure the server. Because what happens if the server crashes e.d.?

So you have a problem with small web hosting companies where the founding members don't have the expertise, and they don't have any employees?

There are a lot of hosting companies out there like that, especially on this forum.

IMHO, the best advice is for them to contract someone with the expertise, and not to spend 10 years trying to learn it on their own.

If a server crashes, and they don't have the expertise to figure out how to get it back up, they immediately contact the person that they contracted to resolve those types of issues. They don't spend 10 years learning so that they can get the server back up.

10 years may be an exageration, depending on the problem.

I would suggest you switch your cgi board to php based board. It will slightly eat lesser of the server resources.

Originally posted by MxHub
I would suggest you switch your cgi board to php based board. It will slightly eat lesser of the server resources.
exactly what i was going to say:cool:

Originally posted by bitserve


So you have a problem with small web hosting companies where the founding members don't have the expertise, and they don't have any employees?


Yes I do have a problem with that. Because a company should have knowledge in house before you are starting one. When I'm starting a accountant business. I also need expertice of TAX administration etc.

The same is with webhosting. I think you shouldn't start such a business when you don't know how to handle a server.

But that is just my opinion.

I wonder what type of Bulletin Board script is being used. Some of them are known Servers hogs. Some PHP scripts have this same problem also. Maybe it's time to have a look at something else?

Hi. We used to run RaQ servers, but we got smart and transfered to less expensive normal servers :) -

The only problem we found was the cobalt control panel -
We made our own compatible version and transfered the sites from the cobalts to the new machines

My Point being, that if you (or anyone) needs help in transfering a whole ton of sites from the Cobalt Control Panel to a different machine, you can send me an email or a private message and I will be glad to help you along and/or give you some advice.

Avi Brender

Originally posted by Starhost
Yes I do have a problem with that. Because a company should have knowledge in house before you are starting one. When I'm starting a accountant business. I also need expertice of TAX administration etc.

The same is with webhosting. I think you shouldn't start such a business when you don't know how to handle a server.

But that is just my opinion.

Okay, let's make a rule that no web hosting business personnel are allowed to post questions in this forum, since they should already know the answers. :)

Originally posted by bitserve
Okay, let's make a rule that ow web hosting business personnel are allowed to post questions in this forum, since they should already know the answers. :)


Time for everyone to pack up and move on out... dang, right when Rackshack moved in too.. :D

laterz, (an no, I'm not leaving cause I don't think anyone knows everything.. I think thats the beauty of forums for people to share stuff that they have came across.. and what made it work for them.)
palmtree