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Thread: *sigh*...help. VPS or dedicated?
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03-23-2012, 02:58 PM #1Newbie
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*sigh*...help. VPS or dedicated?
I am an Administrator (more like a SuperMod really) on a fan forum site. The owner of the site has a dedicated host server runs about about 20 other sites. However, the one that I work on is the most active. From what I can tell from conversations with her (the owner), the site I work on is using too much resources, and now needs a separate host. I have offered to purchase host service for this one forum. She insists that only a dedicated server will do, but I think a managed VPS would be more than sufficient.
These are the specs for her current server:
intel Core i7 920
12 gb of ram
1000GB SATA - harddrive #1
1000GB SATA - harddrive #2
She wants my help, but keeps a lot of information "close to the vest". Also, English is not her primary language so that makes for a few problems as well. So, as far as resources that the forum currently uses, I have no idea. We don't have high traffic. Although we have over 1600 members, there are no more than 60-70 active at one time. We're not gamers, we don't stream anything. I don't really have a clue what is killing the resources. Maybe she doesn't really know either.
What I think I need, that will be sufficient, is a managed VPS server, with cPanel, 1 to 2 gb of RAM, 2 X 250GB SATA disks (RAID 1? I dunno), 1 TB of bandwidth, free setup, 24/7/365 support. I only need 1 IP really. My budget is $100 or less, and I need something in the US.
I am totally new to this, so forgive the lack of information. I will try to answer whatever questions anyone has.
The owner and I have been arguing over this all week, meanwhile the forum is slowly decaying. Soon, and I mean like any minute now, the forum will be completely dead. So...help?
P.S. - A firewall and some system of security would be good too.
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03-23-2012, 03:05 PM #2Web Hosting Master
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You have a lot of resources with your current server. I'm wondering where the bottleneck is. Before recommending a hosting solution I think we need to figure out why the current server isn't meeting your needs.
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03-23-2012, 03:07 PM #3Web Hosting Master
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DuraMater,
Without knowing what is causing the current resource issues you may just being moving the problem to its own server. With what you described you should not need anything crazy, but if there are issues anything you move it to will continue to have the same issues. You and the site owner really need to first discover what the issue is. What level of access do you have to the current server for troubleshooting?Mike
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03-23-2012, 03:08 PM #4Newbie
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I agree, ajonate, but that is precisely the trouble that I have been having, as far as getting that information from the owner. She said that the forum I am on is using too much memory. I find that hard to believe, but then again, she runs over 20 other sites besides the one I work on.
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03-23-2012, 03:11 PM #5Newbie
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03-23-2012, 03:12 PM #6Web Hosting Master
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03-23-2012, 03:15 PM #7Web Hosting Master
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Hello,
I dont know the current use, however I would not advise going with cPanel if it is just 1 site
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03-23-2012, 03:17 PM #8Newbie
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Your questions will actually help me get more information from her. As I said, I am totally new to this. Unfortunately, her time zone is 12 hours ahead of mine, so I will have to ask her these pointed questions when she gets up.
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03-23-2012, 03:22 PM #9Web Hosting Master
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DuraMater,
Having a starting point with what to ask will not just help you figure out what you need as far as hardware but should help her with getting you the right information. Keep us posted and we can help more as you know more!Mike
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03-23-2012, 03:32 PM #10Newbie
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Thanks so much, everyone. Believe me, I will be coming back with as much info as I can get. I really do need your help. I have spent a lot of time floating around this forum, and it really is the best!
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03-23-2012, 03:33 PM #11Web Hosting Master
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03-23-2012, 03:36 PM #12Newbie
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Well, we archive old threads just to keep the boards fresh and current, but we don't normally delete anything. The forum has been running since Sept. 2007. So, maybe it is the database?
Last edited by DuraMater; 03-23-2012 at 03:40 PM.
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03-23-2012, 03:40 PM #13Web Hosting Master
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03-23-2012, 03:48 PM #14Newbie
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I will absolutely suggest that to the owner. It is a touchy subject since the members value their post counts, but they may have to adjust their attitudes on that. By the way, if it matters, we use vBulletin software for the forum, ver 4.0.8. We have over 300,000 posts. So many of these types of forums pride themselves on post count...
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03-23-2012, 03:50 PM #15Web Host Reviewer
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I think she (the owner) is just guessing. "That site is busy, so it MUST be the problem!" It's horrible logic, but it happens quite often.
If you knew the other sites on the server, you could at least formulate a guess of the real resource abuser based on content and external site traffic measurers (guessers like Alexa or Quantcast).
Pruning and archiving doesn't really do anything on resources until you're running a mega-board.
Your plan for a good VPS is fine.
Arguing with the current admin may just end up getting you booted as mod. A better option may be for you to take over the site as mod, by way of putting it on another server (VPS).
It would help if I knew the site, and could see if any obvious resource hogs were there -- chat boxes, Flash objects, etc.|| Need a good host?
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03-23-2012, 04:01 PM #16Newbie
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The owner runs 20 fansites, each with a forum attached. The one I work for, baleheads.com, is attached to the christian-bale.org site. If you go to christian-bale.org, you will see a panel on the right showing the other "Family Sites" that she hosts. As far as baleheads.com goes, there are no chat boxes, a few minor flash objects (e.g., a countdown timer, a clock..I think that's it).
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03-23-2012, 04:08 PM #17Web Hosting Master
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Why would having a large history of posts, threads, etc. consume memory? Perhaps indexes are larger but that would simply degrade performance. In other words, if you have 100MB set aside for indexes in MySQL (key_buffer_size), then as indexes get larger, it wouldn't be able to keep as many in memory, so it'd be pushing some out as it reads in new ones. Slower performance, but not more memory.
Otherwise, more data just equals more disk space.
Unless I'm missing something.
I would say that without knowing your usage, any sizing is a guess.
One of the beauties of VPS is that you can upsize if you find out you have miscalculated.
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03-23-2012, 04:17 PM #18Always Learning...
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Who is managing the server? Better suggest her to hire another competent server admin to audit the server and provide second opinion and if needed optimise the server.
Also if the owner is ready to spend on a dedicated why it should bother you, a VPS is still sharing of resources.Vinsar.Net - Quality Web Hosting at Economical Price on USA & European Servers
Offering domains, shared, reseller & VPS hosting.
Reliable Domain Reseller Account Resell Domains with Confidence
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03-23-2012, 04:42 PM #19Newbie
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On the first point, I agree. I question the competency of her host server manager.
On the second point, I am the one preparing to spend money for the new host server for the one forum. But, she is fighting me on the decision to go with a VPS server.
P.S. - Off to make and consume some dinner now. Thanks everyone, I will be back later!
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03-23-2012, 04:59 PM #20Web Host Reviewer
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|| Need a good host?
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03-23-2012, 05:31 PM #21Web Hosting Master
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03-23-2012, 05:32 PM #22Newbie
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Uhm, yeah fubar describes the situation pretty well, and it is getting worse. As I said in my original post, any minute now, and it will all go "belly up". I don't give a rat's behind about her other sites, I just want to host baleheads.com. And, supposedly, we had agreed on that point.
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03-23-2012, 05:48 PM #23Web Hosting Master
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03-23-2012, 05:54 PM #24Web Hosting Master
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With vBulletin you have the choice of database storage engines. By default vBulletin uses myisam. The vBulletin people recommend going to innodb for installations with heavy usage. Do you know if that's been done?
https://www.vbulletin.com/forum/entr...oDB-Conversion
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03-23-2012, 06:05 PM #25Newbie
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