Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Dedicated Server : How big a server do I need for ....

[GordonH]

Hello
I have 4 big dedicated servers which I use for shared web hosting.

My domain registration site is hosted on one of them but its using too much processor resource (all those simultaneous domain wizard searches).

So.... I want to move it onto a stand alone machine.
Would I be able to get away with 64MB RAM, 400MHz processor (the Burst.net special)?

The site is not hugely popular but during busy periods it is affecting the server its on (750MHz 256MB RAM)

Any suggestions?

Gordon

[Jag]

Actually if you would add some more ram to your existing server you probably would not have to move it.

[BW]

Explain more about your domain registration program etc. You might do better off using something like dotsters api which you don't really have to do much with at all since its remotely hosted

-BW

[GordonH]

Yes
Thats an idea.
I already have bigger servers than the one its on, but I quite like the idea of keeping it seperate.

Gordon

[GordonH]

Hi
We operate quite a complex domain reg system.
We do .uk domains as well as various other alternatives and we have our own ordering system in place.

Gordon

[teck]

i think a dedicated server for the domain reg system would work. you dont need a powerhouse system like you said. something from burst.net would do. i'm also sure pwebtech can do something for you too. maybe weinbar? i'm not sure if he will do lower end machines. anyway, have atleast 256 megs of ram

[Tim Greer]

I don't know why anyone would offer, or what the purpose would be, to have a dedicated server with only 64 Megs RAM. I mean, if all you require, is that much at most, there's no reason to have a dedicated server. Dedicated servers are usually used for three reasons: Your site is resource intensive, or more than you're allowed on a shared server anyway and you need your own server to not have it interfere with anyone else's account/site, or your site takes up so much bandwidth or disk space, you need your own server, to at least save money, or both of those reasons.

So, I can't see how 64 Megs could even be seriously offered. It's like saying "Get a dedicated server with a 300 Meg drive, the OS is 250 Megs, but you can get another 5 GIG drive installed ofr just this much more a month, what a deal!". You're going to need that extra, or you have no reason to have a dedicated server anyway, unless you're just really wanting to mess around on it and not run any sites that get any hits ot speak of. 64 Megs is reasonable to use, but not on any sites I've ever ran.

[cbaker17]

Once again TIm what are you talking about, if your just serving static pages off of a server and doing email 64megs is fine, people might want their own server because they may have 20-30 sites all serving simple static pages and email, and you can always upgrade a dedicated server when you need to with more memory. Not to mention its a good way to start learning.

[Tim Greer]

Originally posted by cbaker17
Once again TIm what are you talking about, if your just serving static pages off of a server and doing email 64megs is fine, people might want their own server because they may have 20-30 sites all serving simple static pages and email, and you can always upgrade a dedicated server when you need to with more memory. Not to mention its a good way to start learning.

True, and as I stated it can be reasonable. However, in most situations it is not. Most people that want a dedicated server for any good reason, will be because it's an advantage. Why else would people pay so much more, unless they had to? So, it comes down to people basically wanting to maybe play around too, which is fine, but therefore they are not the serious web host type, at that point. I guess it depends, as with many other things, on what type of people it caters to. Obviously the 64 Meg system, is not intended to cater to people that are doing serious web hosting.

NOW, directing your attention to the reason why I said that:

This user stated:

"My domain registration site is hosted on one of them but its using too much processor resource"

And:

"The site is not hugely popular but during busy periods it is affecting the server its on (750MHz 256MB RAM)"

This accounts for me thinking it's not enough RAM, although it could be. It's not enough for most people, in my opinion, since most people do more than run static HTML pages and the like. Of course, there are those people that do, but they have no reason or need, at all, to get a dedicated server at that point, unless they want to just play around or learn -- in which case they ought to not be running a web host with that small amount, if any, of the knowledge for doing such... unless it's for their own personal sites and they want to learn while they put their site's through the abuse.

There are good reasons, sure, but very few and not for this user... and although the server can be upgraded, RAM is so cheap now-a-days, that it just seems like a cheap thing to do, such a small amount. I suppose it's a benefit for providers to be able to charge another $40 or so a month to give them the RAM they should deserve for price they are paying for the dedicated server... I mean, it's just like a dedicated server deal, 2 GIG drive, 64 Megs Ram (maybe even 32!), and 1 (one) GIG bandwidth per month... what, would be the point to that? There isn't.

Someone would be better off, if they want to learn in these situations, to just buy a system for the $150 at a local computer store and get some cheap 100 MHZ, 32 Megs RAM system, and grab a Linux or FreeBSD CD and go at it and learn that way. No reason to pay anymore for it... so I don't think that's a good way to learn for the most part anyway. I don't see these low end servers being worth much of anything to anyone.

[BurstNET]

<<Admin edit : sorry Sean, post far too borderline. We let hosts clarify details about their companies, but this post was too close to an ad.>>

[Tim Greer]

Originally posted by BurstNET
Gordon,

<< edited by me.. removed the advertising bit that was also quoted :) >>

Sean R.
BurstNET

Sean,

Is there a reason why you keep replying with the subject "hatred18"?

[MSW]

Is this the advertising forum?

[node9]

Originally posted by GordonH
So.... I want to move it onto a stand alone machine.
Would I be able to get away with 64MB RAM, 400MHz processor (the Burst.net special)?
Gordon

burst.net.... baaaaaadddddddddddddd

[Tim Greer]

Originally posted by node9


burst.net.... baaaaaadddddddddddddd :(

*lol*, That reminds me of the SNL... Fire baaaaaddd... Beer gooood...

[StephenRS]

GordonH -- when selecting hardware, it is important to profile the software. Do you have any kind of statistics on how much CPU time it takes to do one search, and the number of searches you have?

It is always risky to generalize... but most web pages do not take much CPU. The other pages on the server may be using almost NO cpu (1%)... and this would could be using ALL of it. It sounds like this page may be CPU bound... and going from the 750Mhz you describe to a 400Mhz would make it even worse.

What do you know about the search application itself?
You running Linux? This a CGI Perl app or something?

I find most sites that use SQL databases tend to have poorly designed ones. HTML programers (in general) don't have very good SQL training. Basic things like proper field type selection for keys, using indexes, etc.

What is it your search is going at? A database? Another remote server?

Hope at least this helps some.