Advance warning- server move

[Jeff]

I've just ordered a new server, so there will be some downtime while I move the site.

I can't say exactly when this will happen or how long it will take, but I expect it will take a few hours, and will hopefully be by the end of the week.

As usual I'll try to make the downtime happen overnight to reduce the disruption caused.

The site will be changing IP address and some ISPs will take longer than others to update. This means the site may appear to still be down for some people when others can access it.


The new server will have a faster processor, more RAM and solid state disks, so should be faster and less prone to slow downs due to being overloaded.
It's also located in Europe rather than the US, which should result in faster page load times for most people.

 

[Durham Fox]

Great. BT usually pull their sorry arses in to line about 48 hrs after most.

 

[Macky]

The site will be changing IP address and some ISPs will take longer than others to update. This means the site may appear to still be down for some people when others can access it.

Could you not leave a redirect on the current server until all the DNS servers update?

 

[Jeff]

Great. BT usually pull their sorry arses in to line about 48 hrs after most.

Usually when this happens the vast majority of people can see the site within a couple of hours.
It's only the ISPs that cache the DNS records longer than they should that have problems.

There is a workaround that involves adding the new IP address to the windows hosts file, but I would only advise doing that as a last resort.

 

[Jeff]

Could you not leave a redirect on the current server until all the DNS servers update?

In the past I have provided a link that points directly to the site via the IP address rather than the domain.

But all that does is allows people to read what's on the site. As soon as they try to log in their browser will send them back to the old version.

 

[Jeff]

One thing I'm trying to do that will make the move of the data happen faster is to delete as much junk as possible.


I've already deleted several hundred MB of stuff, which has brought the space used down to around 1.4GB.


What I would like to do next is delete some of the old attachments. Would anyone object if I deleted attachments that are more than a couple of years old?

I'm not planning to delete old posts, just old attachments.

 

[Durham Fox]

One thing I'm trying to do that will make the move of the data happen faster is to delete as much junk as possible.


I've already deleted several hundred MB of stuff by deleting all of Joe_Fox's shite, which has brought the space used down to around 1.4GB.


What I would like to do next is delete some of the old attachments. Would anyone object if I deleted attachments that are more than a couple of years old?

I'm not planning to delete old posts, just old attachments.

Probably for the best, the old queen.

 

[Macky]

In the past I have provided a link that points directly to the site via the IP address rather than the domain.

But all that does is allows people to read what's on the site. As soon as they try to log in their browser will send them back to the old version.

Ah, of course it will. I hadn't given it any thought, just the first thing that came into my head as I read your post.
A redirect would work grand for just a flat page, but you'd never be able to authenticate anybody.... unless we all update our hosts file with new IP as well, at just the right time, then it'd work, but I'm just talking stupid now

 

[Macky]

Would anyone object if I deleted attachments that are more than a couple of years old?

I'm not planning to delete old posts, just old attachments.

No complaints from me, I've never been able to view my old attachments anyway.

 

[Yorkshire Vixen]

I've just ordered a new server, so there will be some downtime while I move the site.

I can't say exactly when this will happen or how long it will take, but I expect it will take a few hours, and will hopefully be by the end of the week.

As usual I'll try to make the downtime happen overnight to reduce the disruption caused.

The site will be changing IP address and some ISPs will take longer than others to update. This means the site may appear to still be down for some people when others can access it.


The new server will have a faster processor, more RAM and solid state disks, so should be faster and less prone to slow downs due to being overloaded.
It's also located in Europe rather than the US, which should result in faster page load times for most people.

marvellous im still waiting for IE to access TB, just hope aol doesnt take too long/stop working altogether or thatll be it for me on here

 

[Motown Fox]

I still use filbertstreet.net as my link into the forum and I also have a filbertstreet email, will the server change have any effect on the link at all?

 

[Jeff]

I still use filbertstreet.net as my link into the forum and I also have a filbertstreet email, will the server change have any effect on the link at all?

That site will be moving to the new server too, so both will be unavailable for a similar amount of time, but once the move has taken place you shouldn't notice any difference.


I'm still trying out various configurations on the new server and at the moment it looks unlikely that the move will happen tonight, tomorrow night is more likely.

 

[spionfox]

What I would like to do next is delete some of the old attachments. Would anyone object if I deleted attachments that are more than a couple of years old?

No objection from me.

I remember asking once why we couldn't delete our own attachments anyway. Any chance of this ever being possible?

 

[Jeff]

I remember asking once why we couldn't delete our own attachments anyway. Any chance of this ever being possible?

I broke the part of the system that does that. Fixing it is on a very long list of things to do.

 

[Jeff]

All done - the site was down for less than 15 minutes.

Most people should have access to the site again within an hour.

 

[Jeff]

I forgot to set up the mobile phone domain ( http://mobile.talkingballs.co.uk ) when I moved the site. It should be working again now though.

 

[The Major]

I must admit I can't understand most of this thread, I'm just glad this site is here. Many thanks Jeff for your efforts.

 

[spionfox]

I must admit I can't understand most of this thread, I'm just glad this site is here. Many thanks Jeff for your efforts.

Techy's like Jeff are like that. They like to baffle us with gobbledygook to make us believe they are supremely intelligent and to fill us with awe and wonder.

In reality he only plugged a new box into the mains socket and switched it on :icon_lol:

 

[Macky]

I must admit I can't understand most of this thread, I'm just glad this site is here. Many thanks Jeff for your efforts.

Echo that, love and respect to the man like Jeff

 

[Blue Maniac]

Echo that, love and respect to the man like Jeff

:thumbs_up