New server required!

[AudioFreak]

Brainchild,
You've got mail.

All,
Please keep the offers coming.

 

[fdegrove]

Hi Dan,

- $500 a month for us to rent and use that server, with colocation, we own the server so their base charge would be more around $100 a month plus options.

Are you sure about this? Owning the server and collocating, I mean...

Anyway, the major concern is to make a decision and have it all transferred with as little disruption as possible.

With the number of members active here that have a vested interest in audio and an interest in keeping this forum live, I'd venture there shouldn't be a major problem in finding sponsors...
The basic rule with sponsoring is keeping them at just that level:
sponsoring; no more, no less...
We don't want sponsors to take over the forum as I'm sure you don't want this either.

Best,

 

[AudioFreak]

Frank,

Yes I've looked at suitable dedicated servers vs. colocation and those figures are indicative of the vast majority.

As for sponsors, a banner on 2 or 3 pages is probably enough to entice them and we wouldn't want to go much further than that.

 

[fdegrove]

Hi,

Dan,

Yes I've looked at suitable dedicated servers vs. colocation and those figures are indicative of the vast majority.

Okidoki...we need a solution and too fast for comfort, right?
Never a good situation to negociate so I suggest asking Sitepoint/Jason for some more delay.

If that delay needs to be paid for we need to find some way of covering that, but if we go to another company they'll want some cash too or won't they?

So, buy time at Sitepoint and look around if you can. If we can't we're screwed, let's face it.

As for sponsors, a banner on 2 or 3 pages is probably enough to entice them and we wouldn't want to go much further than that.

Allow me to say so but that's only a concern for the more distant future, first the accomodation to run the forum than the sponsoring will follow...It will, I promise.

Sorry to sound harsh but that's how I see it, I call a spade a spade.

In the meantime I'll try to help anyway I can as you know already from correspondence,

 

[elizard]

audiofreak: check out the link i posted (ev1 i think) .. they provide the server and hosting, all for $100-$150/month .. that's GOOD i think

plus the offer from brainchild seems QUITE attractive

 

[AudioFreak]

we need a solution and too fast for comfort, right?
Never a good situation to negociate so I suggest asking Sitepoint/Jason for some more delay.

It aint gonna happen. Jason leaves the country for the better part of 12 months on the 1st of February so this need to be sorted out by mid January so this only gives us about 3 weeks.

If that delay needs to be paid for we need to find some way of covering that, but if we go to another company they'll want some cash too or won't they?

Yes unless we are sponsored, we will need cash upfront. The beg-a-thon will probably start a couple of days after christmas.

So, buy time at Sitepoint and look around if you can. If we can't we're screwed, let's face it.

As above, our time with our current server is fast running out and we have no where to move to within Sitepoint paid or otherwise.

Allow me to say so but that's only a concern for the more distant future, first the accomodation to run the forum than the sponsoring will follow...It will, I promise.

Sorry to sound harsh but that's how I see it, I call a spade a spade.

I guess only time will tell.

In the meantime I'll try to help anyway I can as you know already from correspondence,

Cheers.

audiofreak: check out the link i posted (ev1 i think) .. they provide the server and hosting, all for $100-$150/month .. that's GOOD i think

I've just checked ev1 and it looks like we could get something suitable for between $150 - $200 a month but again, the long term sustainability of such cost is somewhat questionable.

plus the offer from brainchild seems QUITE attractive

I'm currently in contact with him to see if we can negotiate a suitable outcome. At present, things certainly look promising.

All,
Again I will ask, please keep the offers coming. I cant rest until we have this sorted out.

 

[elizard]

One suggestion for the beg-a-thon is a meter to see how much was donated so far (but keep donation annonymous if the donator wants to be anon, otherwise possibly make a "chart" of best donors). That way we have an idea of what has been done so far, we know whether people gave thousands, or thousands of pennies ..

 

[jleaman]

You know i still can see what i can do about hostnig this on my server at my house for free. Do you want me to see what i can do ? Jason ? Audio Freak ? Only problem is we need a machine.

 

[AudioFreak]

JasonL,

Your connection (IIRC, ADSL 1.5Mbps down, 512Kbps up) wont be able to handle the site.

 

[jleaman]

no it is 1mb up and 1.9mb down.

 

[AudioFreak]

Ok thanks for the clarification, but 1Mbps up still wont handle our traffic.

 

[li_gangyi]

is there a way to split the load and have mirrors??

 

[SkinnyBoy]

host pictures on another server? or don't allow people to attach pictures..

 

[AudioFreak]

Suggested benefits of membership:

1. Ability to see long threads as one page
2. Unlimited searching
3. Ability to use HTML

1. Not done in order to ensure that server load doesn't go through the roof.

2. It's not limitted now ... there are a few improvements to be made to the system but it's alot better than it used to be.

3. Disabled for security reasons ... for the same reason, it will not be turned back on for any users.

Dont worry, I'll think of some fun things to set paided members apart from the rest.

is there a way to split the load and have mirrors??

Not without adding alot of complexity and cost ... the only easy way to share the load is if you have a cluster of servers and a load sharing server in front of them delegating the work and that requires that all the servers all be together on a local network to work efficiently.

host pictures on another server? or don't allow people to attach pictures..

Pictures dont actually cause that much of a problem.
Approx. 1/2 the database is attachments and I'm working on a way to improve this at present...

 

[li_gangyi]

perhaps we can put the pics for VB on another server...and all the mySql on one...and manage the traffic that way...would it be better...?? assuming we split up the code first...I've got a friend whu did that..but he couldn't host the VB site as it was well...unpaid...if you noe what I mean...I think the same can be done with PhpBB...

 

[AudioFreak]

Further limiting the size of any attachment to like 50k would cut down on bandwith. If a file larger than that needed to be uploaded, the user could secure a moderators permission before posting. I see a lot of images here that I have to maximize my browser to see, and that is just way too large for a forum attachment.

I will be making changes to the attachments system soon so that larger graphics will only display a small version and you can click on it to view the original fullsize image.

There is a lot of stuff that should be put into private messages that is not, and that fills up the database.

That would be because we have the private messages system disabled until we write our own private message system to replace the standard one.

As far as a permanet source of revenue to pay for bandwith and upgrades to a server. I find it very suprising that companies like Rockford Fosgate aren't jumping to be part of this site. I would think that a little icon, or even a banner at the bottom of the page, would be worth $50/month to them.

Most likely because we haven't asked or told any companies that we would like to do this.

I work for a University in the data communications department. It might be possible for me to find a place to hide a server, and monitor its' bandwith close enough to keep it hidden. However, this would have to only be a short-term solution. We're currently running a DS3 and not hitting peak usage during any period... so I may be able to help.

If you could let me know in the next week that would be great.

One final comment. Would our current hosting company be willing to continue to host the site if we provided the server and paid them for the bandwith? I would hope as they have thus far had good dealings with AudioFreak and this site being on their server, that they would be willing to let us have some bandwith and rack space for a reduced cost.

We can't continue on Sitepoint's servers but the company that hosts their servers is Ventures Online and we could certainly deal directly with them however I dont think we have much of a chance of getting discounted prices from them.

perhaps we can put the pics for VB on another server...and all the mySql on one...and manage the traffic that way...would it be better...??

Bandwidth usage on each server would be less as would storage space required and cpu load, but, RAM required on the main forum server really wouldn't change much (and this is 1 of the 2 main reasons why all the cheap hosts have refused us unless we go dedicated)... It's really a case of 6 of 1, half a dozen of the other. There are potential gains and potential losses. I'll be working on this once we get our new hosting sorted out ... for now, it'll have to stay as it is as there is just not time for me to change things now.

 

[freeupyermind]

ha heres a laff ask maxtheater to sponsor, jk, well personally i like brainchilds idea, or www.pssclabs.com can build a custom server for you, at least go there choose what you need and ask for a quote!

 

[JamesMelhuish]

not free, but fluidhosting.com

I have just moved to fluidhosting and am beginning to set up the new Single Driver Website and Full Range Forum. Apparently they have good service. Specs. are below, but I don't know if there is enough RAM for you. This plan is the virtual private server, not dedicated hosting.

VPS Plan Pricing

Power Plan:

Disk Space 4500 MB
Monthly Traffic 50 GB
CPU 300 MHz
Memory 256 MB
IP Addresses 2
Monthly Price $119.95
Setup $50

redhat Linux
Apache 1.3.26
PHP 4.1.1
mod_perl 1.24
MySQL 3.23.36
PostgreSQL 7.0.3
OpenSSH 3.1p1
ProFTP 1.2.2
Front Page Extension 5.0.2
gcc 2.96
Webmin 0.980
Usermin 0.920
Open WebMail 1.65
Majordomo 1.14
sendmail

(no affiliation with fluidhosting, other than recently subscribing to their service...)

James

See : fluidhosting.com

 

[elizard]

Re: not free, but fluidhosting.com

JamesMelhuish:

for that price, at rackshack they can just about get their own server (he was saying around $150+ for a dedicated server there)
The bandwidth they give you is big too, like 700gigs if i remember reading it right!!!

 

[rkbh1]

I may be able to help

Guys:

I am relatively new to diyaudio.com, but I may be able to help - I have access to a T-1 line and can probably fix up a Linux box with ssh access to the administrators. Can one of the administrator'e email me for the next steps?