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andrew
09-08-2010, 09:45 PM
I have switched off the statistics on the main page. I'm having memory issues on the server and am killing any memory-intensive processes while I sort it out. If you have noticed the site disappear and come back, that's why. Stats will be back soon!

A

elephant
09-08-2010, 09:54 PM
Thanks Andrew, I was wondering why I would get kicked off this site.

andrew
09-08-2010, 09:55 PM
It's not you, it's me :-)

misskay
09-08-2010, 10:17 PM
wondered why it all looked different this morning... thought I was losing what litttle is left of my mind. Thanks for the heads up Andrew...

DEE
09-08-2010, 11:17 PM
does not take much to rock us Andrew
i thought it was me too thought i was having one of our famous peds moments
thanks again for the work you do for us

Sangye
09-08-2010, 11:48 PM
Does anyone else think it's ironic that even our server has memory issues? :laugh::blink:

marta
09-09-2010, 05:44 AM
Does anyone else think it's ironic that even our server has memory issues? :laugh::blink:

:lol:ROTFL

jola57
09-09-2010, 04:40 PM
I was wondering if Andrew was having down times because we overloaded the server.:confused1:

andrew
09-09-2010, 09:37 PM
Does anyone else think it's ironic that even our server has memory issues? :laugh::blink:

ROFL!!!! How apt!!!

andrew
09-09-2010, 09:41 PM
I was wondering if Andrew was having down times because we overloaded the server.:confused1:

Well technically yes but it's not anyone's fault :) It's actually a good thing, it means the site is growing. I got the lowest-spec server to start off with knowing that I would have to upgrade at some point. We (me and the really cool server tech that I was working with last night - Hristos the LEGEND!!) managed to reduce the memory load fairly significantly however being a total geek I'm currently scoping a new server and ooooohhhhh boy she's a beaut!!! mmmmmm.....delicious....should last us until the year 3000 and make me coffee :wub:

Sangye
09-09-2010, 10:49 PM
being a total geek I'm currently scoping a new server and ooooohhhhh boy she's a beaut!!! mmmmmm.....delicious....should last us until the year 3000 and make me coffee :wub:
Chapter One: "How Geeks Fall in Love" :love:

andrew
09-10-2010, 12:09 AM
Haha exactly. Who needs a woman when you have a nice shiny web server :laugh:

While I make up my mind, for those that give a rip, I am getting the server software changed to Litespeed (www.litespeedtech.com (http://www.litespeedtech.com)). Should be faster and more efficient so the spiel tells me....

jola57
09-10-2010, 10:44 AM
OOOh Andrew you are speaking my language. I am looking for a server and software for my company, but the program we will put on it needs Microsoft server. Do you use offsite server on the internet or actually have one of your own. It hat case what kind, memory etc. I am drooling with anticipation of your answers. One of my staff too, we need to get a server pronto. It is a property management/real estate company

andrew
09-10-2010, 02:00 PM
What are you using that needs Windows?

I currently lease a virtual server hosted in Chicago. It runs on Linux (not Windows) and specs are:

Intel Dual Xeon Gainestown
512MB Guaranteed SLM RAM
40GB RAID-10 Disk Space
1000GB Bandwidth
4 Dedicated IPs
cPanel / WHM
Virtuozzo 4 with Power Panel


The server I'm looking at to replace this one is:

Intel Dual Xeon Harpertown
1 Xeon CPU Core
1024MB Memory
80 GB RAID-10 Disk Space
Fully Managed
cPanel/WHM Included
2000GB Premium Bandwidth
8 Dedicated IP Addresses
Nightly Backups Included
Virtuozzo 4 with Power Panel


The new one is called 'hybrid' which essentially means that it's a virtual server but hosted on hardware with only a few other virtual servers rather than many as is currently the case. This means less competition for resources and thus better performance....at least on paper :glare:

Now you've got me going....

I bought half a dozen second hand servers from a local auction house. I have a full size server rack on the way too. I'm going to set up a server room in my house and hack stuff to pieces :-) I'm going to cluster three or four of them and run my own virtual server 'farm' just for fun. Might host file storage for friends but would never host any real websites out of home, the connection is too slow to do that with any real vigor.

jola57
09-10-2010, 05:21 PM
We are stuck, the management program provider told us that we must have a server, at first we understood that we can have an off site server but now it seems that this program is on a usb stick and physically has to be transferred to the server. unless I am reading it wrong, can you realy have only 512 to 1024 of RAM? we were told that a minimum requirement is 4. Now I am scrambling to find a server but the prices are crazy. We have been mauling it over for the past 2 months, and still don't know what we will do.

elephant
09-10-2010, 08:37 PM
Andrew do you have a degree in computer science? You guys are way over my head.

Sangye
09-10-2010, 11:04 PM
LOL-- I'm with you, Elephant. To me it just sounds like the teacher in Charlie Brown. "Wa wa wa wa... wa wa. Wa wa, wa wa." :flapper:

andrew
09-10-2010, 11:24 PM
We are stuck, the management program provider told us that we must have a server, at first we understood that we can have an off site server but now it seems that this program is on a usb stick and physically has to be transferred to the server. unless I am reading it wrong, can you realy have only 512 to 1024 of RAM? we were told that a minimum requirement is 4. Now I am scrambling to find a server but the prices are crazy. We have been mauling it over for the past 2 months, and still don't know what we will do.

Hey Jola, give me the name of the program, you might be able to get away with a decent-sized PC onsite at the office (assuming you have an office) depending on how many people are using it and how it's going to be used. If I can take a look at the specs of the program I might be able to find you something.


Andrew do you have a degree in computer science? You guys are way over my head.

Nope! I tried University once and never passed the bar.....if you get what I mean....was chucked out after the first Semester.

jola57
09-12-2010, 09:10 AM
InfoTracker by NetIntegrity. Very proprietary so you will not get much info on it.

andrew
09-12-2010, 02:24 PM
Wow. Their 'sample recommended system requirements' will certainly not be all that cheap. You'll certainly need a server class box if those specs are anything to go by. As for installing the application on the server itself it's easy enough to lease a server like I do, upload the application, remote connect to the server and install the application remotely just like sitting in front of your computer. If you lease an actual 'physical' server rather than a virtual, at most places you get a certain time per month of 'remote hands' meaning that you get to use someone at the data centre to reboot, press buttons etc if you can't do it remotely. The trick is finding the right server.

They have the recommended specs on their website but what are the specs recommended for your installation? They might be different (as in less therefore cheaper) and it might also pay to ask if they'll support the application on a virtual server rather than a physical one which will also save cash.

In my view it's better to lease than to buy because then (depending on the package you choose) maintenance is someone else's problem :)

I use these guys ( Crucial Paradigm (http://www.crucialp.com)) from their Sydney office but they also host out of Dallas (I think). You should be able to talk to them about a solution for you once you find out if (a) the specs for the server are for YOU or just generic and (b) if you can use a virtual or not.

Dedicated servers: Dedicated Servers | Dedicated Hosting (http://www.crucialp.com/dedicated-servers/)
Virtual servers: Windows 2008 Server Virtual Dedicated Servers (http://www.crucialp.com/virtual-dedicated-servers-vds/windows-2008-server.php)

jola57
09-12-2010, 05:00 PM
Thanks Andrew for getting all this info. This is exactly why we are not as yet using the program. At first we will not need as powerful a server because we will use one or two licenses at one time, however if we want to go full tilt and have all our clients have access to the portal at any time then we need all the power we can get as you know (ha ha I am sure your do)all together we have over 2000 clients. Long story short unless we pay quite a bit per month to have them run it, we have to have a provider or a server of our own. What you propose with the upload would be ideal and that is what we thought we could do but apparently it must be uploaded from their dongle stick. I will be talking with them next wee to see if there is a possibility of giving the stick to the server people since they are located in Vancouver. I tell you if we knew that it would be so much problem we wouldn't get this proram no matter how good. I will let my staff know of your suggestion and maybe talk to Crucial. Again, thank you

andrew
09-12-2010, 05:05 PM
No problem :) It just occurred to that the dongle is probably how the licensing works. The dongle is programmed with the licensing details and must be physically attached to the server for the software to run. Any reasonable host should be able to plug that in for you anyway. Hope the chat goes well!

jola57
09-12-2010, 05:08 PM
Me too, it was to be so simple and turned out soooo difficult

pwc51
09-12-2010, 06:49 PM
Aren't software salesmen wonderful! .....

As Andrew has pointed out there are a number of options open to you and there are probably many more, depending on the other IT that your business already has. One that doesn't seem to have been mentioned though is that the system is offered as 'software as a service' - depending on your contract this might prove a more cost effective way to start. They can be more expensive in the long term but, whist your use and experience of the system grows, it can save you in getting into the 'wrong' technology solution yourselves. You would need to determine the practicality of moving from the SAAS option to another implementation both in terms of time / effort / cost etc.

andrew
09-12-2010, 08:04 PM
^--- yeah! What he said :) Check the contract though and make sure they aren't locking you into a long term SAAS contract.

jola57
09-13-2010, 04:54 PM
Welll, we are locked in for at least 3 to 5 years. If we only pay for one licence, it would not be too bad even if we never used the program again, but the gist is we like it and feel it would be perfect for us. To have them host it is just too much for now, I hope to know more in the morning when I talk to my staff about the options.

drz
09-15-2010, 12:05 PM
Does anyone else think it's ironic that even our server has memory issues? :laugh::blink:

Isn't it catchy? Most of my friends have it too.

jola57
09-17-2010, 07:58 PM
we seem to be in a stalemate. I will probably end up getting a cheap server just so that some of us can start using the program, if after 1 year we like it than we may start to think of having it hosted. No easy answers and I think we bought more than we can chew.