16 replies to this topic

[Phil]

As explained in the previous topic, Revora is in the process of moving to a new server. The one we are currently on, Nagini, will be replaced by a much more powerful new machine, called Dobby. In case you're wondering about the name: we're sticking with Mastermind's tradition of naming the servers after creatures from the Harry Potter universe.

The specs of Dobby are:

- HP ProLiant DL120
- Intel Quad Core X3440
- 8GB DDR3 RAM
- 2 x 1TB SATA2 HDDs
- CentOS 6.0 64-bit
- cPanel/WHM
- 5000GB Bandwidth
- 100Mbps Full-Duplex Uplink

Initial preparations on Dobby have been completed and most of the server software we are using now on Nagini is ready for us on Dobby. I have already moved over a handful of accounts for testing purposes and they seem to run without the slightest problems. I have also written a script that will automate this transfer, but until we start transferring accounts in batch, we will move over some of the bigger sites one by one to ensure that everything goes smoothly.

Now, what does that mean for you? In the coming days you might find a site that you want to access suspended with a note that the account is being moved. Unfortunately, this is necessary to ensure that the data remains static during the process. Especially the databases need to be shut down and isolated from access or they might get corrupted. As soon as the transfer is finished (which might take a few hours for the biggest sites), the account will be unsuspended and made active on the new server. However, it is possible that you'll continue to see the account-move-page for another hour approximately until the DNS updates propagate throughout the Internet. Just sit back and watch some TV or get some work done in the mean time

If you are a hostee, the temporary suspension of your account has the following consequences:

• Your website is down (obviously),
• you cannot access your MySQL databases,
• you cannot access your webspace through FTP,
• you cannot log onto either server through SSH,
• you will not be able to access your cPanel, and finally
• you will not be able to receive or send any e-mail from your account.

As noted above, if your site uses only little space on our disk, this shouldn't affect you for more than an hour. If you have Gigabytes of data that need to be transferred, you'll have to be patient

Because this forum as well as our partner communities' forums (PPM, Freedom Studios, CNCNZ.com, Fallout Studios) will also have to be taken offline at some point, I will post updates on the server transfer to our Revora Twitter account at twitter.com/revoranet. Check there if you want to know how it's going and post there if your account is down for more than 10 hours.

See you on the other side!

[Radspakr Wolfbane]

But Dobby's dead
(Sorry had to...)

[Banshee]

Now its soul is in the new server .

[Creator]

- 2 x 1TB SATA2 HDDs

Just wonderting. You operate with terabytes of data and move them each time when you want to install a new server. Can disk arrays be a better decision? Sun StorageTek for instance. Array is faster because it writes and reads from multiple disks at the same time. It is more convenient to install a new server as well. You just down the old server, reconnect the array and up the new server. It is a matter of minutes for whole thing. Did you consider this variant?

- CentOS 6.0 64-bit

There is CentOS 6.2, but you chosen an older version. Can you explain this decision? I will need to install CentOS on one of servers on my work, but I am not familiar with this system. I'm currently gathering all information about it and your advise can be useful for me.

[Bart]

You just down the old server, reconnect the array and up the new server. It is a matter of minutes for whole thing. Did you consider this variant?

Since the new server is on another continent, that probably wouldn't work very well
But yes, if you stay within the same data center such a solution could be used. It's probably too expensive for us though, and overkill for our situation. We don't change servers all that often.

[ReallyFat]

we cant start the dobby server until we destroy the bellatrix server

[ReallyFat]

and we also need this:

- HP ProLiant DL120
- Intel Quad Core X3440
- 8GB DDR3 RAM
- 2 x 1TB SATA2 HDDs
- CentOS 6.0 64-bit
- cPanel/WHM
- 5000GB Bandwidth
- 100Mbps Full-Duplex Uplink
- Resurrection Stone
OR
- God

Edited by reallyfat, 14 October 2011 - 12:21 PM.

[Phil]

Just wonderting. You operate with terabytes of data and move them each time when you want to install a new server. Can disk arrays be a better decision? Sun StorageTek for instance. Array is faster because it writes and reads from multiple disks at the same time. It is more convenient to install a new server as well. You just down the old server, reconnect the array and up the new server. It is a matter of minutes for whole thing. Did you consider this variant?

The main reason is that we can't afford it. We're trying hard to turn Revora from a loss into a break-even zone, but that's difficult to accomplish. Were we on a corporate IT budget, we'd certainly use more professional storage systems. Right now we have to go with simpler, cheaper stuff.
Also like Bart pointed out, this wouldn't have given us any real advantage in this case anyway.

There is CentOS 6.2, but you chosen an older version. Can you explain this decision? I will need to install CentOS on one of servers on my work, but I am not familiar with this system. I'm currently gathering all information about it and your advise can be useful for me.

Truth be told, we just had to stick with what the hosting company (LeaseWeb) had to offer and their newest version was CentOS 6.0 (are you sure 6.2 is already out though, I can't find that). We will certainly perform upgrades at some point in the future, but we generally run a very conservative software bundle, because we can't afford the slightest breakage occurring. The only exceptions are Apache and PHP, which we keep up to date for the programming features and security enhancements.

and we also need this:

- HP ProLiant DL120
- Intel Quad Core X3440
- 8GB DDR3 RAM
- 2 x 1TB SATA2 HDDs
- CentOS 6.0 64-bit
- cPanel/WHM
- 5000GB Bandwidth
- 100Mbps Full-Duplex Uplink
- Resurrection Stone
OR
- God

God is dead.

[peterandre123]

Hi, have it already been moved to the new server?

[Banshee]

Yes.

[Ganon]

Well, it seems to have gone off without too much of a hiccup.

The new server must be immensely more powerful than the previous, because even though it's now on a separate continent from me, it seems to be loading faster than before...Maybe it's just me.

[Phil]

Dobby is a lot more powerful, but keep in mind that right now, only one forum (this one) and a handful of sites are running on it. Once we've moved the forums of PPM, CNCNZ.com, Fallout Studios and all the dozens of regular sites here as well, it might slow down a bit.

[Creator]

The main reason is that we can't afford it. We're trying hard to turn Revora from a loss into a break-even zone, but that's difficult to accomplish. Were we on a corporate IT budget, we'd certainly use more professional storage systems. Right now we have to go with simpler, cheaper stuff.
Also like Bart pointed out, this wouldn't have given us any real advantage in this case anyway.

I see. It would be advantage in the case if you were a part of a company and shared disk array storage with another servers.

Truth be told, we just had to stick with what the hosting company (LeaseWeb) had to offer and their newest version was CentOS 6.0 (are you sure 6.2 is already out though, I can't find that). We will certainly perform upgrades at some point in the future, but we generally run a very conservative software bundle, because we can't afford the slightest breakage occurring. The only exceptions are Apache and PHP, which we keep up to date for the programming features and security enhancements.

Sorry, did not notice it from the beginning. I investigated this question recently. It appears that there are many talks about CentOS 6.1 and 6.2, but the latest stable version is still 6.0. Even CentOS 6.1 is not out officially. Some people make the assembly: they take CentOS 6.0 and put 6.1 core from Oracle Linux or Scientific Linux. But I'm not aware of stability of such assembly. So, forget about it.

[Phil]

The main reason is that we can't afford it. We're trying hard to turn Revora from a loss into a break-even zone, but that's difficult to accomplish. Were we on a corporate IT budget, we'd certainly use more professional storage systems. Right now we have to go with simpler, cheaper stuff.
Also like Bart pointed out, this wouldn't have given us any real advantage in this case anyway.

I see. It would be advantage in the case if you were a part of a company and shared disk array storage with another servers.

The core problem is that leasing a server for money and then offering hosting for free is hardly a comprehensive business model
I doubt we'll ever make enough money to lease high-end infrastructure, but that's okay because we don't have to. We're doing what we do not for profit, but because we all love games and mods. If we can keep running a server and get near a break-even, then the long-term sustainability of this network is secured.

Truth be told, we just had to stick with what the hosting company (LeaseWeb) had to offer and their newest version was CentOS 6.0 (are you sure 6.2 is already out though, I can't find that). We will certainly perform upgrades at some point in the future, but we generally run a very conservative software bundle, because we can't afford the slightest breakage occurring. The only exceptions are Apache and PHP, which we keep up to date for the programming features and security enhancements.

Sorry, did not notice it from the beginning. I investigated this question recently. It appears that there are many talks about CentOS 6.1 and 6.2, but the latest stable version is still 6.0. Even CentOS 6.1 is not out officially. Some people make the assembly: they take CentOS 6.0 and put 6.1 core from Oracle Linux or Scientific Linux. But I'm not aware of stability of such assembly. So, forget about it.

Ah, that makes sense. In that case we're fine with 6.0 for another while.

[Bart]

You mean http://revora.net/ho...ckages#packages ?