Well, it's the weekend, or the season. I'd rather just be down for the weekend. Seriously, I wish this didn't have to happen now, but I wasn't given a choice. It's great that we're so successful here, but our current hosting company doesn't have the ability to support such a busy forum.
There is one other option. I leave the forum open while I move it. What that would mean is that any changes or posts made after the point the database is transfered will not move to the new server. In other words, we'd loss a day or so of posting, and that's a best case scenario.
Ahh the price of success - having to move from a shared server to a dedicated server is great news for the success of the forums, (although I do feel for you and what you will have to go through over this next couple of days Thump). Too bad your current Host couldn't have projected this and either made internal adjustments or at least given more advanced notification - but that is the way the data bits crumble these days. Sometimes "customer support" turns into "get the hell out". That is something I was never willing to do to a client, choosing to simply add another server and more bandwidth instead and constantly giving successful domain owners a reminder that dedicated service was available and advising we would handle the switch for them in a seamless fashion. I don't know of anyone who offers that kind of "real" customer support any more, but that kind of "service" is what kept me in business when others failed right on up to retirement. A "compromise" between shutting down or leaving this server running after the database has been snatched would be to leave a "bare bones" version running here with only a couple of threads for "news & Hos" with the understanding anything posted in them will not appear on the new one. (No iShop, vBookie, Donate features). It would mean a bit more work/prep for you, but that would limit the damage to, (and possibly give Chispa a platform whereby to maintain a mocum of), sanity.
That's a great idea. I'll have to close it for a short time while I back up the database. Once the database is backed up. I'll open it with a temporary forum that won't get transfered. It'll let everyone know that those posts won't make it to the new server. Thanks for the idea Charger Dave. Rep for you.
The shut down will happen just past midnight tonight. It could take as long as a few hours to properly back up. Then I will be locking all of the current forum sections. After everything is locked, I will create a new "Temporary" forum section. Any new posts will go into this temporary section. This temporary section will not be moved to the new server. Unfortunately, the only method available to me from the old host to transfer the database, is not the fastest method. It may take most of the weekend to transfer the database and test the new installation. When everything looks good, I will redirect the domain to the new server. It may also take some time (up to 48 hours be usually much less) for the new DNS settings to reach everyone's DNS server. Once the DNS settings are updated on your DNS server, you'll see the forum on the new website. Our main page at http://bolttalk.com will not be affected.
Right on Thumper although people are going to be going through serious changes while it's down. :lol:
Ok, I was just contacted by the hosting company. They want me to shut down the forum right now. This very moment. I've told them this wasn't ok, but that I would shut off features that use server CPU. I have also limited the number of users that can be logged on to 25. If you're number 26, you'll have to wait for someone to log off. Searching of forums will also be disabled in the next few minutes.
The "Who has visited today" list at the bottom of the main forum page has been removed to reduce current server load. It will be restored when we have moved to the new server.
Holy crap. :icon_eek: Oh well, I will not be jonesing as hard as everyone else because I will be in Texas Sun - Thursday and the internet is the last thing I have time for on this trip. Good luck on the migration !!!!
Just spoke with the hosting company again. Hopefully the changes I have made will allow us to remain up or the entire day, but I've been told that if our traffic causes problems on their server, they will shut us down. If there is a problem and you can't get on today, please be patient and know I am working on the problem.
It was a search feature and has been removed for today to reduce server load so we don't get shut down before I move the forum to the new server.
The "new post" option at the UT is now all messed up after they upgraded a couple of days ago...:icon_eek: But I trust you Thumper :icon_wink: I hope it's not too much of a headache making the move...I'm always impressed by people with computer or techie skills. Don't stay up all night.
Hi Chris...hope your holiday was good...I've been reading you guys have had tons of rain there...enjoy your time off school.
