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Forum using up all system resources?

Started by Goosemoose, September 12, 2004, 05:13:37 PM

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Goosemoose

hi guys,
my host just shut down my site because the forum started to hog all their system resources "This was shut down due to the fact that your site has a heavy enough mysql load to shut down the physical server."
  They made a backup of the database but won't turn it back on until I fix the problem. But since its not running I don't know how to go about this. If you have any ideas let me know.

[Unknown]

Do you have the facility to check the database?

If you do, can you see if any of the topics have a "numViews" higher than logically possible?  Meaning, more than say 10000 but with few replies?

Was your host using MySQL 3 or MySQL 4?

-[Unknown]

Goosemoose

I'm downloading the database right now. I'll look at it and let you know what I find.

Goosemoose

The backup I downloaded that they created for me is full of MYD and MYI files of each table. When I try to view them in notepad I see only junk. What should I use to view this and what table should I be looking for. Usually I would just look around but since there are hundred of files now it's harder to find.

[Unknown]

You might be able to view those if you install MySQL on your own server, create a database, and copy these files into mysql\data\databasename.  Those are the raw MySQL database files....

-[Unknown]

Goosemoose

Okay, I am installing in on my machine right now. They were running mysql 3.0 as it is illegal for them to install 4.0 due to legal reasons.

Ben_S

If they think it's illegal to install MySQL 4, then they are talking rubbish and I highly doubt that they have a clue what they are talking about when saying your forum was a resource hog.
Liverpool FC Forum with 14 million+ posts.

Goosemoose

Here is what they told me (webintellects.net):
"We are running MySQl 3. Version 4 is restricted by its license not to be commercially distributed so our software provider could not upgrade if they wanted to. "

kegobeer

[offtopic]
Time for you to switch hosts, I think.  ;D

If they are using MySQL Pro then they probably can't just upgrade - but as a host I know I would stay on the edge to keep my customers happy.

There are plenty of hosts that stay at the forefront!
[/offtopic]
"The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it." - Norman Schwarzkopf
Posting and you (Click "WATCH THIS MOVIE")

[Unknown]

Sigh.  Stupid hosts.

MySQL 3 was licensed under the lesser GPL.  MySQL 4 is licensed under the GPL.  Yes, there's a HUGE difference there, but they've completely and utterly missed it.

You see, MySQL 4 just cannot be sold.  Period.  End of story.  However, open source would not exist if people could not profit or at least break even off of it.  Don't think we're communists - only people who don't understand do.

You can sell SERVICES for MySQL, such as hosting, without problem.  This is the INTENT.  You're SUPPOSED to sell services.  That's how it WORKS.

http://www.mysql.com/company/legal/licensing/opensource-license.html

Even if it weren't, it's $595.  Compare that with Microsoft SQL.  So even then, how cheap is your host?

GPL here:
http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html

LGPL here:
http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/lesser.html

-[Unknown]

Ben_S

I imagine the problem is they use something crappy like Ensim which comes with MySQL 3x and they for whatever reason cant/wont upgrade to MySQL 4x themselves.
Liverpool FC Forum with 14 million+ posts.

Goosemoose

But everything has been running fine for months. I haven't changed a thing since I installed smf months ago. They are using control maestro,  WEBppliance Pro 3.5.21-10



[Unknown]

SMF was designed with MySQL 4 in mind.  The problem is, MySQL 3 and 4 act very differently in some situations, and what is slow on one may be fast on the other.  In fact, there have been situations where we have had to pick between two methods - one fast on 4, another fast on 3.  Obviously, the descision could only logically be made to go with the current version (4) not the old and no longer available 3.

It still should not be slow, persay, but I can understand it performing worse.  Additionally, MySQL 4 is simply faster overall, and when you account for query caching it is faster indeed.  If your host is really concerned about their server's performance, they should be willing to upgrade MySQL - otherwise, they really are not worth your money.

MySQL 4 has been available for quite a while now.  Your host probably just over-reacted to a peak period.

-[Unknown]

Goosemoose

They took the entire site down. Then after I got a hold of them they put it back up and supposedly the resources shot up immediately so they took it down again. Right now they are waiting on me to fix the problem which I can't really do.

[Unknown]

Edit Settings.php and put it in maintenance mode.  See if it "shoots up again" then too.

Because that would obviously be a crock :P.

-[Unknown]

Goosemoose

I have put it in maitenance mode and asked them to turn it back on. Hopefully they will do it soon.

Amacythe

Why go through all this trouble... the easiest solution would be to find a host that doesn't have their collective heads up their... ahem... find a host that knows what they are doing.

Goosemoose

Quote from: Amacythe on September 12, 2004, 08:38:20 PM
Why go through all this trouble... the easiest solution would be to find a host that doesn't have their collective heads up their... ahem... find a host that knows what they are doing.

I've been using this host for years and haven't had a problem. I think the person who got stuck as tech support on a sunday just isn't very knowledgeable. I usually get much better answers and quick response. I'll find out when I call my usual contact tommorrow. I have hundreds of thousands of messages and over 4,000 users so it's not a small board. Hopefully I can get it resolved soon, otherwise I will definately think of changing.


Goosemoose

Quote from: [Unknown] on September 12, 2004, 05:37:21 PM
Do you have the facility to check the database?

If you do, can you see if any of the topics have a "numViews" higher than logically possible?  Meaning, more than say 10000 but with few replies?

Was your host using MySQL 3 or MySQL 4?

-[Unknown]

Okay, I finally got a server running on my local machine and checked out the database. The highest sumViews was 5600 and there were 400 replies to it so I don't think there were any rogue threads. Any other ideas?

[Unknown]

Hmm.. at the time it was dropped, how many people were listed in the smf_log_online table?

-[Unknown]

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