So I just found out from a family member that works for Microsoft that the forum I'm running is about to run into problems due to XpPro only allowing 20 consecutive connections.
First off, is this true?
Secondly, assuming the above is indeed true, what Open Source OS do you suggest for running SMF 1.1.4 w/ the MySQL database, ,and PHP?
The more secure the better.
I'm looking for an OS that is as low cost as possible. Not meaning to be cheap, we just can't afford it till the site starts paying for itself.
A LAMP stack is the standard thing to use.
You can get a decent paid hosting service for a few dollars a month, and they are in the business to host sites and maintain security. Even if you start very low as you build the site, I'd go for a paid service. In the long run, or even short run, you'll have a better run at things.
MS non-server products have a cap on concurrent IIS connections. With 2k and XP, the default IIS cap is about 10, I think. You can edit the properties in IIS to allow up to 40, which is the limit.
Note that you'll see a difference between HTTP 1.0 and HTTP 1.1 as far as user concurrency. You'll also wish to disable "keep alives", as a browser session will "squat" a connection once it's finished downloading - thereby denying new connections from taking that idle slot.
Aftermarket products won't have this limitation. It is unique to MS "server services" on a "non-server" product (IIS, file shares, etc). 3rd party products like Apache or whatever should be fine (for example, BitTorrent clients don't suffer a 40 connection limit, nor does firefox etc).
YMMV, but for anecdotal or proof-of-concept stuff, you can get pretty far under XP or 2k. For actual production, though, I'd go with a paid host. They're 10 bucks, and your home machine is not held hostage.
So tell me if I'm understanding this correctly. If I'm running Apache on Xp, then I don't have this connection cap that I've been told about?
I'm using Xp as my OS, but as far as the Web Server, I have Apache handling that, not IIS.
Actually, the whole package I'm using right now is WAMP5
See, I'm not even sure if I have a problem yet due to the info I just got from "Mr.Microsoft" family member might not even be correct due to his not understanding the workings of Apache.
From what he told me, even though Apache doesn't have the cap, Xp still controls the network stack, thus applying the cap over Apache.
Im no expert, but alot of hosting servers run this,
http://www.centos.org/ (http://www.centos.org/)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CentOS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CentOS)
Easily proven.
Head over to sysinternals.com and grab a copy of either TCP View, or Process Explorer.
(ProcExp will show active connections if you right-click->properties on a process. TCPView shows all, from all).
Run it on your XP box.
On another box, open up your favorite browser, and open 40+ tabs pointing at your site. TCP View should never show more than 40 connections, total, and your browser should eventually get "connection refused".
If the connections close faster than you can open tabs, remember that you can create a book-mark folder (in firefox) with 40+ shortcuts in it, all pointing at various things in your site. Then simply wheel-click the folder, and it'll open them all in a unique tab. It'll probably grind, but that's fine - you're looking for concurrent connections.
Your friend is probably thinking of this - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314882 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314882) - which is in regards to things needing a CAL (MS "server" services). This states that XP is capable of exactly 10 TCP connections. Period. And for file and print services, it's correct.
Or he might be confused by this - http://www.microsoft.com/technet/support/ee/transform.aspx?ProdName=Windows%20Operating%20System&ProdVer=5.2&EvtID=4226&EvtSrc=Tcpip&LCID=1033 (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/support/ee/transform.aspx?ProdName=Windows%20Operating%20System&ProdVer=5.2&EvtID=4226&EvtSrc=Tcpip&LCID=1033)
But, that's in regard to SYN/ACK sequences that have not yet completed (e.g. SYN flooding etc).
So, put it to rest. Grab TCP View and prove it, one way or the other, once and for all!
Cool, not only did you guys give me some tools to show and prove, but also a solution if it looks like Xp needs to go.
I thank you all, and have a Merry Christmas!!
I highly recommend Debian
i should say debian or any ubuntu clone without the graphical shell ofcourse !
I have kicked Window$ XpPro to the curb!!
I'm now running Fedora Linux. {insert cheers from the crowd here} :P
Anyway, I'm trying to figure out how to load SMF to it and how to rebuild my MySQL database so my site continues where it left off with minimal data loss.
Haha, I've never done any of this before. It's gonna be a wild ride.
Lainaus käyttäjältä: ElectricSquid - joulukuu 29, 2007, 12:55:10 IP
I have kicked Window$ XpPro to the curb!!
I'm now running Fedora Linux. {insert cheers from the crowd here} :P
I'm not a big fan of Fedora (too short support lifecycle for my tastes), but I applaud your decision to change systems.
Lainaus käyttäjältä: ElectricSquid - joulukuu 29, 2007, 12:55:10 IP
Anyway, I'm trying to figure out how to load SMF to it and how to rebuild my MySQL database so my site continues where it left off with minimal data loss.
If you made a sql dump, it should be quite easy. Restore the dump, run the repair_settings script, and you're on your way.
Lainaus käyttäjältä: ElectricSquid - joulukuu 29, 2007, 12:55:10 IP
Haha, I've never done any of this before. It's gonna be a wild ride.
We're always glad to help where we can. If you have general questions, chit chat is a nice place to post.
well i should say if you need some nice manuals how to build your linux box take a look at howtoforge.com or build fedora like this includding all webservices include php/mysql bind etc....
http://www.howtoforge.com/perfect_setup_fedora_core_4
this is just one i picked you could use another fedora or higher fedora
Lainaus käyttäjältä: The Burglar! - joulukuu 30, 2007, 06:18:59 AP
well i should say if you need some nice manuals how to build your linux box take a look at howtoforge.com or build fedora like this includding all webservices include php/mysql bind etc....
http://www.howtoforge.com/perfect_setup_fedora_core_4
this is just one i picked you could use another fedora or higher fedora
AFAIK FC4 is no unsupported (meaning no security updates), I'd recommend you use either FC7 / FC8 if you're going to go with Fedora. Howtoforge should have guides for a more recent version.
CentOS is probably a better option though. It is a free distro based on Redhat's commercial RHEL which have a longer support lifecycle than Fedora.
LainaaI'd recommend you use either FC7 / FC8 if you're going to go with Fedora. Howtoforge should have guides for a more recent version.
CentOS is probably a better option though. It is a free distro based on Redhat's commercial RHEL which have a longer support lifecycle than Fedora.
Thats Fedora 7 and Fedora 8, they have dropped the cores.
If your only running one website (yours) i don't see a reason to go with something hefty like CentOS. I would recommend Debian or Ubuntu Server (Purely for documentation). The apt-get package management is easy to use and support is good.
i don't like redhat clones :P
i'll use Ubuntu Server for my own site and stuff ;D
Lainaus käyttäjältä: Last.Karrde - joulukuu 30, 2007, 01:50:36 IP
LainaaI'd recommend you use either FC7 / FC8 if you're going to go with Fedora. Howtoforge should have guides for a more recent version.
CentOS is probably a better option though. It is a free distro based on Redhat's commercial RHEL which have a longer support lifecycle than Fedora.
Thats Fedora 7 and Fedora 8, they have dropped the cores.
If your only running one website (yours) i don't see a reason to go with something hefty like CentOS. I would recommend Debian or Ubuntu Server (Purely for documentation). The apt-get package management is easy to use and support is good.
Good point. Personally I wish they'd kept the core bit as abbreviating to F7 or F8 sounds like keyboard keys or new fighter jets :P
My two reasons for suggesting CentOS were:
-- The users already uses Fedora meaning there is almost no learning curve
-- CentOS is used a lot in the hosting industry (a lot more than Ubuntu / Debian)
Personally I use Debian on my boxes :)
/edit: spelling
LainaaPersonally I use Debian on my boxes
Same here, cant go wrong with apt-get
Well, you guys are going to go Duh!! when I tell you this, I fought with a few different versions of Linux for 3-4 days straight. I finally had to just give up, and giving up is not something I do with ANYTHING, so as you could imagine, it sucks.
I reverted back to Window$. Server 2003 to be exact. At least I know my way around it. The one thing that left me guessing with Linux is I'm so used to being able to "see" what I'm doing, and Linux is not built that way.
Don't get me wrong, I totally support the idea of Open Source OS's and the fact that they are putting the preasure on the evil Micro$oft, but for me, right now, I can't leave my site offline as long as it will take me to learn how to run Linux.
I'll be toying with Linux in a Virtual Machine for a while till I can "get it", then sometime in the future I'll do the swap when I actually know what I'm doing.
Thanks for your help, now I need to go put my site back together again on the new machine.
Lainaus käyttäjältä: Motoko-chan - joulukuu 30, 2007, 12:00:28 AP
We're always glad to help where we can. If you have general questions, chit chat is a nice place to post.
I'll be posting some general questions over there in a few. Thanks for the help :)
Lainaus käyttäjältä: ElectricSquid - joulukuu 31, 2007, 02:06:19 IP
Well, you guys are going to go Duh!! when I tell you this, I fought with a few different versions of Linux for 3-4 days straight. I finally had to just give up, and giving up is not something I do with ANYTHING, so as you could imagine, it sucks.
I reverted back to Window$. Server 2003 to be exact. At least I know my way around it. The one thing that left me guessing with Linux is I'm so used to being able to "see" what I'm doing, and Linux is not built that way.
Don't get me wrong, I totally support the idea of Open Source OS's and the fact that they are putting the preasure on the evil Micro$oft, but for me, right now, I can't leave my site offline as long as it will take me to learn how to run Linux.
I'll be toying with Linux in a Virtual Machine for a while till I can "get it", then sometime in the future I'll do the swap when I actually know what I'm doing.
Thanks for your help, now I need to go put my site back together again on the new machine.
Try installing webmin (should ship with debian, Fedora, Centos etc but NOT ubuntu). webmin is a fairly easy to use web-based graphical interface which helps you get started
Theres also EHCP for Ubuntu.
On the command line
sudo apt-get install ehcp