New DITL for the new year

[IanKennedy]

Well, I've been busy over the last week. I've been investigating new hosts for the web site. We've gone for a Virtual Private Server (vps) which is a whole level of complexity above our current hosting set-up. Basically, we have a slice of a real computer configured and provided to us as if it was a real whole computer. We then become responsible for just about the whole set-up of that machine. Given that's a part of what I do in work it's not as scary as it seems.

For those that are interested our new server, is a Linux box running 'Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS', it's got 10GB of disk space (up from our current 1GB), allows 300GB of transfer per month (up from 100GB) MySQL 5.x (rather than 4.x), PHP 5.x (rather than 4.x) and it claims a 99.95% uptime (we shall see). We're using Plesk panel to simpify the configuration but I'm quite used to SSH and I have that access when I need it.

Now for the transfer, this will happen tomorrow from 4pm. This will entail the forum on the old server being disabled. Once this is done then the new database will be backed up and copied to the new server. Once installed there are some modifications I will need to make. These are already scripted and ready to run. It shouldn't take very long to do. Once ready the forum will be enabled on the new server. At this point the DNS entries will be switched over to the new server.

A little note on DNS changes. They don't often happen very quickly. Because there's a lot of caching in the system it can take a day or two for updated to propagate. The good news is that the new server can be accessed via an IP address until the switch becomes live. I will update this thread with the IP address closer to the time of the switch.

[Captain Seafort]

What effect, if any, will this have on cookies and bookmarks?

[IanKennedy]

What effect, if any, will this have on cookies and bookmarks?

None, once the change is complete. The names will remain the same. If you are using an IP address then it will add new cookies and it won't remember your password, if you have done that. Once the name is working again correctly then it will be back to normal.

[IanKennedy]

Just to be clear, that's 4pm UK time (GMT).

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Thanks for the info, here.

[Mark]

So, this happens tomorrow?

How long total, will DITL be down for? God help me, I may just actually have to work, while I'm at work

[IanKennedy]

So, this happens tomorrow?

How long total, will DITL be down for? God help me, I may just actually have to work, while I'm at work

Tomorrow as in today in about 4 hours time Wed 29th Dec 4pm. See you all on the other side.

[Tsukiyumi]

Catch ya on the flip side, man.

[IanKennedy]

OK, the new servers address is as follows:

http://213.175.214.202

Please don't use the forum there as the database behind that side will be thrown away during the move. It should be disabled and now allow you to post but it still seems to allow you to login and use the system. Anyhow, if you post it will be killed. Equally, posting to the old system after 4pm today will be lost as it will not have been copied to the new system.

[Mikey]

OK, the new servers address is as follows:

http://213.175.214.202

Please don't use the forum there as the database behind that side will be thrown away during the move. It should be disabled and now allow you to post but it still seems to allow you to login and use the system. Anyhow, if you post it will be killed. Equally, posting to the old system after 4pm today will be lost as it will not have been copied to the new system.

How long after that until the original url and the forum come back up?

[IanKennedy]

OK, the new servers address is as follows:

http://213.175.214.202

Please don't use the forum there as the database behind that side will be thrown away during the move. It should be disabled and now allow you to post but it still seems to allow you to login and use the system. Anyhow, if you post it will be killed. Equally, posting to the old system after 4pm today will be lost as it will not have been copied to the new system.

How long after that until the original url and the forum come back up?

Anything from minutes to days. The DNS change will take a few seconds to change. The cache of that information around the world will depend upon local circumstances. Just after 4pm I will update the 'old' site to have a message directing people to the new site (by ip address). If you use the standard name www.ditl.org and find you are at the new site then all is done for you and you can continue to use it. If not you will see the message on the front screen and know that you still have to use the numeric link.

As for the forum it should be down for about 30mins. Previous test transfers would seem to support that. The process is as follows:

- Backup the existing database (about 5mins)
- Transfer that back to the new machine (under 1min)
- Install the backup on the new site (about 1min)
- Apply some changes to the database structure to cope with the upgraded database (about 2mins)
- Apply some more changes because we're also upgrading the forum version (again about 5mins)
- Testing and then letting the system go live (?).

t-30 and counting.

[IanKennedy]

More about the forum version update later, but it's only 3.0.4 to 3.0.8 so don't expect a massive change. Just some nice tweaks.

[Griffin]

See ya on the otherside, just a few minutes to go!

[IanKennedy]

and so it begins...

[IanKennedy]

... and we're back. Only the dns part to do now.