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Planned server outages


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Since R22 is away for the weekend, I guess it falls to me to post (although I tend not to like doing so), the following information.

 

As you are all by now aware, there have been severe issues over the last few months with this site and others hosted on the IMG server. Some of these problems have been as a result of network attacks (which have been ironed out), some issues have been to do with the server needing to be tweaked in order to accomodate certain eccentricies of this site and its forums, with just one issue left open.

 

You may all have noticed that for the most part this site runs smoothly for more prolonged periods of time, and then all of a sudden decides to have a total existence failure. This is due to the large amount of users online, accessing certain functions of the forums which build up in a queue. As a consequence I have decided to upgrade the hardware configuration of the server to accomodate this not for profit website, so that it can happily co-exist with the for profit companies hosted on the server.

 

So, here's what you can expect:

 

1. The server will be switched off at some point in the next 72 hours, and it could be within the next 4 hours. All sites will be offline until the hardware upgrades are completed. Once the hardware has been upgraded, a series of tests will be performed to make sure that everything is intact before the whole lot is brought back online. I am really sorry that I cannot be more specific about timings, but I am dependent on the team over in the US finding an appropriate slot in their busy schedule.

 

2. During the time preceding the upgrade, I will be making backups of all the sites on the server to make sure that if everything goes wrong, all is not lost. It is imperative that users take heed of the following: PLEASE DO NOT HAMMER THE SERVER IF IT STARTS TO SLOW DOWN!!!! All this will mean is that the server will grind to a halt and we could suffer data corruption, or I will just have to start the backup process again. So please folks, do me a favour and help me out here!

 

3. When ArniesAirsoft comes back online, please note that the members only restriction on the forums will be lifted by R22 upon his return, once I am satisfied that everything is working as it should.

 

4. ALSO IMPORTANT: All users engaged in some form of ongoing trade or anything of any particular importance relating to this site, which depend on the service provided by ArniesAirsoft should ensure that they will not be affected by the site shutdown. So if you have a sale going on, please exchange alternative contact details as soon as possible.

 

Anyway, I think that should just about cover it. This will hopefully be the last extended period of work that I need to carry out on the server for some time to come.

 

All the best folks, and see you on the flip side of the outage!

 

Tim Ivery,

Ivery Media Group.

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UPDATE:

 

I have just got off the phone to the US. They figure it will probably be tonight (GMT) that they get round to doing the upgrades. So please everybody, exchange addresses if you have online sales going, or whatever else you need to do.

 

There is no need to back up galleries or anything like that, as these have already been backed up. I am hoping that there will be no trouble when it comes to the restart, but as I have learned over the last few weeks, nothing is certain. ;)

 

Anyhow, be prepared for the site to go offline during the course of the next two to three hours.

 

Have a pleasant evening everybody, and I will endeavour to get this site back online as soon as is humanly possible.

 

Tim Ivery

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It actually occurs to me that, due to the fact that I don't use these forums all that much myself (wish I could but I am usually pretty swamped with all sorts of things), I might have overlooked reminding people to do certain things before the site goes down. I have covered online sales, and the suggestion to exchange contact details, but there might have been things I have missed.

 

Could I ask mods to perhaps have a think about what other consquences people might wish to safeguard against.

 

T. ;)

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Just one last thought......

 

It occurs to me that in the event the upgrades cause some sort of problem with this site, which may require longer to fix, most of you won't actually know whats happening, or when the site is likely to be back online.

 

I have recently emailed all the mods just to remind them of my email address, so they can stay in touch in the unlikely event that the site stays offline for longer than expected.

 

For the rest of the users on this forum, my site will be the first one back online, regardless of anything (with Arnies following on shortly thereafter with a bit of luck), so I will post information in my forums. You can get to the site from my signature below.

 

I would advise you to make a note of it just in case, so you can keep informed as to what is going on.

 

That's everything covered I think.

 

T.

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