Hosting Upgrade Recommendations Pls

[Dabbler]

Our current hosting service is having problems (at a number of different levels).

After 9 months of activity, our forums have 19,000 registered members, 45,000 threads and 500,000 posts. Search count is at 600,000. Peak traffic is 200 users online (5 minute window) but frankly we think we need to plan for at least 300+ concurrent members.

Current dedicated hardware is 2.6 GHz, 500MB RAM, 80GBx2 RAID 0. (Unfortunately this system hangs alot during peaks. Presumably this is a hardware issue because I can't get the host to provide load data/analysis).

OS: Windows 2003; CGI/FCGI

I have no idea about bandwidth needs. (Current host's stats package doesn't work.) But we don't offer file transfer support, so I assume we have average (or slightly above average) bandwidth needs for the above activity profile.

We'll need great technical support and of course, great response times.

HELP! :(

[JPT62089]

check out www.theplanet.com

WOW I actually didnt suggest Vizaweb... (there dedi server is about the same as that...)

[Dabbler]

Thanks.

p.s., I had looked at vizaweb earlier and didn't see any dedicated servers, just semi-dedicated.

[Zachery]

You've got a massive lack of ram there.

If you are already on dedicated stay dedicated.

What sort of processor is it?

Can you provide us with the rest of the info at the top of the forum?

[JPT62089]

Thanks.

p.s., I had looked at vizaweb earlier and didn't see any dedicated servers, just semi-dedicated.


https://www.vizaweb.com/hosting/step_one.php?gid=2
;)

[Dabbler]

You've got a massive lack of ram there.What do you recommend that I need: 1 GB? 2 GB? 4 GB?


What sort of processor is it?Intel P4 2.6/800


Can you provide us with the rest of the info at the top of the forum?Sorry, what are you referring to?

[Zachery]

Er, thought this was in the server config forum.

You might want to go there and start a thread, eva will be able to give you a recomendation.

[rh2004]

Well can you afford 2GB if so upgrade to that, if not 1GB would be a big improvement :)

Are you with a host, as you say they are having problems (shared hosting)?


If you are looking for your own server then theplanet.com is good :)

[Dabbler]

Well can you afford 2GB if so upgrade to that, if not 1GB would be a big improvement :)Yeah, we'll probably go with at least 2 GB, I guess.


Are you with a host, as you say they are having problems (shared hosting)?We're on a dedicated machine from a web services company that is racked in a major 3rd-party data center. The web services company isn't really set up to provide the service/access/support that is necessary.

[rh2004]

You should lookin a fully managed server, here is a P4 3.4 For $185 at the bottom

I am not sure if it HT but 2GB :)

http://www.interserver.net (http://www.interserver.net/)

- P4 3.4Ghz
- DDR 2048MB
- 2 x 120GB IDE
- 1000GB In/Out
- 5 Vlan Ips (/29)
- CentOS
- Cpanel/WHM
- Manual Reboots
Subtotal: $246.70/mo
Discount: - $61.7
Total: $185.00/Month


You have windows at the moment im sure they will change it, but it the price
maybe another $10-15


http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=379885

[Dabbler]

As of last night we were moved onto a temp server:
2.4 GHz P4 x2
1GB RAM.
68GB HDD - RAID 5
OS: Windows 2000
IIS: ver6

What are the advantages/risks of a dual processor system?
How does a dual P4 setup compare with dual Xeon system?
Does a dual processor system (more than) double my RAM needs?

Operations have been much more stable, but we haven't really stressed the system yet. Max users today ~80 (5 minute window). It appears that search tasks really stress the system. CPU usage maxing out both CPU's with less than a dozen members using search.

[Dabbler]

After some digging around, here's what I have gathered on dedicated servers:

http://www.theplanet.com
HW: $775/mo => Xeon 2.8x2; 4 GB RAM; 73GBx2 SCSI RAID 1; RedHat Enterprise 3;

http://www.servermatrix.com
HW: $675/mo => Xeon 2.4x2; 4 GB RAM; 80GBx2 IDE RAID 1; RedHat Enterprise 3;

http://interserver.net
HW: $515/mo ==> Xeon 2.8x2; 4 GB RAM; 120GBx2 IDE; RedHat 9; cP; Remote reboot

http://www.cihost.com
$700/mo => Xeon 1.8x2; 1.5 GB RAM; 80GBx2 SATA RAID 1; RedHat/Apache; Dual 100/1000 NIC; 3.5

http://www.realwebhost.net
HW: $350/mo => P4 3GHz/533; 2 GB RAM; 80GBx2 IDE RAID ??; RedHat 7.3; 500 GB x-fer; OC-12
I think they have a bigger box, but it's a custom quote.

=======================================
I looked at about 6 others too, but they were either too new, or not really focused on dedicated/co-located systems. Frankly, I like the system from "theplanet" the best. (Yes, I'm greedy! :p ) Now I'll have to make it happen.

[Zachery]

I've got one from the planet, no raid and only 2GB of ram, and she purrs :)

[Dabbler]

UPDATE: a look at CPU usage for the last hour shows we are maxing out both CPU's at 100% virtually the entire period. And Friday is our slowest weekday.

[rh2004]

Who's your current provider?

Xeon's are rather expensive, but if you can afford one then they would be the
best and last longer


This one, has no RAID and is not worth that much money..

http://www.realwebhost.net (http://www.realwebhost.net/)
HW: $350/mo => P4 3GHz/533; 2 GB RAM; 80GBx2 IDE RAID ??; RedHat 7.3; 500 GB x-fer; OC-12
I think they have a bigger box, but it's a custom quote.

[Dabbler]

Who's your current provider?I'd rather not say. Hosting is a sideline for them and they just bit off more than they could chew with our site. If they were a major reseller, then it would be a different situation. And I prefer to promote/reward good companies (as opposed to knocking down bad or struggling companies).


This one has no RAID and is not worth that much money..
http://www.realwebhost.net
HW: $350/mo => P4 3GHz/533Listed because they were given good marks on several threads here.

I also have an informal quote from them for:
$545/mo ==> P4 2.8; 1 GB RAM; 120 GB x2 RAID 1; Linux; 1000 GB/mo

[rh2004]

$545 can easily get you a nice dual Xeon.. :)

[express]

rh2004 (http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/member.php?u=40167),
Talk with our current customers if you like and ask them for yourself if it is worth it or not, we have many.
Plus this one will come with 3 gig of ram not 1, 2.8 Dual Xeon, and the bandwidth would be 1500
I also have an informal quote from them for:
$545/mo ==> P4 2.8; 1 GB RAM; 120 GB x2 RAID 1; Linux; 1000 GB/mo

[timdorr]

http://www.theplanet.com
HW: $775/mo => Xeon 2.8x2; 4 GB RAM; 73GBx2 SCSI RAID 1; RedHat Enterprise 3;

How'd you get $775 from them? I priced the same machine, but with RHEL 4, for $399 a month ($50 more per month if you don't eat the initial $199 setup fee).

[Dabbler]

How'd you get $775 from them?E2800SR ($549) + 4GB RAM ($100) + CISCO PIX 501 ($99) + cPanel ($25) + auto-backups = $773

[Joshs]

E2800SR ($549) + 4GB RAM ($100) + CISCO PIX 501 ($99) + cPanel ($25) + auto-backups = $773

I don't think you need 4GB of RAM right away. In addition, you shouldn't need the CISCO PIX unless you get frequent targetted attacks. I do recommend that you take a look at some of The Planet's other solutions.

[Dabbler]

Current server configuration, loads, and related issues discussed here:
http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=132564