Suggestion: search auto-shutoff based on server load

[kontrabass]

Would it be possible to implement a feature, where the search is automatically shut off if the server load reaches a preset number? This would be a great "buffer", so that maybe the "Server load too high" messages would be less frequent.

I've got a bit of a load problem, and if a lot of people search when the server load is already high, it skyrockets and then users get the "server too busy" error (I set the load at 6 in my CP). If I can disable searches say, at a load of 3 or 4, I think it would keep things running much better.....

Thanks!

Paul

[Wayne Luke]

Actually in my experience at SitePoint Forums, and your mileage may vary, checking for the load average is one of the things that causes an abnormally high average load.

Just by turning that on for our server, we experienced a 40% increase in server load.

What version are you using? Version 2.2.2 dramatically lowers the server load. Especially on Forum Display.

[kontrabass]

Wow 40% increase from enabling load checking?? Hmm... I'll switch mine off and see if it changes anything.

I'm using 2.2.2. Load averages usually hover around 2 during peak times, but I get spikes (I'm assuming from searches) up to 6 and 7. Peak traffic is like 130 users, on a 1ghz 512MB server. I'm thinking about adding a php cache, but I have no idea how install something like that :)

[UserName]

I think this is a good suggestion and it would also be another defense against those people who search so much that it overloads the server.

[Wayne Luke]

Ummm.... You can limit the number of searches a user can make in a minute under vBulletin Options.

[kontrabass]

Wluke,

Well, it wasn't a scientific study by any means, but turning on the load-based monitoring in the CP did not seem to affect my server load at all... I'm sure it really depends on the server.

If anyone is interested in trying out the auto shutoff for searches (based on a predetermined load limit), here's a link to FireFly's code modification:

http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35200

[ubbuser]

Interesting Wluke are you saying that you have no value (or zero) for the load checking option? what about limit on concurrent users?

If I leave the load checking option disabled, and put a limit on conc. users is that going to affect server load based on your experience? (lower or higher...)

[kontrabass]

Just wanted to add that this hack is working WONDERFULLY for me. It has really helped to stabalize my server load. I have my board shut-down limit set at 5, and my search shut-down limit at 2. Now instead of spikes driving the load up to 5 and disabling the board for all browsing users, I get a nice steady load that never spikes above 2.6.

I would highly recommend FireFly's code (posted above) be included as an admin CP option in the next release of VBulletin. It's a great compliment to the current load limit feature.

....that's all I have to say about that.... :)

[Freddie Bingham]

Sure but vb3 will be even less server intensive than vb2 is. ;)

[Fusion]

freddie, that's called hype 'til you're able to back it up with some live test-servers that we can try. :D

[Freddie Bingham]

Originally posted by Fusion
freddie, that's called hype 'til you're able to back it up with some live test-servers that we can try. :D If you say so :)

[Fusion]

Dang, he didn't bite... :p

[Floris]

Originally posted by Fusion
freddie, that's called hype 'til you're able to back it up with some live test-servers that we can try. :D

Why do you think they have beta.vbulletin.com up and running :)

[Fusion]

Heheh, that could just be a decoy, we're not able to get it up. ;)

[Floris]

Originally posted by Fusion
Heheh, that could just be a decoy, we're not able to get it up. ;)

You need to add 'yet' to your sentence ;)

[JamesUS]

The beta site is very real :) it was used in the development of vB 2.0 to show people what was going on.

Currently it is used by staff members to keep track of what's going on with development via CVS logs and of course a live vB 3 board.