Server Specs

[SteveB]

Thanks for any input and advice!

We are having to move servers as our hosting company is closing down our current data center.

We are looking at splitting the load between the following two server configurations.

MySql Database server
-----------------------------
Linux 7.2
Dual 1GHz
1GB RAM
2 x 9.1 SCSI with RAID 1

Webserver
-------------
Linux 7.2
Single 1GHz
1GB RAM
18GB SCSI

The two servers will be connected via a private 100Mbit connection.

Assume latest stable releases of PHP/MySQL/ZEND etc.

We have an average of 450 users on 5 VB's during normal access hours, with peaks above 650.

Our bandwidth usage is becoming a major cost factor as we use just under 400GB a month. We would like to try and reduce this by using GZip on the forums.

Does the front end webserver look powerful enough to zip the pages? The webserver also has to output static pages, some ecommerce and a few other relatively minor PHP/MySQL applications, but most of the loads are from the boards.

Thanks,

Steve

[eva2000]

you'll be needing more memory to service upto 650 concurrent users and depending on your current mysql usage and pruning and backup policies, you may need a larger hard drive for the mysql database

what's the current vB forum mysql database size ?
do you do automated mysql backups of your database ?
other scripts which use mysql ? i.e. ad banner scripts etc ?
how many pageviews and banner impressions for entire server/all sites?
how many posts and threads generated per day ?
do you intend to prune posts/threads or want to keep them forever ?

[SteveB]

Hi,

Current database size is less than 1 GB, but we have a large UBB to migrate and that will add maybe another GB. We do prune periodically, and images uploaded by users are not stored in the database but in files.

Backups will be daily to tape.

There are other scripts using MySQL, but nothing significant compared to the board usage. A small number of banner ads are served by us, but most are served from another source.

We have about 10 active sites on the server and I can't find the time to accurately analyze the logs anymore, but I estimate between 4-500,000 page views per day.

About 11,000 posts per day across all 5 VB's

Posts will be pruned periodically.

Which server is short of memory, the webserver or the database server?

If we have enough front end power to zip pages, this will reduce bandwidth and maybe we could beef up the server a bit to help with the zipping, using the money saved from reduced bandwidth?

Thanks for the advice George.

Steve

[eva2000]

11k posts/day! :eek:

i'd definitely look at bumping the web server to a

dual p3 tualatin 1.13 or 1.26 ghz with 512k L2 cache
2 - 3GB ram
18GB SCSI

and the database server add another 1gb of ram to total 2GB

you'll be using the latest 2.4x kernel right ?

also on web server think about removing zend optimiser and installing php accelerator 1.3.1 http://i4net.tv/marticle/get.php?action=getarticle&articleid=31 cuts cpu load by 20 - 50% at least for php related pages :)

you can then turn off vB's gzip and turn off php.ini's output buffering and install mod_gzip (do you believe another guide i wrote) http://i4net.tv/marticle/get.php?action=getarticle&articleid=12 :D

you'll probably need to fine tune your mysql settings for the database server once it's setup as well ;)

[SteveB]

Thanks for the info!

Unfortunately the budget is not enough for server specs like that. We are going to have to cut back somewhere and try and adjust as we go along. I think that if we get mod_gzip up and running, then we could save $250+ a month on bandwidth costs and then redirect the saved money to one or other of the servers.

Which server is most likely to need beefing up? What is the better option, more ram in the database server, more ram in the webserver or upping the processor in the webserver? We need something that we can start with and then upgrade when we have the funds.

Which version of PHP is best for VB version 2? We currently run PHP 4.1.2 and I thought I saw that the latest version of PHP caused problems with VB?

Steve

[eva2000]

php 4.1.2 seems best for vB right now

can you manage upping memory on both servers by 512mb so they each have 1.5GB ? and going dual p3 1ghz for the web server ?

[SteveB]

Thanks George, they are costing that spec out for us. :)

Steve

[SteveB]

Hi George,

We now have a new webserver and database server. :D

The database server is as follows.

Database server
OS: Linux RedHat 7.2 Server
PROCESSOR: Dual 1GHz
MEMORY: 1GB RAM
HARD DRIVE: 2 x 9.1 GB SCSI Drives Raid 1
TAPE DRIVE: 35GB
PRIVATE NETWORK: 100Mbit Connection

We are waiting to hear if phpaccelerator is being installed for us.

Do you have a handy initial my.cnf for us to start with? The domains haven't been transferred over, so we will be gradually increasing the loads over the next few weeks.

The MySQL loads are as follows.
Average of 450 users on 5 VB's during normal access hours, with peaks above 650. Some other MySQL usage, but nothing too big.

Thanks!

Steve

[eva2000]

try this but change the path to mysql.sock to where ever yours is

[client]
port = 3306
socket = /var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock

[mysqld]
port = 3306
socket = /var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock
skip-locking
set-variable = max_connections=650
set-variable = key_buffer=16M
set-variable = myisam_sort_buffer_size=64M
set-variable = join_buffer=1M
set-variable = record_buffer=1M
set-variable = sort_buffer=3M
set-variable = table_cache=1024
set-variable = thread_cache_size=256
set-variable = wait_timeout=7200
set-variable = connect_timeout=10
set-variable = max_allowed_packet=16M
set-variable = max_connect_errors=10

[safe_mysqld]
open_files_limit=8192

[mysqldump]
quick
set-variable = max_allowed_packet=16M

[myisamchk]
set-variable = key_buffer=64M
set-variable = sort_buffer=64M
set-variable = read_buffer=16M
set-variable = write_buffer=16M
restart mysql

[SteveB]

Wow! That as a quick reply!

Thanks George, I have made the changes and will see what happens.

Steve

[eva2000]

Originally posted by SteveB
Wow! That as a quick reply!

Thanks George, I have made the changes and will see what happens.

Steve let us know how it turns out :)