Minimum Server Specs

[EmperorPing]

Hey guys and gals,

I don't know if this is the right place to ask, but I wonder if anyone can help me with some minimum server specifications.

My problem is that my host is unable to let me install MySql on any of his current boxes but he has kindly offered to co host a 1u server for me in his rack.

I am on a tight budget and the best quote I have so far is for a Celeron 667 with 64Mb ram and 20Gb hd (649 uk pounds)... Is this a sufficient box for running vBulletin? I hope to have a LOT of members and posts - don't we all - I wonder if anyone would have an idea of the maximum number of users I could have with a server like this, both in total and simultaneuously?

Thanks

[EmperorPing]

If this is not the best option then I will be looking at hosting elsewhere... Could anyone tell me the sort of bandwidth involved with vBulletin?

All of the hosts I have been looking at charge around £7 per 1Gb of data transferred... Let's say I have 1,000,000 registered users and they each only visit 1 forum 5 times a week - what sort of quantity of data would I be shifting?

[Embattle]

LOL 1,000,000 members...trust me you won't make it

[neogeniseva]

are you rich??? cuz i think if you where doing to spend that kind of money you just buy a server or get a host to lease you a server.

[EmperorPing]

No I'm not rich

1,000,000 members is a conservative estimate

[Embattle]

Originally posted by EmperorPing
No I'm not rich

1,000,000 members is a conservative estimate

Then you won't be able to do it.

[EmperorPing]

Originally posted by Embattle


Then you won't be able to do it.

My glass is half full and yours is half empty.

How can you know that I will not reach these figures when you don't even know anything about my site or about my marketing?

My estimated number of visitors is made here only in an attempt to ascertain the potential costs of hosting. I don't want to suppose a membership of 200 people to then be clobbered with a huge hosting bill when this number is surpassed.

[Embattle]

You don't get what I mean....if you're trying to budget for 1,000,000 registered users then you've already made a mistake.

[EmperorPing]

You are right, I don't get what you mean... Please explain yourself further...

[Embattle]

Basically you can't even think about using a budget if you reckon it'll actract so many members.

Also VB contains many varibles which mean that one persons does do match another persons bandwidth even with the same number of members.

[EmperorPing]

You mean because it will be so damn expensive?

With bandwidth I am only looking for a rough estimate... say someone with x visitors who make y number of posts in z weeks knows how much data is transferred for this, then I can at least make some calculations.

I will not be allowing attachments or the upload of any files, avatars are disabled... All to save bandwidth.

[DrunkenStud]

You might want to start by upping the RAM .. ALOT. 256M at a bare minimum Id say.

A PIII (because it has more cache) is probably a better idea too.

I wouldnt worry about like SCSI raid and all that stuff till you are up into the hundreds for simultaneous online users.

[DrunkenStud]

Originally posted by EmperorPing
If this is not the best option then I will be looking at hosting elsewhere... Could anyone tell me the sort of bandwidth involved with vBulletin?

All of the hosts I have been looking at charge around £7 per 1Gb of data transferred... Let's say I have 1,000,000 registered users and they each only visit 1 forum 5 times a week - what sort of quantity of data would I be shifting?

Hmm .. at my forums I do roughly 500MB per 10,000 page views.

[rebby]

Originally posted by DrunkenStud
You might want to start by upping the RAM .. ALOT. 256M at a bare minimum Id say.

A PIII (because it has more cache) is probably a better idea too.

I wouldnt worry about like SCSI raid and all that stuff till you are up into the hundreds for simultaneous online users.

i run my board on an amd k6-400 w/128mb ram right now.... true i only have about 85 members but that box is doing a GREAT job... it's all about having the correct configuration for your application.

[DrunkenStud]

Originally posted by rebby
i run my board on an amd k6-400 w/128mb ram right now.... true i only have about 85 members but that box is doing a GREAT job... it's all about having the correct configuration for your application.

hehe its true .. but once you get up into the 50-100 range of simultaneous users there is only so much swap space can do!