Improving Druchii.net's performance
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- Tarbo
- Morathi's Best Friend
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Improving Druchii.net's performance
It's hardly a secret: Druchii.net has been having serious performance issues lately. Whether related to the server or the software it's running on, the truth is that we're getting 500's time after time. Sometimes, we complain about it, but maybe it's time we find out what's wrong.
Now, I wouldn't start a thread like this without having done a little research, first. There are two things that could be done to seriously improve responsiveness from the server, one of which has been briefly mentioned before, but let's go over the pros and cons of each.
Turn off compression? Druchii.net supports GZIP compression. I, myself, am a big proponent of servers supporting this because it saves bandwidth for every router that the packages pass. However, it's also a fact that compression guzzles CPU. Since no caching is done, each request is being compressed (iff the browser reveals it accepts compression). Perhaps we could experiment with turning it off for a week or so, see what the results are?
Pros -- less CPU needed
Cons -- increases bandwidth
Separate script & style from content? This was touched on before: Druchii.net loses a good deal of bandwidth with inline scripting and styling, and moving these to separate, cacheable objects would do us all a lot of good. Also, the less bytes on the wire, the less the server needs to work!
Pros -- less bandwidth
Cons -- requires some redesign
For a moment, I believed I had a third way, but it has slipped me. It probably wasn't worth much (oh yes, moving to another server--not sure how easy/expensive that is).
Turning off compression sounds like the safest bet. I'm not sure where the bottleneck is (database, CPU, bandwidth) but it's worth a shot, in my humble opinion.
Now, I wouldn't start a thread like this without having done a little research, first. There are two things that could be done to seriously improve responsiveness from the server, one of which has been briefly mentioned before, but let's go over the pros and cons of each.
Turn off compression? Druchii.net supports GZIP compression. I, myself, am a big proponent of servers supporting this because it saves bandwidth for every router that the packages pass. However, it's also a fact that compression guzzles CPU. Since no caching is done, each request is being compressed (iff the browser reveals it accepts compression). Perhaps we could experiment with turning it off for a week or so, see what the results are?
Pros -- less CPU needed
Cons -- increases bandwidth
Separate script & style from content? This was touched on before: Druchii.net loses a good deal of bandwidth with inline scripting and styling, and moving these to separate, cacheable objects would do us all a lot of good. Also, the less bytes on the wire, the less the server needs to work!
Pros -- less bandwidth
Cons -- requires some redesign
For a moment, I believed I had a third way, but it has slipped me. It probably wasn't worth much (oh yes, moving to another server--not sure how easy/expensive that is).
Turning off compression sounds like the safest bet. I'm not sure where the bottleneck is (database, CPU, bandwidth) but it's worth a shot, in my humble opinion.
- Langmann
- Malekith's Tastetester & Physician
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Yeah, it is a source of annoyance I have with the server company. Most of the time the server runs fine, but when it runs slow, I complain, they fix it, and I am pacified for a while.
Then it does it again.
The problem is the bottleneck between the server and the mysql server. I actually have half a mind to switch servers but then I am worried about going from the frying pan to the fire.
How often are you getting 500 errors, certain times during the month, every day? Everyone else?
Then it does it again.
The problem is the bottleneck between the server and the mysql server. I actually have half a mind to switch servers but then I am worried about going from the frying pan to the fire.
How often are you getting 500 errors, certain times during the month, every day? Everyone else?
While running a million dollar company, singing at weddings, and his frequent jetting to Spain Elton Jon style, Dark Alliance found the time to stand on the doorstep of Games Workshop like Moses and the Pharoah and calmly state, "Let my people go."
- Tarbo
- Morathi's Best Friend
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As befits the irony of complaining in IT, most problems stopped the instant I had posted this. Performance has been outright commendable ever since.langmann wrote:How often are you getting 500 errors, certain times during the month, every day? Everyone else?
However, I've had repeated problems with it over most of August; sometimes, this was announced by the company providing the server, but often it was not. It would seem that holiday seasons are the times when some kind of maintenance is done on the server, or a time of DoS attacks.
If the bottleneck is the database, then there is little we can do. I doubt we have the access rights to upgrade the database, so that's not an option. We could limit the queries, but that'd kind of limit the point of the database-driven forum, eh?
- Balthamael
- Cold One Knight
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langmann wrote:How often are you getting 500 errors, certain times during the month, every day? Everyone else?
About 5-6 times since the beginning of September. I've tried to refresh the page regularly, but it takes about 10 minutes of refreshing attempts until the forum actually loads. Most of the 500 errors occured around 01.00 - 04.00 CET.
- Linda lobsta defenda
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If you keep getting these errors write down the date and time and post them so we can get a clear picture of when this happens (oh and dont forget to add your timezone)
General FAQ:
http://www.druchii.net/viewtopic.php?t=2504
FAQ about rules:
http://www.druchii.net/viewtopic.php?p=547809
http://www.druchii.net/viewtopic.php?t=2504
FAQ about rules:
http://www.druchii.net/viewtopic.php?p=547809
- Tarbo
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Saturday, 22h30 GMT. "Only" ten minutes that I know of.Linda Lobsta Defenda wrote:If you keep getting these errors write down the date and time and post them so we can get a clear picture of when this happens (oh and dont forget to add your timezone)
Tuesday, Sept 11, 17h30-17h50 GMT+2 (1+DST)
Last edited by Tarbo on Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Langmann
- Malekith's Tastetester & Physician
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We also do have a problem with DoS attacks. The host actually does a fair job of fighting them off for us and getting things back up and running which is something I would have difficulty doing with my home servers since I don't have the time.
Apparently D.net has enemies.
Yeah keep a log as best we can so I have something to report to the company. They actually do go looking for problems for me and it helps if I have times to tell them about so they can sort out answers.
Apparently D.net has enemies.
Yeah keep a log as best we can so I have something to report to the company. They actually do go looking for problems for me and it helps if I have times to tell them about so they can sort out answers.
While running a million dollar company, singing at weddings, and his frequent jetting to Spain Elton Jon style, Dark Alliance found the time to stand on the doorstep of Games Workshop like Moses and the Pharoah and calmly state, "Let my people go."
- Balthamael
- Cold One Knight
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9th of September 23.58 CET (GMT +1)
10th of September 14.51 Took atleast 20 minutes before I could load the page.
10th of September 14.51 Took atleast 20 minutes before I could load the page.
Last edited by Balthamael on Mon Sep 10, 2007 1:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
GMT +10, 11:30AM, Monday 10th September 2007. That search table was taking five minutes or so to load up.
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I just got a 500 at around 14:30 BST.
I suspect that the problems could be easily resolved by changing servers. There are much busier forums out there (rllmuk for example), and they never suffer from lag. Though shutting donw one site, moving it, and re opening is a daunting task, and certainly not for the feint hearted.
I suspect that the problems could be easily resolved by changing servers. There are much busier forums out there (rllmuk for example), and they never suffer from lag. Though shutting donw one site, moving it, and re opening is a daunting task, and certainly not for the feint hearted.
- Langmann
- Malekith's Tastetester & Physician
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How long has this been going on for most people now?
While running a million dollar company, singing at weddings, and his frequent jetting to Spain Elton Jon style, Dark Alliance found the time to stand on the doorstep of Games Workshop like Moses and the Pharoah and calmly state, "Let my people go."
langmann wrote:How long has this been going on for most people now?
A fair chunk of the year, I'd say. Don't really know the exact dates, but it seems to come and go.
"I live in hope and fear. Hope that once more the Lords of Caledor will ride on the backs of Dragons. Fear that if we do, when we do, it will be our last ride." ~Imrik, High Prince
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Warning: mysql_error(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL-Link resource in /home/.catnochio/kitrik/druchii.net/db/mysql4.php on line 330
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phpBB : Critical Error
Could not connect to the database
Just now.
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