Shared User Database
 

Interested if anyone has done anything to share a user database between more than one installation of vbb?

There are a few issues that could be addressed .. simply a central database server for the user database of all vbb installations would probably be the easiest, but could cause problems due to server connections on one box being inconsistant.

Has this been discussed or addressed by anyone yet?

I should note; I am talking about the vb installations being on different servers than the user database.

Im pretty sure it wouldnt work...

Satan

There's no question that it can be done, the question is if anyone has discussed or already done it?

Central authorization database is not uncommon. VBB queries a SQL server for permissions, having it query one on a different server is quite doable.

i don't know that such a thing has been released...

but it would also be very hard or nearly impossible, because on some times you'll nee the usertable and an other table in the same query...

In the first look it's very close to impossibility.

If MYSQL has a "redirect" feature for tables just like webservers, one line of code would do the trick, but unfortunately it doesnt have it.

The other possible solution would be going through the entire vb scripts and make heavy modifications in there to query other user table whenever vb interrelates with user table. I really wouldnt want to be the hacker to code this! :knockedout: Even if you have the courage to do this there are "joined queries" to user table in many parts of the code and they have to be structered totally in a different way and code and algorithm would change dramatically. So at last maybe it will work but I wouldnt call this script vbulletin anymore. You can really name the script after you.. ;)

And the third possibility (IMO the most practical) is to design the structure similiar to db/dns replication (are you familiar with the concept?). You can create a script connected to a cron job that will be triggered X times a day, go through the both user tables and populate the necassary fields accordingly. For example take existing new users from one and write to the other, update lastactivity field according to highest number etc.. Still not an easy job, but at least it's more practical..

After Xenon's post, I remembered all the user table queries .. it would require a complete rewrite to do something like this.

This would be closer, but wouldn't work well with username creation .. would require a delay for new member registration.

The biggest problems stem from the user stats involved ..

automotiveforums.com has something done like that, i been planning on doing it as well, but i don't know what to do

it looks like just one database to my and one forum... but i could be wrong... if you're looking for similiar design all you have to do is have a list of subforums inside a forum... thats all they did really and then customized the look of the forum home and forum display templates... regards...

g-force2k2

I have two different vbs using one same userbase.