[Lynne]

mysql has been using up a lot of my CPU. Sometimes when I watch 'top', it even goes to over 100% of the CPU. I have also noticed the RAM maxing out at times. Ultimately, I have decided to go with one server for the database and one for apache/php. My other server was two years old for us and memory for it would cost more than memory for the new servers. So, I'm about to move to two servers of this configuration:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
- Dual Core 2.4 GHz/4 MB Cache/1066 MHz FSB
- 64-bit Enabled
- 2 GB DDR2 SDRAM
- 250 GB SATA Hard Drive
- 100 Mbps Switch Port
- 2000 GB Data Transfer

I have been watching my scripts alot and have done what I can to any queries I've added to make sure they are efficient. I made a lot of changes to the vbtt installation because the queries or coding was not efficient at all.

These new servers are much more configurable than the other server we had. My next step is to change trackers (get away from the php-based one). I'm in touch with someone who has integrated XBT (a non-php based tracker) to vB. He currently put it on another site, so I am watching that as they work out the small problems. We are a site that runs on donations, so I only add/change things as we get the money.