Newby questions about vBulletin and mySQL database(s)

[BonsaiNut]

I have had my site up for about 9 months and everything has worked flawlessly. However a week ago I exceeded my host's size limits for my mySQL database, and my host has since blocked access to the DB. My host currently limits mySQL databases to 100MB in size, though I can have up to 50 separate DB's under my hosting agreement. Given this situation, I have a couple of simple questions about DB Administration and how DB's work with vBulletin.

1) Can I have one forum that is supported by multiple DB's, and how (in general) would I configure the site? Would it be as simple as having a single forum category be its own DB? Would configuring the forum this way impact search functionality, site response time, or have any other negative or unforeseen consequences?

2) Would it be easy/better to just move to a new server host that offers a 5GB size limit on mySQL DB instead of my current host with the 100MB limit?

Thanks for helping me on my journey of self-discovery

the best solution here would be to have a host with a larger webspace available, instead of a larger database range, and the save your attachments, avatars and profilepics to the file system instead of the database... you would light up your database, and not loose a single bit of data...

[BonsaiNut]

Thanks very much for the response - that's all I needed to point me in the right direction

Is there a simple way for me to move the attachments, avatars and profilepics out of my existing database?

[blogtorank]

Get a new host period...

[Eikinskjaldi]

Originally Posted by BonsaiNut

Thanks very much for the response - that's all I needed to point me in the right direction

Is there a simple way for me to move the attachments, avatars and profilepics out of my existing database?

It is an option in admincp

admincp >> attachments >> Attachment Storage Type

[BonsaiNut]

Originally Posted by nexialys

admincp >> attachments >> Attachment Storage Type

Will this work with an existing forum that already has existing attachments? In other words, can I set the forum to save attachments to a web space folder instead of the DB, and will it "download" all existing attachments to the web folder and clear out the DB table?

[Eikinskjaldi]

Originally Posted by BonsaiNut

Will this work with an existing forum that already has existing attachments? In other words, can I set the forum to save attachments to a web space folder instead of the DB, and will it "download" all existing attachments to the web folder and clear out the DB table?

Yes.

Though depending on how much you currently have stored, it may take some time.

[BonsaiNut]

Sorry to vent, but I continue to have problems with what I consider to be straight-forward issues.

So I decide to move my attachments from my DB to a file on the server. I create a folder on the server and CHMOD it to 777. Next I enter what I think is the proper path to the file. My URL is www.bonsainut.com. The folder is located at www.bonsainut.com/forums/attachments. It is pretty straightforward. Yet no matter what I do I cannot get past the next step. The Attachment Manager keeps saying "We attempted to write a test file to /forums/attachments, but we were unsuccessful. Please verify that the web server has write/delete permissions for this path."

I don't know whether I am writing the path incorrectly, or whether there is something wrong with the CMOD(?) Any help?

EDIT I realize now that you need to enter the FULL PATH to your attachments directory. All fixed now...