Close Forums during peak times to members and or during high server loads.

[Snapperhaed]

This may have been requested before, and their may even be a hack thats already been made for this ... I tried searching high and low, and either I cant read, cant see, or its not around. :nervous:

Problem:

I run a high traffic forum. Once I get around 850 simul. users online, the load goes thru the roof, and the server crashes. Just cant handle the load.

Solution: (In my feable mind):

Have the forums detect the high server load, and automatically shut down, and be restricted to members only use. Either this, or shut them down by hand ... However its done, they need to be closed briefly to eliminate all that mass traffic. I think that by restricting the forums for members only use during those times, I will reduce my traffic by 2/3 and eliminate the unsightly crash.

What im running:

I am currently running Apache ... On a dual processor P3 with 2 gigs of ram, on a single machine. I guess I may have to upgrade to a dual P4, which will help, and maybe offload the DB only, over to its own machine.

I dont wish to restrict to members only, but looks like that may be the route to go for a short term solution. Im open for anything.

Any help/comments/critics/directions are appreciated! Thanks!

[filburt1]

It's already been done in the sense that the whole board will shut down at a certain load level. Built-in.

[Snapperhaed]

Yeap. HeH. But, it shuts down everyone.

[filburt1]

Well that's the idea. Once everybody's out the load will naturally go down to a reasonable level.

[Snapperhaed]

While digging around in 2.3.0 I did come across the load limiting options, the nix and the simul were both set to 0. <smack> - I set the Nix to 20 which seems to be doing fine.

Problem now, is that the "Server too Busy" message comes up, even for Admin (6).... It wont let an admin in. Anyway to override that???

[filburt1]

Hunt around near the beginning of global.php which is where the load limiting code should be. However at that point $bbuserinfo might not have been created so it could be tricky.

[Snapperhaed]

Your right. It hasnt. And I havent a clue where to begin. (Actually I do, you told me where to look, but my ineptness prohibits me from accomplishing the feat). I did see one hack, by Pezman here for it, but it doesnt work for the exact same reason. (or so it would appear).

I checked over at the .com and lots of people with the same prob and no solution. Maybe I can issue my plea for help for some kind soul here to help us out?!

Any kind takers willing to help a soul out?

[Erwin]

This hack has been done. Look for it - there is a hack that will limit the load when it gets too high, but allow members in.

[Snapperhaed]

Ive been looking and looking, and cant come up with it.

Are you talking about this one?

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthrea...threadid=30710

or are you talking about the one done by Pezman?

I understand the principle of helping one help himself ... Yet I am about at the end of my rope having exhausted my avenues. If you could kindly direct me to it, i'd be forever in your debt.

[Logician]

In global.php, find:

PHP Code:

if ($servertoobusy AND $bbuserinfo['usergroupid'] != 6) { 


And replace it as:

PHP Code:

if ($servertoobusy AND $bbuserinfo['usergroupid'] == 1) { 


But remember even this is not the perfect solution as non-cookie users are also "guests" and can not login anymore. Besides if server load is that high, it is not suggest to let members in either..

Ps. Code taken from 2.2.6, I'm not sure if later versions has a different algorithm for server busy error handling..