Board Optimization - Dynamically Linked Source - Speed Up Your Multiple Site Network & Upgrades

For the purposes of this documentation, "Network" refers to a group of forums on a single server or cluster of servers.

When 3.7.1 PL2 was released, I posted over at vbulletin.com lamenting the fact that I had 15 upgrades to perform and how it would be nice to have a multiple site license to lighten the burden of downloading each install separately. In the end, I spent much more time coming up with this system.

Dynamically Linked Source or DLS allows operators of two or more forums on the same server or cluster, for all intents and purposes, to use one set of source code instead of multiple sets. By using one set of source code, Op code caching is much more efficient as only one copy of the source is cached. This greatly reduces the amount of memory used caching the source code, and also makes it more efficient. It will lead to less fragmentation for systems using APC, XCache, eAccelerator, or other such methods of caching Op code.

The method uses symbolic links to a central repository of the source code. Therefore, upgrades to all sites on the network can be done quickly by just replacing the source. For patch level releases, this means the entire network can be patched with one upload. Upgrades to a new version can be done this way, or a new repository can be created and each site can be upgraded one at a time.

The issue of licensing has also been addressed. Once the product file is installed, and assuming the installation instructions were followed, each installation will report the proper license key when salting cookies, or reporting back to Jelsoft as Vbulletin does from time to time (mostly in the AdminCP).

I contacted the development team at Jelsoft and discussed this method before releasing it, and got the OK from Mike. I was initially concerned that it may break licensing or perhaps give away too much of the license reporting methodology, but now that I look back, it really does not do either.

In tests on a rather large network that contains seven forums with about 7 million posts, hundreds of thousands of registered users, and uses three load balanced servers the load has been reduced by almost 40%. You can see in the graph attached to this thread for the particulars.

I have tried to make the readme as clear as possible, but honestly that was never one of my strong points. I cannot emphasize more that before you implement this method, TEST it first in your sandbox. Also, make sure you backup your software and database before you use this.

I also have included a PDF that explains what is happening in greater detail.

Updates:

8/20/08 - This will work with the latest version of VBSEO (3.2.0 at this time). Add all the files to the DLS except the config file, and run the php-clone.php script.

This product was developed for Andy R from Social Knowledge and released here for others to enjoy.


Please don't forget to click install as I have worked quite a while on this.

[Jafo232]

Originally Posted by ManagerJosh

Just wondering, are users/members of each forum independent? Or are they linked?

Independent. This does not share any information between forums. It only uses the same SOURCE code, not data..

[azn_romeo_4u]

So you have to use windows to get this to work? Does it work apache? Or litespeedtech?

[Jafo232]

Originally Posted by azn_romeo_4u

So you have to use windows to get this to work? Does it work apache? Or litespeedtech?

It does NOT work with Windows.

[sockwater]

Originally Posted by Jafo232

If it happens with the big three opcode cache methods, I would then think it was something native with Windows. I dunno, not a .dll head here..

Or all 3 of those opcode caching methods were designed for *nix operating systems.

[lkn]

can you it's for single forum on my VPS?
is it can use for 3.6.x ?
will it speed up 4room?

sorry my bad english

[sockwater]

Originally Posted by lkn

can you it's for single forum on my VPS?
is it can use for 3.6.x ?
will it speed up 4room?

sorry my bad english

If you're only running one forum, there's no reason to use this.

[Jafo232]

Originally Posted by sockwater

If you're only running one forum, there's no reason to use this.

Precisely!

[BamaStangGuy]

So if all your sites don't use photoplog for example, you would just leave photoplog files in the original forums directory?

Edit: Just went through with it. Doesn't seem to work with 3.8. It doesn't like including the config.php or something. I always get this error: Configuration: includes/config.php exists, but is not in the 3.6+ format. Please convert your config file via the new config.php.new.

If I rename config_me.php (which is in configs folder) and put it in the includes folder as config.php it works. It's a 3.8 config file anyways. Not sure why $config = 0 and it's spitting that error.

I'd be willing to pay you for your time to get this to work with 3.8. I was looking forward to streamlining all my vbulletin installs into one set of files, along with some of my mods. I'm not sure if Andy is moving to 3.8 anytime soon or not, so I don't know what your game plan is with that.

[Jafo232]

I am not having any issue with it on 3.8.. Are you sure you have modified config.php correctly (as per the readme)? That is the only time I have ever seen that error is when config.php is incorrect.

[BamaStangGuy]

Here is what I did:

Uploaded vBulletin into /home/vbcore/ (fresh files from vBulletin.com. 3.8.1)
Created a folder called configs inside the includes which is inside /home/vbcore/
Copied my config.php from /home/evo/public_html/forum/includes/ into /home/vbcore/includes/configs/ and renamed it to config_me.php
Uploaded config.php from your zip file to /home/vbcore/config.php and edited it as follows:

PHP Code:

## Change me
require_once(CORE_PATH . 'configs/config_me.php'); 


Along with changing my license info and putting my domain name in.

I then ran your php script and it created all the links.

I then opened my site up and got that error.

I know the config_me.php is fine, because its the same one I am using on my site right now. Plus, I renamed config_me.php to config.php and then placed it in /home/vbcore/includes/ overwriting your config.php. I then was able to get the site to load fine, using the DLS.

It's just when I use your config.php to include the file do I get that error.