Suggestion: Cloud Server

[Sajuuk]

Hi

I've not been on PC for ages! I came back just to post this thread since someone I know told me that PC always seems to have an issue with downtime.

My suggestion is this: get a Cloud Server. Now I'm not completely sure what a Cloud server entails, but I do know that it's made up of many servers joined together.

The problem is that such servers are extremely expensive to use. This leads onto my next suggestion: convert to a popular free forum software, such as MyBB, which has picked up it's game in terms of features and plugins.

These are my suggestions. I'll be waiting for a response :)

 

[Spinor]

I'm not an expert in servers, but I think upon research that using a cloud server would be more expensive than a normal server for us. I think the difference is like hardcore serious.

And no, I think PC migrated forum software back in the early decade >__> I like this one. The admins like it too. We're not gonna be cheap, especially since most of the features we have are not available in MyBB. This would affect a lot how the forum works and probably the benefits supporters already have.

 

[Sajuuk]

There are subscription plugins and a Blogs plugin available for MyBB so you wouldn't lose that functionality. :)

Plus, MyBB 1.6 has lots of features that you currently have. As well as the fact that it runs very fast :)

 

[Hiidoran]

Even I can tell you this is a no-go for PC.

Trust me, the staff enjoy the vBulletin software, we're comfortable with it, and it's just what professionals use. We've been having ignorable problems with downtime, yes, but it's fine when you consider all the traffic we get at one time. When/if we actually get the money to purchase more servers then I'm sure Steve will.

 

[Yuoaman]

Paying for a cloud server is just something that PC doesn't have the funds to do. And why would we use go and use a free software many of our staff aren't familiar with when we are using one already paid for that we are familiar with? These just aren't realistic suggestions for the community.

 

[Cherrim]

We own our license for vBulletin. There's absolutely no benefit for downgrading to a free forum software. The software isn't the problem with our server. :/ Besides, we have a lot of custom-written add-ons and plugins for vB so switching forum software would be a lot more trouble than it's worth regardless.

Glancing at cloud servers, I'm not sure they'd be any more/less expensive than what we're current on (which, iirc, is already a dedicated server for PC and several of Steve's other sites). But I've no idea, really.

 

[Massacre.]

Even I can tell you this is a no-go for PC.

Trust me, the staff enjoy the vBulletin software, we're comfortable with it, and it's just what professionals use. We've been having ignorable problems with downtime, yes, but it's fine when you consider all the traffic we get at one time. When/if we actually get the money to purchase more servers then I'm sure Steve will.

Completely agreed. While I'm not a staff member, I currently own a forum, and it runs with MyBB and so far it's not doing so well. Plus, I hear these cloud servers cost A LOT of money, and still needs to be paid for monthly. And besides, it WILL take an extremely long time to migrate our members and everything else to a new software/server.

 

[Kura]

Server errors are pretty turdy.. and I'm sure you can at least talk to someone who deals with database stuff.. either way I think some people are being really stubborn..

 

[Melody]

I could see the logic in moving the Database itself and the SQLd to another server, to avert load on the main server. I still however understand the big issue here, the elephant in the room that most of the members here are ignoring when they're crying for a new server and that is the COST!

When we achieve enough funds to upgrade the servers, I don't doubt that it will be done, but this will take time, money and some serious downtime to achieve. But until we get the money for the site to find another server, it's not worth beating a dead horse over. :<