AmiBay server specs

[k0x]

OK lets convert it to plain English


Am glad that Harrison offered full help of migration to new host but once again I will ask, do you have access to FULL backup of the site (dB,conf,files)?


Several times we talked about current host and it was always mentioned like "Amibay is currently hosted on dedicated Opteron server - plus specs hw" - never mentioned as shared webhosting.

So I take a look - looks like another 100+ websites is sharing this v4 IP (if its not behind reverse proxy than its highly possible that those 100 websites are being hosted on this same physical server) - wow.




People here are more & more confused about the situation so its no wonder that donations are low.
Am sure more donations will come when there will be sure drive of administration and development of the site.

Please communicate as open as possible - it will greatly help the situation. A lot of skilled people here and am sure they are eager to help but they just need to know whats going on and whats needed.


It will be great to hear who is responsible for the site, who keeps the treasury, whats the plan for the future, backup and disaster plans. Is there somebody in team for devops, somebody able to administrate the server?

What is you idea "how to run site"?

- member of site crew taking care of the complete administration (rent plain cloud/vps/baremetal)
- rent managed server
- vbulletin SaaS (like www.a2hosting.com)


We are talking about 8-9-10 years old hardware on rotation drives - that's current situation.
Literally anything moderate today s config will make circles around this soon too be relic server hardware.

 

[Harrison]

Not sure where you are pulling info about 100 sites running on the same server. The Amibay server is a fully managed dedicated server hosted in Germany by Ionos, running a Linux LAMP setup. As it's managed there is no complete root access to the whole server as the data centre take care of the actual server admin. And as it's dedicated it's a compete standalone server, not shared hosting.

Site gets fully backed up and downloaded regularly for an offline backup and the DB weekly. Plus there's daily backup on the server and a Raid setup.

As Sardine mentioned it's funds and affordability that is the biggest issue. £50 a month is realistically the max to guarantee the site can continue ticking. More donations would help secure a better solution, but we still couldn't guarantee continued income to run it monthly.

As for the rest of your questions. Need to know in regard to security and can't be discussed on an open thread. Staff with admin rights have access to full site backups they can download if needed. That's never been an issue. As are the ability to access software licenses.

 

[k0x]

https://www.ipneighbour.com/#/lookup/amibay.com --- these sites share same IPv4 address.

Since you confirmed "dedicated server" I dig deeper - yes that address is reverse proxy.

Server serving amibay itself is running on machine with non-public ip.
Whats interesting for "dedicated server" that it runs openvz kernel not mentioning the home variable.
At least its "somehow" updated.

But doesnt matter - future is what we are looking for.



Due to various reasons - seems like VBulleting SaaS is the right way for you.
Have you considered it yet?

 

[Harrison]

The problem with vBulletin SaaS is restricted abilities. You can only perform actions supported and built into the software. So you could use the built in tools for custom templates and design, but not directly edit files or style sheets. And you could only install plugins that use code hooks and remain free of the software side directly, so that when the site gets auto updated by the host nothing is affected for them to do so, but any plugins you have added might then instantly break.

Which is the last issue. When administrating your own install you know what you have done and the measures needed to take before performing a platform version update. But when using a remotely managed service it just gets the latest vanilla update applied as and when they roll out. That's never a great idea as you need a test and shakedown remotely for any issues with the addins you have running. I agree it's a great solution if no one can admin a site, and you are only going to use the software as it is without altering anything.

 

[k0x]

Do you have real experience with VB SaaS?
Am curious if service as you specified is suitable even for somebody so why to offer something that does not fit common needs for such service.

Anyway good point.



So self adninistration of platform isnt suitable for you?

Hetzner offers managed 8G, 2vCPU,200GB SSD for 35€ ex VAT.

 

[Harrison]

Any SaaS setup is designed to give a hands off appoach to a website, removing the worry of updating or managing it. Much like a managed server. If a forum was just that, a standard chat forum, then such a solution would probably work perfectly well. But any site that needs customisation won't work with such a setup. Same applied to hosting platforms that offer Joomla, Wordpress, Magento, Shopify etc.. if you just want to quickly throw a site up and use the built in tools than it makes it very easy as you just tell the server panel to install the package and you just use the wizard to give it a store name, select some teletext colours, then start adding content. For that home user facing simplicity is great to get them a basic install that just works.

As for Amibay trying to run a sales site using forum software the moderators need a lot of behind the scenes addons and plugins to do their jobs properly, especially moderating trades that have gone wrong and some digging is needed to untangle scams or rogue traders. In this instances a default vBulletin install doesn't offer all the tools needed. It would be brilliant if a vanilla install of vBulletin was all that was needed. It would simplify a lot.

Finding a new server is a bit of a headache, but it's doable, and I'm certain Amibay will find one within the price range.

There is a Hexicore server with 16GB ram offer on 1and1 at the moment well within the price range, but I think a lot of staff have been put off 1and1 a bit. I've been using them for over 16 years for shared and multiple dedicated servers, both for personal and client sites. If you have the money their higher priced dedicated servers are really good. Especially the root servers. But where they do fall down a bit is being such a large company. Managed server support when a server goes down can be a bit slow to respond and reboot things in a managed environment.

 

[k0x]

Your description of SaaS is mostly correct. Very often customers come to me with big eyes that they need very custom setup and in the end they are happily using SaaS.

So my question was - have you inspected service of a2hosting.com for example? Am sure they will happily provide trial.
And very often you can get extra settings or service - you just have to ask.


Lot of behind the scenes scenes - ok you describe it as dark sorcery, don't know the amibay behind the scene exactly but based on my experience no rocket science.


I cant comment on 1and1, you know them well. I don't think 1and1 is real problem here rather the project management and site administration.


Hexacore with 16GB -> please can you share url for that offering?

https://www.ionos.com/servers/managed-server#packages

 

[Harrison]

It's the UK version of the site ionos.co.uk but it's quite buried in their options. It's under dedicated servers in value server deals and called the XL6 server. £28 + VAT for a Linux Root server. An extra £10 pm for managed.

 

[k0x]

It's the UK version of the site ionos.co.uk but it's quite buried in their options. It's under dedicated servers in value server deals and called the XL6 server. £28 + VAT for a Linux Root server. An extra £10 pm for managed.

View attachment 165630

- very old platform
- rotation drives

 

[Sardine]

It's the UK version of the site ionos.co.uk but it's quite buried in their options. It's under dedicated servers in value server deals and called the XL6 server. £28 + VAT for a Linux Root server. An extra £10 pm for managed.

View attachment 165630

- very old platform
- rotation drives

but

3 times more cpu cores and probably newer more efficient and per clock performance improvement

4 times more and faster ram

mechanical drives not an issue serving vb database of 10gb with 16gb ram. It’s Amibay not eBay so that’s fine

unlimited traffic

same price we pay now


to me it’s a win win and snap it up right now



we don’t need latest tech. It’s a forum not a world of Warcraft server so i think it’s more than enough and more importantly it looks like we can afford it

Ferrari sever would be nice but we don’t need it or can afford it


Harrison can we look at taking this offer ? Managed please. I’m sure the other staff would agree

 

[davideo]

Harrison can we look at taking this offer ? Managed please. I’m sure the other staff would agree

It's an improvement on the current system.

If we find we can afford something better in the future then we can re-look at the situation.

 

[screemo]

If there's any interest, I would be happy to donate a dedicated server from Hetzner or similar to run Amibay on - they cost pretty much peanuts these days.

Something like the AX51-NVME (8core/64gb/2x1Tb NVME) would work fine - I will add the backup option too, so you can manage everything as you please.

This way I would be able to give something back

 

[Harrison]

@screemo. Can you send us more info on your generous offer? Maybe PM Merlin with more details. Things such as exactly what donating a server would mean. More details please.

- - - Updated - - -

- very old platform
- rotation drives

You are never going to get current server tech for the price we can afford.

 

[screemo]

Sure thing - pm shortly

Edit: Pm sent.

 

[k0x]

but

3 times more cpu cores and probably newer more efficient and per clock performance improvement

4 times more and faster ram

mechanical drives not an issue serving vb database of 10gb with 16gb ram. It’s Amibay not eBay so that’s fine

unlimited traffic

same price we pay now


to me it’s a win win and snap it up right now



we don’t need latest tech. It’s a forum not a world of Warcraft server so i think it’s more than enough and more importantly it looks like we can afford it

Ferrari sever would be nice but we don’t need it or can afford it


Harrison can we look at taking this offer ? Managed please. I’m sure the other staff would agree

You are comparing apples to oranges now.


Nobody is saying that you need 64 cores EPYC for Amibay. Its about how to run the site effectively.

This post just confirm historical problems here.


Mechanical drives not an issue? Please save him

- - - Updated - - -

If there's any interest, I would be happy to donate a dedicated server from Hetzner or similar to run Amibay on - they cost pretty much peanuts these days.

Something like the AX51-NVME (8core/64gb/2x1Tb NVME) would work fine - I will add the backup option too, so you can manage everything as you please.

This way I would be able to give something back

This would be great - big bow sir!

- - - Updated - - -

- very old platform
- rotation drives

You are never going to get current server tech for the price we can afford.

Sure thing, nobody but nobody talking about bleeding edge.

Better think twice about whats really needed to avoid money wasting.

 

[Merlin]

Not sure where you are pulling info about 100 sites running on the same server. The Amibay server is a fully managed dedicated server hosted in Germany by Ionos, running a Linux LAMP setup. As it's managed there is no complete root access to the whole server as the data centre take care of the actual server admin. And as it's dedicated it's a compete standalone server, not shared hosting.

Site gets fully backed up and downloaded regularly for an offline backup and the DB weekly. Plus there's daily backup on the server and a Raid setup.

As Sardine mentioned it's funds and affordability that is the biggest issue. £50 a month is realistically the max to guarantee the site can continue ticking. More donations would help secure a better solution, but we still couldn't guarantee continued income to run it monthly.

As for the rest of your questions. Need to know in regard to security and can't be discussed on an open thread. Staff with admin rights have access to full site backups they can download if needed. That's never been an issue. As are the ability to access software licenses.

Dave, I've backed up the server locally onto a spare hard drive, including the old PHBB3 and VB3 sites. The only thing I haven't downloaded is a backup from later than February 2021 and the old VB Dev area.

 

[Merlin]

I agree - the Ionos deal is too good to miss and wipes the floor with the older hardware hosts like Jolt who can't offer that spec for the price. If that's a managed server deal comparable to what we have not then let's go for it. I've messaged Dave G about it.

@ Dave W - is that server a managed LAMP setup and a decent control panel? That was a really good spot on your part, nice one.

@ All

Please bear with us while we get this ready - a lot of the add-ons and plugins that we have in VB4 aren't compatible with VB5, as Dave W says. We need to get a vanilla setup running, then see what we can use in the addons. We may also need to squash a few bugs that are slowing the SQL queries down in the database.

 

[davideo]

I agree - the Ionos deal is too good to miss and wipes the floor with the older hardware hosts like Jolt who can't offer that spec for the price. If that's a managed server deal comparable to what we have not then let's go for it. I've messaged Dave G about it.

Done. On a rolling monthly contract so can be cancelled if we need to.

 

[THoR]

so who do we pay Donations to. Even if the active peeps looking at puter porn £1 a month would help out i guess, maybe even a £1 a qaurter, peeps do get to buy and sell stuff here its the least to ask from them surely. Running a gaming site a few years back we had 12 active admins paying 5 each for both website and gaming servers. myself running the server website stuff.(freeofcourse)

 

[Merlin]

Donations should be paid to our Paypal account at donations@amibay.com.