when to upgrade server
I currently have my site on a hosted virtual private server. At the moment we seem to have no problems with download times etc. As a novice webmaster however I am not sure what performance criteria to look at to make the decision to upgrade to a more robust server.
We are considering advertising that may triple of quadruple the current number of visitors and pageviews (currently about 1100 unique visitors and 19-20,000 page views per day). So I want to anticipate the requirements needed to handle the load increase before a crisis develops. What do I need to do to help determine what my needs will be?
Thanks for any suggestions.
zollet posted this at 06:47 — 9th April 2003.
He has: 1,016 posts
Joined: May 2002
What is your current server specs and also what is the average server load (you can get server load by typing 'w' when logged in via Telnet/SSH)?
andy206uk posted this at 08:51 — 9th April 2003.
He has: 1,758 posts
Joined: Jul 2002
get a bandwidth report from your ISP... if your current load multiplied by four is more than your monthly allowence then it may be wise to upgrade your site.
Andy
cafe posted this at 12:40 — 9th April 2003.
They have: 2 posts
Joined: Apr 2003
My load average is 1.45,1.35,1.13.
zollet posted this at 17:29 — 9th April 2003.
He has: 1,016 posts
Joined: May 2002
Andy, bandwidth is no reason to change server when you can easily save all the trouble of moving and just purchase more bandwidth.
cafe,
That is a high load (especially if the server runs on a single CPU). If your traffic is going to increase as much as you've mentioned, I suggest you purchase/rent a powerful dedicated server. Email me if you need help or simply want more info.
Cheers.
Brian Farkas posted this at 01:30 — 10th April 2003.
They have: 1,015 posts
Joined: Apr 1999
I tend to disagree, somewhat - bandwidth could be a reason to change servers, as once you start using too much your site also tends to use up system resources, making it unfit for a shared hosting environment... The extra bandwidth charges also make it more viable for you to purchase a dedicated server. I would suggest purchasing a server from a company who will provide support if you are not familiar with managing dedicated servers, as if you don't do this you will likely soon find yourself in "over your head". Good luck!
Brian
zollet posted this at 06:29 — 10th April 2003.
He has: 1,016 posts
Joined: May 2002
Brian,
Then your problem is not bandwidth, it's system resources.
It's not because you're using too much bandwidth that your server load goes up, it's because you have many visitors browsing your site. Bandwidth is irrelative unless you're moving because you need more bandwidth and you've found a better deal.
andy206uk posted this at 10:15 — 10th April 2003.
He has: 1,758 posts
Joined: Jul 2002
What i was trying to say, is that most hosting providers have a bandwidth limit, if you go over that they charge you or if their a naff hosting provider they'll cap your site, and it will go down completly when your over the allowence.
If you estimate your going to go over the bandwidth allowence then it "may" be a good move to change hosting providers or get a dedicated server.
Andy
zollet posted this at 17:15 — 10th April 2003.
He has: 1,016 posts
Joined: May 2002
Andy, I couldn't disagree with you more. If you're happy with your current web host and you know beforehand that you're going to use more bandwidth, then why not simply purchase more bandwidth or upgrade to a bigger package (or a dedicated server) instead of going through the pain of changing web host? It's not like the web hosts have their bandwidth limits written in stone or anything. You can get as much bandwidth as you need as long as you pay for it.
Anyways, "perhaps" you mean what I'm saying.
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