Site Problem: Please Read!

[Freebird]

As most of you know, the VentureRider site was down for several hours last night. There was no problem with our actual site but with our server host. I contacted them and was informed that the server had been hit with a "denial of service attack". You can search google to find out exactly what that means but basically it means that somebody was sending a LOT of bogus validation requests and simply overwhelmed the server so that it could not respond. We are on a shared host so that does not mean that we were specifically attacked, just the server that we are on.

 

That being said, this morning I had an email from our host telling me that our specific site had been disabled due to very high resource usage. I don't know if that was related to the other or if it was because so many people were trying to connect at the same time or what. It was followed about a hour later with an email telling me that service had been restored and no further information.

 

I am trying to play it safe until I know a bit more about what is going on. This morning I disabled several features that were nice but that we can do without for now. You may notice that the box that shows "who has read a thread" and also who is browsing a thread is missing. Those things are fairly server resource heavy so I have turned them off for now. I have also decreased the "cookie" time back to the default of 15 minutes. This will be an inconvenience for some of you. What it means is that you will be automatically logged out after 15 minutes of inactivity. I had previously increased that number due to requests from a few members but it too increases the load on the server and though I truly want to accommodate all the requests that I can, I have to do what I can for now to reduce our server load.

 

I've made a few other small changes also that will probably not be noticed by anybody. If you see something working differently and are wondering why, just ask and I'll check on it and see if it is something that I did.

 

My worry here is that we the growth of our club, we are outgrowing our shared hosting. This worries me because the only solution then would be to move to a dedicated host where we would be on our own server. That means MONEY MONEY MONEY. A dedicated host is a LOT more money than being on a shared host. On a shared host, there could be a hundred or more sites and all those sites share the cost of the server, bandwidth, etc. I truly hope that it doesn't come to that because I honestly will not be able to afford it without your help. I'm still looking into it but a dedicated host will likely run in the $200.00 per month range.

 

I'm not asking for anything at this time. I have always been committed to keeping this site free and that is still my intention. It may reach the point though that they only way I can do that is if some of you truly help out. All I am asking at this time is that you give it some thought and help me to come up with some solutions and the best way to proceed if a dedicated host becomes a requirement.

 

Thanks,

Don

[bill04]

Thanks Don for the info ,and if it comes to that I for one am willing this site as got to survive ....

[yamahamer]

HERE IF YOU NEED US! IF ONLY HALF OF US GAVE $5.00 A YEAR THAT WOULD COVER SERVER. JUST SAY THE WORD.

[Sweetnothing]

I'm thinking:confused24:...will let you know if I come up with something:)

And, Thanks Boss!!

[Cinderella]

well look at it this way...there are at least 200 members who frequent the site regularly...

 

so at $1 a month ...it would be a piece of cake to make the payment required for your own server.

Certainly everyone can afford that......

and you know that most would send more......

 

geez $12 a year is a bargain for this site.

[Redneck]

thats good news I figured you had had enough of me and banned me.

[RoadKill]

I have no problem with an annual fee. Even if it was $50-$100. I would like to suggest if we have to go to a dedicated service that those of us that want to volunteer to pay. No one but Don ever needs to know who pays, but we would need to committ before he makes a committment. In this way no memeber is obligated or is meant to feel like an inferior member because they don't pay.

 

Just my 2.

 

Jay

[1sttenor]

I'm in for whatever we need to do!

[BOO]

Sounds like our server is more of the problem than our site. If it had an attack that is one thing but I can't imagine you (Don) had so many emails in the middle of the night to cause a problem.

I would think a few corrections to the site, that you have already taken should correct anything our site is doing to the server for the time being. I see right a way there are probably only 1/2 the amount of members logged on this morning and I would credit that to the time out function Don just put into effect. I know some people leave their computers on all the time and stay logged into sites, I'm not sure how much pressure that puts on the server but it must be some. I know some of the local ISP's charge extra for that sort of thing.

I would hate to see it go to a pay site but if that is what has to happen then so be it.

Jerry

[Stratcat]

Just let us know what you need, we're here for you like you have been for us!

[cecdoo]

Thanks for the info, I was having a heck of a time with the site yesterday, now I know why. I would be happy to help with the costs, but I could be just as happy with alot less features, all the extras on the site are nice, but are they really necessary. Craig

[Condor]

I'm ready anytime you are Don. Just tell me when to paypal. On the 15min log off issue. I use the 'new post' feature a lot, and I sometimes get pulled away from the computor for other things, when I get back to reading the posts I'll loose a lot of the listings because I've been recycled..... If there were some way to keep the list active without increasing the log in time, it would work for me.

[Eugene]

Hey Don - I'm in for any costs - the chat room alone is worth it!!!!!!

[Yama Mama]

You say what you need and we will follow!

 

Mama:bighug:

[Squeeze]

I'm ready anytime you are Don. Just tell me when to paypal. On the 15min log off issue. I use the 'new post' feature a lot, and I sometimes get pulled away from the computor for other things, when I get back to reading the posts I'll loose a lot of the listings because I've been recycled..... If there were some way to keep the list active without increasing the log in time, it would work for me.

 

I sincerly second Jack's Statement, on both Issues !!

[chollahan]

This is the only site I would be up to paying for. So whatever we need to do, I'm in.

[Skid]

Thanks Don for all of your work. This site is worth a fortune to most of us and a wealth of information. I can understand that you want to keep in free to all and I agree. Fees would run alot of people off at first, then we would be losing good valable information they took with them. But it does cost someone to operate a website like this. I'm sure several memebers would be willing to donate what they could.

As for everyone else, just remember there is already a free DONATION button at the top..... feel free to use it.

[SilvrT]

A monthly fee is ok with me too.

 

A suggestion though, Don, maybe some thought should be given to moving the site to a different hosting company? Is it possible that your current hosting company is not keeping their servers up to date? .... hardware is getting old? ... etc. There are all kinds of reason's there that might be "jamming up" their servers. Just yesterday I transferred our email hosting to a different supplier because the one we were with was continuously having problems and emails were always slow arriving from the source. I did a lot of "debugging" to ensure it was the hosting company. Today, emails arrive almost instantaneously thru the new host.

 

N-E-Wayz .... just a thought.

[BigD]

I like Roadkill's idea. I'm on this site everyday and would be more than willing to commit myself to an Annual fee. The knowledge and ideas I receive from the members here are priceless. Count me in Don on whatever you decide.

[kbran]

I would be willing to help. Can't do without the daily java.

[sdive]

I don't post a lot but do read everyday so I as well am willing to donat to this cause because this is a great site and resourse.

 

Ron:scubadive:

[Moakster]

Don, what ever we can do to help keep the site up is fine with me. With the number of members we have it should be no problem to go to a dedicated site if we have to.

 

Moakster

[Ponch]

Freebird, whether you go with the new server or not, I'm sure there are expenses. So I suggest that those of us who can, DONATE!

 

[noahzark]

Don,

 

Just checked the PayPal donation site and realized there's no way to commit to several donations over time. That is, instead of making a one-time donation, set up a series of payments. This would be very convenient for donors and would give you a warm-fuzzy about income consistency--all voluntarily.

 

Any way you can arrange this?

 

Just a thought.

Edited May 7, 2008 by noahzark

[BuddyRich]

Start with a say, 10 dollars a year "site maintenance" donation request. Send it out with the email people get when joining but say its not required. Then send out a reminder once a year on the members joined date.

Now as an incentive add the features such as seeing who has read a thread and the chat room to all those that have paid the site maintenance fee.

You can state its not required but due to the extra load for the requested features a fee is needed to pay for the bandwidth and equipment. Which is the truth...

Now the 2 edged sword. When people pay for something they sometimes believe they have more right to do or say what they please. In which case a refund of a prorated amount will gladly be given to anyone that you wind up banning (which has only happened like 3 times I think).

I chose a low figure as I know you don't want to make money off the site but you should not have to pay for it all either. Its gonna be more work but I think we moderators can pitch in with the user setup and such unless you can automate it with the vbulletin software.