Server down period

[SONSiVRi]

There was a misunderstanding between hosting company. Now, it is sorted out. Everything is back to normal.

I have to create a way to announce "what is up" if server has a problem again. Which way you think is the best?

[pickit2]

And here is me thinking I done this... see post #32
http://www.edaboard.com/thread150947-2.html

[SB7]

Whew, I thought PRQ had been raided again by the Swedish thought police LOL

[Parmin]

I am glad we are back, thanks for your hard work SONSiVRi

A blog site may be good for the announcement location if server is down.

[PaulC]

suddenly my panic attack has gone away, and everything is back to normal..
exceptional work..

[jumpstart]

well I've only been here for a few weeks and this may be my first post, so I'd just like to say that Sonsivri has a really helpful community and I was worried that it was gone after such a short
relationship. You would have been missed, but I'm glad your back.
 
Thanks for all you do.

[LithiumOverdosE]

Simply back up user database from time to time. In case of emergency it shouldn't be too much of a problem to form a mailing list and announce to all what's the situation.

Another solution is to setup another entirely separate forum but with no content. If user database is copied there then it shouldn't be a problem for everybody to get there and simply continue where they left. The only conundrum is extra work and backup hosting.

[varun]

Simply back up user database from time to time. Have each other contacts like mail id especially Sonsivri and PICKIT2 as well as other admins so that the information chain can continue and information is spread even in case of server shutdown until sonsivri come up with other server!!


If admins agree I can help in maintaining the database for users mail ids in case of server maintenance or shutdown. Need admins help for this.

[CocaCola]

Keep an up to date mirror the database and forum on another server out of public view (behind a user/pass shield) with no public access to said forum, if and when the main site goes down, you can access the mirrored forum and send out an announcement to all members from the ghost forum...

This mirror can even been done locally on a home based sever, to eliminate any additional hosting cost...

[solutions]

"If admins agree I can help in maintaining the database for users mail ids in case of server maintenance or shutdown. Need admins help for this."

Lists are dangerous and should be held by a very select few, if any at all, and most definitely not be handed out to any member, no matter how genuine, kind, generous and well intending, IMO.  When the guys with dark suits and sunglasses start shoving bamboo splinters under the fingernails, the list will then be released to stupid people.

I suggest a simple posting somewhere like a public EDA board where we can just go look to see what happened, and to see where the forum went if it winds up being hosted on a desert island with a different IP address.

In any case, I was getting into a serious anxiety and panic attack for the past couple of days, so am glad to have our little playground back and it's good to see the cat didn't poop in the sandbox.

[Catcatcat]

I am glad that the forum is back to work. I would like to be that there were a certain reserve forum where users could find out what happened. Or at least, when the forum started to work, came to the letter, that everything is OK.
Basically, if it gets too bad, you can try to move the forum to the server DTS.NET.UA, with them, so I think we can agree. My website on it to be.

[zab]

Thanks God,
Sonsivri is back. I missed it too much. It has got a very special place in my heart. There should be a way to know what has happened to our forum. EDA is good option. http://www.edaboard.com/thread150947.html .The post, I checked was not updated in time . I suggest an immediate announcement need to be there.Mail is also a good option.
Thanks sonsivri again for giving us our beloved forum back.

[varun]

"If admins agree I can help in maintaining the database for users mail ids in case of server maintenance or shutdown. Need admins help for this."

Lists are dangerous and should be held by a very select few, if any at all, and most definitely not be handed out to any member, no matter how genuine, kind, generous and well intending, IMO.  When the guys with dark suits and sunglasses start shoving bamboo splinters under the fingernails, the list will then be released to stupid people.

I suggest a simple posting somewhere like a public EDA board where we can just go look to see what happened, and to see where the forum went if it winds up being hosted on a desert island with a different IP address.

In any case, I was getting into a serious anxiety and panic attack for the past couple of days, so am glad to have our little playground back and it's good to see the cat didn't poop in the sandbox.

I'm fine with edaboard!! But I personally sent sonsivri a message on edaboard but I think he is not active in edaboard. As an another suggestion open a blog for sonsivri.

[Cyberrat]

A simple facebook account ought to do it.
Or even twitter.

[Catcatcat]

Twitter support, it is necessary to make an account on Twitter sonsivri.to

[varun]

Twitter support, it is necessary to make an account on Twitter sonsivri.to

sonsivri.to twitter account exists but defunct. Facebook might be an option too

[Magnox]

Great to have Sonsivri back! (I knew you would be back)

I agree about 'no lists' and a simple announcement somewhere is best, if possible. But then, this gave us a chance to practice patience (to almost Buddhist-like proportions) and see if there is actually anything else to do with our time...

[solutions]

A simple facebook account ought to do it.
Or even twitter.

Yes - feed our activity straight into the US government's filters...see how long the forum lasts when it gets on their radar.

Google, Facebook, and Twitter, and now Skype (thanks to Microsoft "buying them" and then routing all calls through a central, tappable, server) are ALL intelligence feeds.

I can't even travel anymore without Google notifying me that someone tried to log into my accounts from elsewhere - they want to verify I'm traveling (as if they care about my emails).

My advice is stay off those idiot feeds and don't make the job, of screwing you over, easier for the rich people.

[g57]

I think a simple public eda Board announcement would be the best, according to solution's #9 post

[SONSiVRi]

Email list is not handed nor will be to anyone. Using email is not a vice choice to notify people.

Public accessible place should be ok. But we can't trust some other forum to do that.

[techno]

Twitter support, it is necessary to make an account on Twitter sonsivri.to

welcome again sonsivri, twitter account is necessary to have news about the forum.

[LithiumOverdosE]

Public accessible place should be ok. But we can't trust some other forum to do that.

Well, that was the point of suggestion to simply put copy of Sonsivri forum (no posts, just forum with posting options turned off). If its database of users is synched with Sonsivri original then any user can go there, login with their current user/pass and read the announcements (not public). Also if things go bad permanently for Sonsivri original then admin just need to enable posting on backup forum and everything can continue (some data might be lost but it can be reposted as needed). I know of very long living forums who used same scheme successfully.

The beauty of such approach is that Sonsivri backup forum would be empty of any posts so no reason for legal actions. Also when it's on another hoster (let's say in Russia or Ukraine) there is no way for Svedes to cut off access. Basically it's a turn key solution. Just give option to turn the lights on in another play room to admin and supermods so in even in case even when admin might fall (sorry Sonsivri but I have to be blunt here) one of the supermods can simply turn on backup forum and life continues as usual. I can vouch first handedly that such approach is viable and does work.


In any case some emergency system must be devised and soon. I mean all of us here are engineers of some kind. I think we should be able to prove that we can solve rational challenges like this one. If we're not able to come up with solution then we could just as well wipe our collective asses with all of our knowledge.  

That's IMO of course.  

[tanveerriaz]

welcome back

[Bobbla]

I'm no technical wizard, but would it be possible to have the DNS point sonsivri.to to a specific pastebin message? If its possible, a message on pastebin can tell us of any other problems. Unless there is no redirect, then we know that it might indicate a DNS problem. Well, unless SONSIVRI is in the news... wearing handcuffs. But I guess we can consider ourselves informed at that point..

I think this might be a good solution because it does not involve costly backups or information trails.. well, I guess pastebin can log everyone that has viewed that post.. but I guess you could link to a piratebay torrent POST then, with no content.. just an explanation in the comments... or something... 4chan?


wish there was a website for this kind of things.. (message from website admins...)

btw... how do we know that you are really you SONSIVRI?? maybe your an impostor who has taken over the site?? are you wearing a suit?

[SONSiVRi]

A public announcement place is still logical to me. If you ask why;

I can setup a new forum anytime we need. We shouldn't make it online for 'just in case'. It will take 4-5 days to run our forum from nothing. I get backup everyday. I wrote a Unix shell script which gets database backup on daily basis and sends it to safe place. Forum content doesn't get lost if anything happens. There is a slight problem though; attachments. These are files and not saved in database. I couldn't find enough time to develop a script which makes incremental backup.

To keep a second forum up and synchronized is not so easy. I have to add extra bandwidth and codes to achieve that. Also a dedicated server as powerful as this one is not cheap.

We can't manage DNS if site has a hosting problem. Also DNS changing takes 1-2 days to replicate itself on over the world.

Mods can tell you its me or not. To make sure mods didn't get imposter too, check pickit

As long as we have a place, there is no reason for me to fall. Even so, there are people who will take care of the forum which is done in 10 years of our history.

[LithiumOverdosE]

Good points. I would be content with such solution but if no database is saved at some secure location accessible to admins/supermods/whomeverisrelevant at the moment backup forum is opened there would be no way for members to prove their identities.

So IMO your solution is good provided that there is a secure backup of some sort accessible to replacement crew. And you don't have to fall necessarily. You could get hit by a bus. Who knows what could happen. In case I mentioned admin was quite suddenly mobilised into army and if supermod didn't have access to key components forum would eventually die. It's just an example and I honestly wish you long and prosperous life.  

[pickit2]

Mods can tell you its me or not. To make sure mods didn't get imposter too, check pickit

He is the only one, I can't mute..

[LithiumOverdosE]

He is the only one, I can't mute..

Forums are not democracy (if there ever was one). 

[Magnox]

Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner...

[dead_chess]

welcome back!
edaboard is a good options, it was already used in past for this purpose...also an IRC chan should be nice for emergency and normal activity...

[LithiumOverdosE]

@Magnox

Good analogy. 


@dead_chess

Relying on another forum? Perhaps if it were arranged directly with Gulson to keep a sticky of some sort. Otherwise any Elektroda mod can simply delete the thread on a whim.

[SONSiVRi]

Access to all necessary forum information is provided to a specific person. If anything happens, you won't notice the difference. As it happened before.

[yoda]

I'm happy you're back again SONSiVRi, missed you already.
I kept an eye on EDAboard to find out what was going on.

[LithiumOverdosE]

Access to all necessary forum information is provided to a specific person. If anything happens, you won't notice the difference. As it happened before.

Good to know. Thx Sonsivri!

[asam]

Great to see the site back!

There are Onion sites and Freenet, which are publicly accessible and leaves minimal trace. PGP signing can also be used to authenticate the identities of admins. But a simple dormant Twitter account is still best.

[Ichan]

Browsing internet is not complete without visiting Sonsivri 

Welcome back.

-ichan.

[LithiumOverdosE]

So, what's the backup plan?

[SONSiVRi]

I have tried couple of URL redirection services. The most used one doesn't have a support team behind. I can't create an account there, nobody even answers.

I've decided to buy another domain and a small hosting package. This way we can stay connected.