Server Cpu isn't cutting it anymore

My suggestion is to move the whole site to a VPS hosting party, so that in cases like this the "CPU" could be adjusted on the fly: http://www.cloudvps.nl (patriot act free)

 

I'm pretty sure assembler likes to own the server that this site is hosted on. That prevents any sort of service provider from imposing their will on the available content.

 

Using a VPS or physically having your own server at a data center, won't make any difference on the service provider imposing their will. If you host data which attracts bad attention, the company maintaining the connection will knock on your door anyway.

 

Yes, but the difference is with the server physically in your hands, you can refuse to answer the door ;-)

 

Seeing that the rate between members and visitors is about 1:10, it may be a solution to severely limit the access to the forum for visitors.

 

But without visitors, how do you expect to get new members?

 

What's burning most of those cycles? Maybe it's a feature only a handful of users would miss.

Maybe moving the DB to another, less used machine could help, at least as a stopgap?

How about installing something like Varnish to cache pages for guests? Might as well show all of them the same page, since there's nothing user specific for them anyways.

 

What socket does the server take? I assume you would go to a newer CPU unless you plan to upgrade the whole system. I have a Core2quad if it will fit the server I would be happy to donate it.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115041
^^^ details here.

 

nginx

 

Yes, much more lightweight than apache.

 

As other have mentioned, i'm sure some of us wouldn't mind donating a newer CPU or something

 

You interested in buying a server? I have a dual quad-core 2.4GHZ sunfire x2200 M2 w/ 16GB of RAM(Max 32). It would include 2x 72GB SAS HDDs, but I assume those wouldn't be enough. I paid 50USD for it locally and would let it go for that + shipping.

 

You dont own the server and you dont own the connection its on - yet somehow you are protected?

If someone has beef with whats on the site, they can get the people who provide the bandwidth to turn it off. If the server is rented, I dont see what protection you have there either. They can just go to who owns the hardware.

That argument aside, optimization is what you need to do. Not that you will listen (see signature).

 

Intel Xeon W3520 (4 cores 8 threads) @ 2.66ghz
16gb Ram
2x 2TB SATA hard drives

$42 a month

Link: So You Start

So You Start are run by OVH who are very well known in Europe, they have been expanding to the US / Canada over the last couple of years too.

For £30 a month i have no complaints and have bandwidth to spare, despite running 4x VM's on the box and some pretty intensive websites.

 

OVH? Haven't used them myself yet, but heard good things.

They seem to have no US based data centers though, closest one is in Canada, eh - no idea if that might be a problem for this site.