CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

**kal** · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:40 pm Post subject:

Sort of. It's semi-dedicated.

Meaning that our website runs in it's own isolated environment (like a virtual machine) and doesn't share software with anyone else. So the mail server, mySQL database, Apache, etc, are all "mine" to configure any way I like.

More info on my hosts semi-dedicated packages: http://www.atcihosting.com/semi-dedicated.php

I know why you're asking SC as that's an odd error to get if everything is co-located on the same server: Apache (the web server) is still responding and talking to your browser to pass on the message from the forum software (phpBB) that the backend database is not responding. That's a bit odd as it's not network related but server/application related and everything's on the same box (and I'm not messing with anything). Smile

Even though there's not much to go on here I'm going to open up a trouble ticket with them as it seems there's been a big increase in timeouts and other odd issues from around the world for everyone over the last couple of weeks. Maybe there's something they can monitor or possibly some log information can point them in the right direction. (Support is extremely good and the techs are on the ball - if this was 1&1 I wouldn't even bother).

Kal

ecrabb · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 10:17 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I figured the site was probably running "semi-dedicated" in a VM - And, that is why I asked. Not because I thought the php server and web server were on different boxes and there was a network issue - that should result in more consistent outages. These outages seem to be very short-lived and very inconsistent as far as time of day, length of outage, etc.

That makes me inclined to think that maybe the hardware is over-utilized. Something is hogging the CPU - either another site, too many sites at once, something - and it's preventing the curtpalme servers from fulfilling requests.

I think opening a trouble ticket is a good idea. Even if there isn't a chronic problem right now, I'd say there will be soon. ATCI needs some visibility of the issue, because it would seem that whatever monitoring they're doing currently hasn't caught what appears to be a serious (or will be soon) QoS issue. That, or they're ignoring it. Probably not, though as it sounds like you're pretty impressed with them, and the site has been surprisingly trouble free for a LONG time, now.

SC

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:18 am Post subject:

I haven't had it now in a few days, but when I posted, it was happening daily.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:24 am Post subject:

Wonder if that was a west coast problem?

**kal** · Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 5:02 am Post subject:

Hey guys, next time you experience a problem, can you open up a DOS prompt and run the command " tracert www.curtpalme.com " and post the whole results here? Thanks!

This'll help isolate if the problem is server or (external) networking problem.

Our web hosting company had this to say a few minutes after I opened up a trouble ticket:

"The server was rebooted earlier today which would explain your site being unreachable for a few minutes during the reboot process. Would it be possible to run a trace route the next time you are experiencing a timeout? I would like to determine if it is a network issue or a server issue. I took a look at the other 5 customers on the server and they are barely using any resources or bandwidth. We have script running that monitor the services and processes on the server, but we have not been notified of any issues recently. We will keep an eye on the load for the next couple days to see if any issues come up."

Kal

Tom.W · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 6637

Kal your link errors out for me every time ?

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Using-Tracert.html

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 6:05 am Post subject:

Ha, I just experianced one. I had to click a 2nd time. Ohhh the inconvenience. Very Happy

I'll tracrt and see what happens.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 6:08 am Post subject:

It timed out at my conection to my cable modem. Different issue all together. Man it was fast through Chicago. Must be the wind Mr. Green

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10273

What target IP is everyone conducting traces to? I do this on a daily basis (part of being WANman).

**kal** · Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 3:17 pm Post subject:

wallace123456 · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 2236 Location: Northwest VA area

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 12:59 am Post subject:

Must be my shining personality. The server just likes me. I keep it bussy and give it somthing to do :megreen:

**kal** · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:22 pm Post subject:

Nobody's posted any trace routes when the problem's happening... does that mean that the problem's gone away for those that were having problems before?

Kal

ecrabb · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:26 pm Post subject:

Nope. Hasn't happened again to me since you posted that request, Kal.

Hmmm.... Methinks ATCI fixed something that was busted.

SC

**kal** · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:28 pm Post subject:

Nope. I posted here because they contacted me again to see if there were any updates on tracert's. If they had found something they would have told me. These guys are really open/honest.

Kal

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:35 pm Post subject:

It has to me, but I've also seen it from other sites, such as my bank, so I 'm guessing it's something at my end, even though the message at the bottom reads 'waiting for www.curtpalme.com', or 'waiting for www.vancity.com'.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 5:10 am Post subject:

I had a slight delay in loading tonight. For a second there I didn't think I would make the 10000th post!

wallace123456 · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 2236 Location: Northwest VA area

Here:

Tracing route to curtpalme.com [198.64.153.6]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 * * * Request timed out.
2 26 ms 24 ms 24 ms 10.27.12.1
3 25 ms 25 ms 25 ms gr-0-1-0-0.CORE-RTR1.FRED.verizon-gni.net [130.81.135.50]
4 29 ms 27 ms 29 ms so-2-1-2-0.BB-RTR1.RES.verizon-gni.net [130.81.20.152]
5 31 ms 28 ms 29 ms 0.so-3-2-0.XT1.DCA6.ALTER.NET [152.63.39.169]
6 32 ms 29 ms 31 ms 0.so-6-0-0.XL3.IAD8.ALTER.NET [152.63.0.138]
7 31 ms 33 ms 30 ms 0.ge-6-0-0.BR2.IAD8.ALTER.NET [152.63.41.149]
8 32 ms * 31 ms xe-4-4.r04.asbnva01.us.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.250.8.65]
9 31 ms 30 ms 33 ms ae-1.r21.asbnva01.us.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.250.2.88]
10 34 ms 31 ms 31 ms xe-1-1.r01.stngva01.us.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.250.2.85]
11 33 ms 30 ms 33 ms mg-1.c20.stngva01.us.da.verio.net [129.250.28.204]
12 31 ms 34 ms 34 ms 161.58.157.61
13 32 ms 34 ms 30 ms curtpalme.com [198.64.153.6]

Trace complete.

wallace

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 5:24 am Post subject:

Seems your modem or router is slow there Don!

Tom.W · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 6637

Still getting time outs here also ...