Server load issues/lag

my browser keeps on getting stuck on the
"transferring data from ping.chartbeat.net" in the bottom left of the latest Firefox browser, causing pages to load really slow. about 30 secs. And it started to do it today.

Just thought i'd mention it see if anyone else is having the same problem

for added info i use
Xp Pro SP2
Spybot - search and destroy
Spyware Blaster
avg anti virus (latest free version)

all of which are the latest updated versions.

stopped doing it now. typical.

chartbeat I'm using to tell me when the server is being overloaded and the page loads are deteriorating.

In fact, it's why I'm online fixing stuff right now.

Problems in the last 30 minutes to an hour are definitely down to server load. This server, the LFGSS one.

The chartbeat is probably just the last thing fetched and showing in the status bar.

If you have any reason to suspect it's screwing you around... install AdBlock and block it. It won't help you though... the LFGSS server is the weak link.

Kill it.

with a stick.

thanks. Not me then.

Don't mind me though, u carry on killing that thing with a stick.

Server load just got up 76. Fun times.

Managed to drag it back down to 2, which for a Dual CPU machine is about perfect. All should be fine now.

Ive notice the last week the same thing, Im on dial up which is slow anyway but the last week its been *excruciatingly *slow... the "ping chartbeat.net" seems to hold the page ( even early hours of the a.m when its quiet ) and I can wait up to 4 mins for a page to load instead of the normal 2 ... in the last week Ive started getting this error to...

Database error The London Fixed-gear and Single-speed database has encountered a problem. Please try the following:

• Load the page again by clicking the Refresh button in your web browser.
  
• Open the www.londonfgss.com home page, then try to open another page.
  

• Click the Back button to try another link.

      The [www.londonfgss.com](http://www.londonfgss.com) forum technical staff have been notified of the error, though you may <david.kitchen@gmail.com> if the problem persists.        
  

  We apologise for any inconvenience.

Yup. Me again.

The server is becoming increasingly overloaded, and then the database times out.

I'm just restarting it to see if it helps.

Very annoying lag times. When it happens, I'm going to thrash the refresh button until it goes away.

Very annoying lag times. When it happens, I'm going to thrash the refresh button until it goes away.

Idiot. All you'll be doing is making the server go slower.

The issue is concurrency and speed of read/writes. The server at peak (between 9am and 11pm) maintains an almost constant demand of around 3 or 4 web pages per second, each with about 20 items (so 60 to 80 file requests per second), and about 12 database calls each (so 35 > 50 database queries per second).

These numbers aren't huge, but they're enough that on this single server that has SQL, Web Server, Email, etc... that it can create a queue of things to do. That queue is cleared in the order it arrives, but the lag is the length of the queue and the ability of the server to clear the queue.

I've gone through that rather simplistically... but there's no benefit in making the queue longer when you're experiencing lag. Most notably because all you're doing is putting yourself at the back of the queue.

^ 3.30ish a.m this morning was hell... 5 min to get onto the "what are you listening to" thread

patience fail :/

:)

Well, I've disabled chartbeat... let's see if that makes a difference. My expectation... no difference at all.

I'm currently investigating a second server and hosting in London to help with all of this, this server is going weak under the load.

Do we need to raise some more funds? Perhaps it's time to put the T-shirt competition to the vote.

I'm looking to the T-Shirt competition to save our arses and to physically pay for a server or two rather than renting one.

Unfortunately I think most people are treating the T-Shirts as a laugh, which kinda limits the potential revenue and possibility of paying for hardware.

The current rental server is costing about £110 > £120 per month (exchange rate is the variable), and is starting to feel woefully under powered for the task.

It's not a bad server, but with a single box I'm unable to distribute what load there is in any meaningful way (it's all got to be done, and the one server has to do it all).

I can hire a second box, but that puts us at £220 > £240 per month... which is loads. And for what we've paid in our 2 years existence we could've been on our own hardware and not be facing this problem or recurring fees.

So my big hope is that selling cool T-shirts that you guys want, could possibly produce a couple of grand from which to purchase 2 rack servers, and then the only ongoing cost would be monthly rackspace and bandwidth... which should be lower than the cost of renting this one server whilst giving us a much faster experience.

or we could kill all newbies with a stick. it must be their fault.

I guess we need to start pushing the t-shirt thing then. I for one, would definitely buy the joker & life behind bars shirts. Maybe even the one you can colour in so there must be other people willing to fork out!

I certainly would be willing to go for some of the designs.

Is there a way that we can subscribe to a donation reminder? Something elective that send a PM to remind us that we haven't donated in a while. I'm quite interested in donating regularly (every six months or so) but honestly won't remember how long ago I last donated.

Also, I don't thrash the refresh button. I may well be dumb, but not quite that dumb.

Yet

Have you tried turning it off and on again? ;)

What are these TShirts? Am I missing something(probably!)

Have you tried turning it off and on again? ;)

What are these TShirts? Am I missing something(probably!)

Top right of every page.... "ongoing: T-shirt design competition"

Have you tried turning it off and on again? ;)

Shockingly yes.

Twice.

As it's a Xen virtual machine it rebooted so fast I didn't believe it.

So I rebooted it again.

Im not complaining David :) just observing...

dial up is the major culprit I suspect

Clearly time to make some cash. Lets do the Ts asap..

I'll buy a shirt AND kill newbies with a stick. But which option first?

Could we design newbies and sell them dressed in t-shirts? Would probably get more money for them than t-shirts alone.

If this is not a goer, put me down for a t-shirt. XL.