As most people here know by now, 500servers have been around for 4 1/2 years.

I'll be honest, When i started all this up i was not expecting to actually last (at the time there was at least 2 server hosters who were out to dominate LFS). For some reason though, those companies folded. and i managed to survive that first year.

Since then things have obviously grown, Unfortunately whilst things have grown i have not been as tidy with the changes as i should have been, Now that bothers me and i feel its time to set things right, As it stands from my point of view i see 1 of the boxes as being overloaded and in a bit of a state. Those on the server (81.19.209.205) have probably noticed below-par performance.

Tonight i intend to put that right, Tonight i intend to re-organise the servers, Control panel and billing system.

so what is going to happen:

• 500Servers New (an updated version of current) billing system will be installed and all packages / billing details will be transfered over manually (old invoices / records will be available in an archive).
  

• TCAdmin Control Panel (500control.co.uk) is going to be re-installed with a new database (will be setting everything back up from scratch) and moved to a new machine, The database for the control panel will also be moved onto the same machine (currently its hosted remotely which makes no sense when the remote server is down and makes the control panel useless!)
  

• 81.19.209.205 server and 81.19.209.208 server will be wiped clean (don't worry all files / configs will be backed up remotely before hand). Once this is done the servers will be re-configured for use with LFS.
  

Once all of the above is done everybodys services will be re-installed using the fresh install of the control panel.

What this means?
For the most part you will not notice a difference in the way things look. However you should hopefully notice increased performance abd a tidier (for some at least) File manager

How will this affect me? what about my server IP / Port?
As we will be installing effectively new services and then copying over your configurations your server IP / Ports will be different. However all your server details (IP / Port / Host path / http path) will be available in a new link on your control panel that will have all those details available for you.


What will be backed up:
Server configs (setup.cfg + cfg.txt)
Layouts
Insim applications (all associated files)

What will not be backed up:
Replays
old backups.

when will this happen, how long will it take?

This is happening Tonight between 11PM - 4AM Actual server downtime will be between 10 minutes and 2 hours (effectively depending on wether your surname begins with an A or a Z)


Anymore questions: ask away.

Nice to hear, though I'm not sure of which Server addresses is which in 500servers. The one that is untidy and all the rest, which is that? And will this effect Web hosting?

this won't affect the web hosting at all (thats been kept preety nicely)

both of those servers listed are fairly bad at this stage but the one ending in .205 is deffinately worse.

Theres alot of old services and insims on those machines and some are still running (when they should not be). Its just time to do it right basically, making it so that when things do need to be moved / removed its not going to do any harm.

Well, then I can only say "good luck" and hand you a can of bug repellent

lol 3j.

Cheers

Dean, your saying you actually need to improve your servers? Hehe.

Besides small lag here and there amazing.

Glad to see you advancing for our benefit.

quick FYI

3J's Bug repellent ran out and ran into a snag whilst doing preperation on the billing system, By the time i got everything sorted it was already 3am so the main work has been delayed till the same time tonight.

Will this conflict with control panel or servers?

Yes. 100% so, Please check first post for details.

Yes IC but you said you got stuck at the billing thing, was wondering if you did the servers already (thought that myserver IP changed since yesterday, not sure)

I may have been slightly optimistic!

The preperations are now fully done so tonight its now just a simple case of second backup (5 minutes before clearing everything out). Clear everything out (this will mean stopping and removing the servers) then spend the next 2 - 3 hours setting everybody back up.

Sorry for the actual server side stuff being pushed back all the time. Just want to make sure it goes right.

Umm, I should read it all first, but I would have to ask anyway. Will this affect our server too, Dean? (id: yann)

Because there's IXFGC running on it tonight so if I should use the other server we have from someone else.

Hi Drift_King.

Yes this will affect your server too. But it will not be starting until (at the earliest) 12 Midnight my time (BST) which is plenty after your races finish tonight.

This took alot longer than expected, and had alot more issues inbetween than expected.

BUT we are now at the final stages.

I am now doing things slightly differently than planned, i am reinstalling the servers on a new setup of the CP and will simply switch over the Control panel details during the night (this way i can get things done during the day whilst support personel are about for various apps im using).

Thanks for your patience all.

The 500servers control panel will be up / down yoyo style and there will also be a large gap where no servers will be accessable via the current control panel.

This will happen between 10PM BST Tonight (10th June) - 1AM BST Tomorrow (11th June).

After this CP Downtime all servers will be accessable through what will effectively be the new Control panel.

this will be back up before 6pm UTC friday i hope and not affect the server :S ? kinda got a league race tommorrow and it starts at 6pm utc

Quote from Mustangman759 :

this will be back up before 6pm UTC friday i hope and not affect the server :S ? kinda got a league race tommorrow and it starts at 6pm utc

10 pm BST = 2100 UTC; 1 am BST = midnight UTC.

Times in bold are maintenance expected window, in italics is the time between end of that and your event :P Bold Italics is when your event starts :P

10 June 11 June

21 - 22 - 23 - midnight - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18

Quote from Mustangman759 :

this will be back up before 6pm UTC friday i hope and not affect the server :S ? kinda got a league race tommorrow and it starts at 6pm utc

yes it will be, well before that starts

ok thanks deko and franky

Franky need some help could you pm me. Sent you an email by mistake. Tried a pm but not sure if it went through.

hi Hillhopper. Got the PM. Replying now.

Hi

Can you advise if the maintenance is now complete?

Going onto TCAdmin login there's a big banner about the control panel currently being installed, and that login may not work.

So long since i've tried to access the login that i've forgotton my login and my password.

Tried a few but no luck, but can't tell if its me being a plonker or if maintenance still ongoing.

Thanks.

Sinanju

still ongoing. once its complete i will be posting here + sending e-mails + the banner will dissapear and be replaced with a logo.

In the mean time if you absaloutely need to make changes to your server and your login does not work when visiting http://500control.co.uk then try to login via: http://81.19.209.208

The main reason its taking so long is because i can only really do anything through the night when servers are quiet (unfortunately some servers are still busy even then!) as otherwise it means disrupting servers during peak times. It means its taking longer but at least people are not losing drivers because their servers resart left right and center.

I'm sorry to inform you that we ARE losing drivers now. I cannot remember when your servers were off longer than now.

A bit of information regarding progress would be appreciated?

I've never heard of the "Schumie" server before so hardly a big loss son.