ScoobyNet Specifications Questions
 

I am curious to know what type of setup SN is actually run on, for example:

What type of server is used (Windows, *nix, Macintosh) and what are it's specifications (RAM, HD size, RAID, etc)

What BBS software is used, is it off-the-shelf, for example, vbb, or is it based on existing bbs software and then modified (seem to recall SN v1 used vbb)

What database software is used, for example, SQL?

Sorry.... thats highly business sensitive information and therefore highly confidential! :D

But we use a IBM AT, with 1MB RAM and 10MB Hard-Drive...... using a dbaseIII+ back end database. Perhaps this is the reason why we experience speed problems..... but I would need some convincing!!! :cry:

Regards,
Shaun.

Well the BBS is vBulletin - it says so somewhere.

I'm sure that whilst those that really know won't say what system SN runs on, there are enough people in the industry who could have a pretty good guess.

It runs on a load balanced system sharing between an Oric Atmos, a Dragon 32, an Amstrad CPC464 and an Acorn Electron.

It runs partially on windows due to the error messages ive seen :) and at a guess uses PHP and mySQL.

Markus what do you want to do, how many users and budget then people can recommend specs..

Most will recommend against IIS, I dont though as if you cut me in half Id say MS. ;)

Most consideration should go to the DB and load balancing if required.. not to mention securing.. :D

As for raid on a top end server you run multiple arrays, IE you could run a mirror for the OS a mirror for Log files and a Raid 5 or similar for data, you could also have an online spare assigned.

As for CPU's you need to take into account licencing, whether its per processor, per core etc.. as for OS aim for 64 bit if you want to address lots of memory..

If you want to get into clustering windows servers then you need externally attached storage.

And as for Load Balancing, you can get a few hardware solutions and software.

We use a cisco box for some, and software for others. (depends what the client pays for, but all ours are non external but need uptime for the clients to connect in to..)

David

Very funny indeed :D I wasn't going to start replying with "ah, that's why you're having problems then!" I am genuinley curious as to what resources are in use for SN, as it's a very busy BBS. I've no problem with being PM'd or emailed a response to keep things confidential, not that I see a reason why this info would be confidential really, apart from some maybe ridiculuing the UPS being a hamster on a wheel being dripfed red bull :D

David,
I'm not wanting to do anything really, I'm just curious as to what hardware and software are used. I'm a geek, and geeks like to know this kind of stuff.

As you point out there is an amazing array of things that need to be taken into account, and because of that I'm curious as to the setup.

Nosey would probably be another word for it as well :D

:D

What do you know about Windows & things like servers anyway APPLE (dirty) MAC MAN ;)

:p :p :p

Cheeky sod! :p

Part of the company is PC based so I have to manage them, plus I built most of the PC's the company uses, including the W2K servers. There's also the fact that the majority of our clients tend to have windows servers, and so I need to know how to configure the beige boxes to run SFM and have the permissions for our software setup correctly :D

I also know a little bit about that *nix type stuff.

Much as I would like to stick to my lovely unix based macintoshes, I sometimes have to dirty myself and use windows machines :D