Server Errors, 12/17 Interruption & Coming Update

[Sean Engle]

Friday, Dec 17th, our site was taken down briefly because one of the backup scripts failed and our host took the site down to protect their DB server.

I have opened a ticket with Xenforo to look at what is causing this, however it is likely that we will need to update the site within the next few days.

I will get back to to you and advise when I know more.

Thanks,
//sse

 

[Sean Engle]

Update:

After having reviewed the error logs yesterday, I am still uncertain as to the exact cause of the failure during yesterday's backup routine. I have made some changes to the configuration of the site, and will be watching today when our backup runs it's daily routine; hopefully it will be normal.

I do not have the time to do any upgrades/updates before January 1st. I have a board exam on the 29th, so I am face-down in preparation for that. I think it's safe to say, however that I will be updating the site on January 1st, or 2nd. I will advise on that once I know more.

Thanks,
//sse

 

[mjsouleman]

Sean,

Please focus on the exam.

Mark

 

[Sean Engle]

Sean,

Please focus on the exam.

Mark

Oh I am... If you saw my desk/study right now it's awash in books and worksheets and stuff I've been going over for the preceding 45 days or so... I appreciate the sentiment though - so thank you.

Update:

The daily backup just ran and it completed successfully without any errors, and the database did not throw out any exceptions. So, I will go on and look at this a bit further, and plan on doing the upgrade the first weekend in January as stated above.

If anything changes on this, I will advise.

//sse

 

[Sean Engle]

Update:

I think I *may have* found the culprit. There was a server of the cloud service, OVH in Quebec that hit our servers 5097 times in less than 60 minutes starting at 11:20 am on Friday....and the German service Hetzner Gbh (13,000+ over the day) so I've just filed an abuse report with both firms.

At noon our daily backup runs - so they were slamming the server at the same time it was running and others were hitting it - which exceeded the number of connections allowed and shut down the backup (I think).... Very annoying...

 

[mjsouleman]

Sean you know your stuff.

 

[Sean Engle]

Sean you know your stuff.

No, I know just enough to be dangerous... =)

 

[Filkee]

Now about that exam…

 

[Sean Engle]

Now about that exam…

Working on it...ask me after the 29th.