Server relocation and upgrades: 17-19 April

[Dan]

This weekend, Cyburbia will be moving to a new server. This is in response to the increasing number of Apache (Web server program) crashes; and the need to run the most current versions of MySQL (the database engine behind vBulletin and other programs that create dynamically generated content on the site) and PHP (the scripting language used for vBulletin and other programs used on Cyburbia).

Cyburbia will be hosted by Liquid Web, an established Web hosting company based in Lansing, Michigan. The physical server will also be located in Lansing. We chose Liquid Web because of excellent reviews, technical support personnel based in the United States, and its location in an economically distressed region close to a large cluster of Cyburbia users.

With the move, some features of Cyburbia will be suspended temporarily. This includes blog feeds (Buzz), Site/Post of the Day, articles, and the front page of the site. These features are based on an older version of Drupal that is no longer supported. Also, the version of Drupal used on Cyburbia does not work with the most recent version of PHP. In the next few weeks, we will be installing a new version of Drupal, with vBulletin integration hacks, and reinstating features such as Buzz, Site of the Day and Post of the Day. Unfortunately, we can't upgrade the older version of Drupal in place.

If you haven't done so, please bookmark and register an account at http://www.cyburbia.be. This is the Cyburbia Emergency Forums, intended to provide a place for Cyburbians to congregate while cyburbia.org is down.

Please feel free to discuss the relocation in this thread.

Again, we thank you for your patience and your support.

[Dan]

Gallery images will be offline for a few hours. Please don't upload new images into the Gallery. The Gallery will be restored shortly.

[Zoning Goddess]

Um.... so it's been so long since I've had to use it, I have no idea what my password is on the alternate cyburbia. Help!

[Dan]

ZG: check your private messages.

A note: all images uploaded to the Gallery after the time this message was posted will not be transferred to the new server.

[Seana]

Will the blog feature be completely gone until the new version of Drupal is in place, or will the blogs be viewable?

[Dan]

Will the blog feature be completely gone until the new version of Drupal is in place, or will the blogs be viewable?

The blog is an addon module to vBulletin, and will still be available immediately after the move.

[Dan]

All the image files in the Gallery were successfully moved over to the new server last night.

The Gallery files take up the bulk of Cyburbia's space on the server; about three gigabytes. Because they take up to much space, they need to be moved over separately from other files on the server.

The newest version of vBulletin (3.8.2) will be installed on the new server. Also, by popular demand, we'll be trying to install a working mobile theme so those with iPhones, Blackberries and Android-based phones can more easily use the site. The mobile theme may require use of a special URL.

[rcgplanner]

The newest version of vBulletin (3.8.2) will be installed on the new server. Also, by popular demand, we'll be trying to install a working mobile theme so those with iPhones, Blackberries and Android-based phones can more easily use the site. The mobile theme may require use of a special URL.

Woot, for possibly adding mobile access!

[Maister]

So is this server relocation going to result in a new and improved print version of Cyburbia? feature planning news, comics, letters to the Editor sections.....convenient to read in the john....use the pages with ofos' posts on them to housebreak the new puppy....never have to worry about system crashes? Just write your post, stick it in an envelope, put a stamp on it, and mail it in. Perfect.

[Dan]

I'm shutting down cyburbia.org late tonight for the transfer, and redirecting traffic to cyburbia.be.

[Bear Up North]

Dan, consider this post as a long-distance shake of your hand. You are very-much appreciated by those of us who live and dwell in this place called Cyburbia. Thank you.

Bear

[Queen B]

Thank You DAN!!!
We don't say that enough.

[Maister]

Wow, what a difference! Loads instantly every time. Thanks Dan!