Bob and I are in the BC/SD chatroom. C'mon in! -- Erin
Click here to Chat
Update -- Things are looking good. Server load is nominal and the number of visitors is almost back to normal. :) We'll keep an eye on things and make sure it's all okay but when the DNS has finished propagating in 24 to 48 hours, all should be copacetic. Starting Monday, we have a few more changes to make, like bringing the old site back up as SecondShelf etc.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Hugs,
Erin and Bob
Update - The site is now on the new server. We're still checking things out so please allow for some "down time" as we get things going again.
Bob Arnold
The move will begin sometime during the next two or three hours. BigCloset will down during the move. Information about the move will be posted at StardustR.US while BC is down. It will take some time for the new address pointers (DNS) to propagate through the internet so I can't say how long the site will appear to be down to anyone in particular. -- Erin and Bob
At least, that's the plan right now.
When we move, BCTS will be down for three hours to maybe more than a day. There will be an announcement page here, and news will be posted on StarDust at www.stardustr.us.
Obviously, the Experimental site will also be down while we do the move.
Packing up files and actually moving them across won't take that long, it will be the packing up of the database and testing everything that takes the three hours. If something goes wrong, we'll work on it for a day or so before giving up and rescheduling the move.
When we start the move we will repoint the address bigclosetr.us to the new server and that takes some time to propagate. Usually not much, an hour or three, but it could be as long as a day. If we end up having to move the address back to the old server because something went wrong with the move, that will take time, again.
There will be alternate addresses for getting to BigCloset already set up in the event that repointing the address takes time.
Another announcement will be made Thursday the 12th just to keep people aware of what Bob and I are doing.
Thanks to everyone for your patience and support. :)
Hugs,
Erin
Comments
You two are the best Mom...
I'm sure you'll accomplish the move and here's wishing you the best and smoothest move ever!
Hugs and Luv
"Be Your-Self, So Easy to Say, So Hard to Live!"
Best wishes....
Migrations are always fraught with perril, even if you've practiced the migration na half dozen times. Been there, done that, glad it's someone else this time. :-)
Thanks for all your efforts (everyone involved in the migration).
Annette
Good luck
I hope all goes well.
Hugs,
Angharad
Angharad
The move
I'm just glad you aren't going to do it Friday. Not that I'm supersticious or anything . . . .
I only hope ...
... that this isn't going to be the Valentine's Day Massacre :0) However, I have every confidence that it will, in reality, be a lovely Valentine's Day gift. Thanks and good luck - though I'm sure you'll make your own luck by observing the 5 Ps (Perfect Preparation Produces Predictable Performance)
Geoff
We live to server
You don't have to move anything to Canada, right?
Just checking...[snicker]
Scott
-- Moliere
Bree
The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense.
-- Tom Clancy
http://genomorph.tglibrary.com/ (Currently broken)
http://bree-ramsey314.livejournal.com/
Twitter: @genomorph
Canada not involved
The old server and the new server are in the same building in LA just on different floors and different sides of the building. We need to move around 3 gigabytes of data between the two servers over the network then get everything running right on the new box. That's what we've been working on with the test site.
I don't think we'll have many problems but you never really know when Murphy will decide to drop in for a little visit. We're not turning off the original server yet so we do have some backup plans if things don't go well.
We could have tried to do it today(Sunday) but decided that an FM type outage wasn't something we wanted to risk. Better to let everyone now about the move ahead of time. I'll predict there will still be a bunch of folks that haven't heard about the move when we actually start in on it.
Bob Arnold
Ouch...
In times like that, it's sometimes faster (if you have physical access to the boxes) to use a 4 GB USB flash memory drive and sneakernet. LOL
As to Murphy visiting... Well, he seems to visit most often, when you're in a hurry. LOL
Good luck.
If we're lucky
Murphy will still be preoccupied with that other place...
Scott
-- Moliere
Bree
The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense.
-- Tom Clancy
http://genomorph.tglibrary.com/ (Currently broken)
http://bree-ramsey314.livejournal.com/
Twitter: @genomorph
Murphy?
So, is that Mr. Trouble's given name or sir name. Either way, at least Matilda will appreciate knowing who to blame when she gets into trouble again.
Penny
No that is not Mister
No that is not Mister Trouble's name. Mister Troubles name is Loki. Murphy is the one with a law. Which state what can go wrong will go wrong. Loki just happens to enforce this law very well.
Staying at home on this one
Erin and I won't be anywhere near the servers when we make the changeover. I'll be at home in upstate NY and Erin will be at her home in California.
We'll compress all that data and source code so we'll only need to transfer just under 1 gigabyte of compressed stuff between the machines. The connection between the two servers is pretty fast within the building's network so it shouldn't take more than 15 to 20 minutes or so total. The problem is making things work after we've moved the site to the new server. That will take some time.
Bob Arnold
Point....
And, throwing GB around on the net these days is nothing. When I first started reading the note I was reading TB... Which is still not fun (thus the sneakernet - with the content chunked across 1 TB USB bricks, or SAN storage and snaps or just remounting.
While I've seen at least one migration go without a hitch, as you've both indicated it's not likely. *sighs*
All the best of luck as I've said before. And, remember, you are NOT in a hurry. You have all the time in the world. Just keep repeating that to yourself. Danged if Murphy looks for folks in a hurry to muck with more often. LOL
Annette
Migrations?
Sounds like the geese that fly overhead each year!
Now as for Murphy, My website Redding96003 has been in "Migration," for the last 3 weeks! and its still not up:(
It Happens... (always to me).
Will some one please take the "kick me," sign off my back!
Hang on Baby Friday's coming!
New Server
Erin; I only going to ask, Why are you telling us now if this going to happen in 2010 ???? (Check out your date of posting) I sorry, I couldn't help myself! Richard
Richard
I could be wrong, and often
I could be wrong, and often am.... But I think that the date has to do with the fact that this way, this topic will be kept at the top of the list.... Once they are ready for it to "fold into obscurity" they just change the date, and it will act like any old normal post... A bit of old skool hacking to make it work the way you want :) Saves a TON of coding to create a "sticky" system :)
-P/KAF
Sticky is...
There is a sticky system, that's what keeps the most recent stories on the front page and allows older chapters to rotate off. But the Shortcuts box needs to float above the sticky posts, and I wanted this one to float above that. :) There's also a tag called "promoted" which I use for sorting blogs and forums.
So, you're right. :)
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
And from me
I wish you the best of success and I also take this opportunity to thank you all again for all the work involved in keeping this site going. I admit to a BCTS addiction but, there again, a girl must have an interest in her retirement - apart from red wine and whisky!
Love and hugs to all,
Susie
Sacrifice
I’ve always thought that a successful migration required a sacrifice to the gods of CPU. I think a virgin programmer is usually called for, with the appropriate rituals.
Michelle B
uh?
Isn't "virgin programmer" a contradiction in terms?
Yuri!
Yuri!
Virgin Programmer
That's someone who has yet to successfully write a line of code.
Michelle B
Nah
Someone who has never successfully written a line of code is an egotistical user. "I could have had that done by now; but I have more important things to do."
Yuri!
Yuri!
Sacrifical Altar
The altar needs to be consecrated with offerings from the programmer's four basic food groups; caffeine, sugar, salt and grease.
Michelle B
Re; Sacrifical Alter
All of which can be found, around most programmers computers; by their common names; coffee and pizza.
Good luck Erin and Bob.
Penny
'virgin programmer"
It's more a redundant phrase than a contradiction.
That Bites
It's bad enough that I can no longer go to fictionmania now Crystal's story site hasn't been updating Sapphires place is long in there updates as well. I finally get to a site and now things are going to shut down geez I have the worst lick it seems like.
Maybe not
I think you'll find that Erin and Bob don't make idle promises. While Comrade Murphy has yet to stick his hands in, the work that they have done over the last four months to increase the capabilities of BC would suggest that they do indeed know what they are doing and have the skills required. They said it would likely be done in a day, and that's probably a reasonable estimate.
If it requires the sacriface of a (mythical) virgin programmer to complete the task, I have no doubt that Erin has already located one and Bob has the alter spit-shined and ready to go. ;-)
Yuri!
Yuri!
I never said they wouldn't
I never said they wouldn't come back. I'm reffering to my luck with other sites. The ones that I have listed and plus all the trouble I am having with IMVU So while Murphy may not affect the The change for many others I feel that Murphy is going to stick his hand in my machine and cause the trouble.
Rena
The server move is actually easier than you are making it sound to be. Erin has a contract with a server farm company for the hardware, that's guaranteed. The software, which both she and Bob maintain has at least 2 separate backups done in intervals throughout the day so that it can be restored at a specific time should the worst happen. BC is not some run out of the garage show. It has actual professional maintenance. None of which would have been possible without Erin's generosity or the donations the site receives to help defray the approximately $680 a month costs for running the site. There are other additional costs such as separate servers she runs included within this figure, but it is bundled within her contractual end with hardware maintenance.
This is probably the best run TG Fiction web site in existence, bar none. Including user friendliness for the authors. I was amazed when I was given the tour of this site and how to use it.
I hope I have made you feel somewhat better about your choice in coming here.
Valerie
Move comment
Aechel
In my experience, Murphy was an optimist.
Good Luck.
Aechel
"Sure the game is rigged; but if you don't play, you can't win"
Aechel
Nice Posts Here - nasty posts at Story Site.
RAMI
The posts here regarding the change over announced by Erin are mostly nice and encouraging, despite some being silly and off the wall. Compare them with those at Crystal's Story Site (and this is not a reflection on Crystal herself)regarding FM and you see a huge difference. Many of those posts are vicious and plane nasty.
Don't worry about Murphy, he mostly visits those who deserve him and you guys are too with it for him to visit. (I guess I can be silly too.)
Good luck on the move.
RAMI
The Difference here
is the type of people we have here at BC and the fact we DO monitor what goes up. If its out of line with what Erin wants, it gets zapped. She says she has been in many flame wars on the site and at times had been too tolerant of the anger being posted. Well, we do tend to be proactive a bit now and nip it before it gets out of hand at all. Personally, I have not done anything of that nature yet, I have only been editing and formatting some select stories on the site. I do have the tools to monitor, and I am sure at some point Erin will start showing me what to do and how to do it. But for now, I am having a ball just tidying up stories and working with authors. The best job in the world is the one where it isn't work at all, its just fun.
Valerie
Crystal Has Taken Some Steps
Apparently it was one person (posting under different names) that was causing much of the problem on Story Site. Crystal has banned the person for a while. She posted a note on the Story Site Cyberboard today explaining her actions.
Erin. As I said to you in private.
I can't think of anyone I trust more, with the wellbeing of all these children
our our hearts an imaginations. I have the greatest faith in your's and Bob's
clever fingers.
Thank you for doing this.
Sarah Lynn Morgan
already back?
http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf still shows the migration message but I can access the server at www.bigclosetr.us/topshelf?
...and just as I'm typing this comment, there is the update "The site is now on the new server." :-)
M
Martina
Yup, we're back!
Some images are not working because of having hard-coded the version of the site address that hasn't propagated. But that will resolve later. :)
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Wa Hoo!!!
Great job! My regular link and the one Bob posted work for me.
Congratulations.
New Server
Hi
It seems quicker, but at the moment there are less people. I hope it stays as quick
Well done Erin & Bob
Hugs
Karen
Flawless execution...
... at least that's what it looks like.
That's worth a pop in the Hatbox.
Unusual
I try coming to BC with Firefox and I get the server is being moved address. Then if I put the url in my aol browser, I get the website. What's going on?
One thing- I learned AOL is good at least for BC.
Einstein described insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the result to change. Was Albert a reader of TG fiction then?
Daniel, author of maid, whore, bimbo, and sissy free TG fiction since 2000
What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.- Oscar Levant
Try using www.bigclosetr.us/topshelf as address
It's not the usual address for BC so it will cause the DNS lookup to find the new location -- at least, it should. Your AOL browser is undoubtedly using a different DNS lookup server than FIrefox goes to, so it's getting a different answer.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
This is just weird
I now can view BC(but not using your address suggestion) with Firefox but now AOL is frozen in time. It won't refresh the page and shows a old version of this blog post.
Einstein described insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the result to change. Was Albert a reader of TG fiction then?
Daniel, author of maid, whore, bimbo, and sissy free TG fiction since 2000
What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.- Oscar Levant
Having problems
I am having a problem getting to this site. I have the proper address set in my favorites. I am using the most current version of IE7. When I click on it, I get a blank page. I then have to go to the Stardust site and click on the link to get to this start page. When I do this, I am logged in properly for what I have set up to see according to my account page. I also notice that my name is listed 6 times as an online user.
Marc
DNS propagation takes time
One hour to 72 hours, according to most experts. My experience is it's almost never more than 24 hours but I've seen it as long as 48. Be patient. We've done what we could on that topic. It's like there are all these little map kiosks along the information superhighway and not all of them have the latest maps in them, yet. :)
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Something else I noticed
The address I have saved in my favorites shows up as http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf when I hover the curser over it, but when I click on it, what shows up on the address entry line is the one that Erin mentioned earlier with the www thrown in and the page comes up blank. When I remove the www, the proper page does come up.
Marc
Grisham's Law
Bad cache drives out good cache. No wait. Well, it does sound like a bad cache page. Only thing that will fix that is time.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Thank you
Thank you to everyone who keeps this wonderful site running. We really appreciate every thing you all do and everyone who gives of their time and talent.
Love and hugs,
Susie