All,

The mods (including Danny and Rob), are all as frustrated as you are - and suffering just as much from the problems - I've not been able to log in until now, at least not long enough to actually do anything useful, like make a post.

IB (Internet Brands) have owned and run the site for over a year now. They have their own data centres and do their own hosting, including network load-balancing and server load-balancing. They also own Jelsoft (the company that produces VBulletin software).

They own every length of string in the PPRUNE setup, and it is entirely up to them to ensure that it runs properly.

We mods have no input into the maintenance or running of the site at all, but have to suffer the same "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" as everyone else.

I have seen no feedback at all from IB in the (private) admin forum since the latest problem surfaced over the weekend. I can only assume that they are aware of it.

Since Danny and Rob are no longer "in charge", they are as powerless (and as frustrated / angry) as the rest of us mods.

SD

I certainly don't hold any of the original admins or any of the mods responsible for this and I can imagine how annoyed they must be about this because it's pi**ing me off!

It is very poor from IB. What's the point of owning the site if you aren't going to look after it properly?

Even if there is something broken and they are working around the clock to fix it, then why don't they simply post a short message saying "We're on it, please be patient."

Danny, time to form PPRUNE mk2?

I quite agree that some form of a notice telling us the maintenance people know about the problem and if possible what's causing it would be nice.

OK, I have seen an update from IB - basically they have cornered the problem and are working on a solution.

Hopefully access should now be improved.

SD

Thanks SD :ok:

Weird ...

Haven't had any problems connecting at all ....

Then I came and read this thread this morning at around 09:30 GMT and as soon as I tried to navigate back to the forums main menu I got the "Failed to connect" page, and could not get back in at all ( until now ) :confused:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1.../Coconutty.jpg

Thanks for that SD.

Cheers - i'm sure you'll know soon enough whether it's been successful :ok:

I have had a couple of weird problems too but don't know if it is Pprune or Zone Alarm.

I have just upgraded (:() to ZA Extreme Security and when getting into Pprune find I keep losing my log in. Then when I drill down to open a thread I get the BSOD.

I suspect an interaction between Pprune and ZA. I have disabled Force Field for the moment and touchwood it seems to be more stable.

Moans Galore
 

Yep, since IB have bought out PPruNe: the availability of the site has been patchey to say the least of it. I do subscribe to VB and that system seems OK. So whats going on, we were told that the servers were to be upgraded a few months back - Is this the result ? - Someone on AARSE sugested that PPrune had been the victim of a denial of service attack by hackers in a far eastern country. I do not have access to the sophisticated equipment that would support this hypothisis. but a bald "could not connect" Msg by ISP to the users is a bit tatty.

Every time PPrune falls over, a few more users will come to the conclusion "Screw this for a game of soldiers" and pprune looses contributors.

If IBs' current servers are vunerable to attack, (like everyone else's to a degree) come clean about the probs. Not everyone is behind a Firewall (inbound and outbound traffic monitoring )/Router/anti virus combo (like me) and I'm sure I'm not perfect. That's a seperate issue of user education. XP and Vista set up properly help in this respect.

The reputation of a valuable resource (PPruNe) is gradually being compromised.

Grumpy CAT III

CATIII, I find it hard to disagree with most of what you say, apart from the DDOS bit.

This wasn't an external problem, but appears to be an internal problem with one of the VMs hosting a webserver.

To be fair to IB, the site IS on new platforms (and more platforms with load balancing), and it "should" be better able to cater for a larger number than before, more reliably than before.

Well it has bumped up the numbers but not, it seems, the reliability.

Before it was moved to IB, the servers were struggling with 3000 at one time - now it's about 3 times that.

The downside is that there's some issues about the version of VB it's running, and bespoke code that adds certain functionality, and other problems, so it is more "delicate" than anyone (IB, admins, mods, users) would like.

Also, it is just one of many sites IB run - by far the busiest, but still can't be nursed 24/7 like Danny and Rob did.

I don't know what the future holds - the hope is that there will be a concerted effort to improve reliability (perhaps in tandem with a VB upgrade and site overhaul) as this is in everyone's interest.

However, I suspect that there is likely to be some pain to come.

SD

Saab
 

Thanks Saab - The world has changed since I was a Unix admin (the prev incumbent went to PC World as a Rep - 30 mins notice ). It was a "Huge" 20 user system - The scale of operation - a billion light years away from here - The user anger and issues just the same. and yes the HD on the server at least £40.00 worth, bit me two months in.

PS VM. is predicated on perfect kit, in a nice comfy climate controlled environment with perfect application compliance (just like the code I wrote - Well in my dreams ! ) . I've an Iso of memtest86 if you are desparate enough.

Slightly less grumpy CAT III

it seems to be fixed now at least for me - thanks whoever was responsible :ok:

Yes, its better today.....famous last words !!!!

It's not fixed for me. I got just database error messages for a couple of hours earlier.