Daily Paul Hosting Issues - Please Respond
Submitted by Michael Nystrom on Thu, 09/13/2007 - 12:36Update: Everyone - thank you so much for all of your encouragement and your helpful input. I'm looking into things, and I've got some help from a real big gun. We'll have things purring again around here in no time. Please stay tuned!!!
- - - - - -
So, last week I moved the Daily Paul to a new, more powerful 'virtual private server' from its old shared location. I noticed some improvement immediately, but then service became very spotty again. A few days ago I increased the memory & processor allocation and since then the site has not gone down, but it seems to be running very, very slowly, with pages taking an excruciatingly long time to load.
My hosting provider says things are running fine - that they cannot 'duplicate the issue.' So it would be helpful, if the site is loading lickety-split fast for anyone out there, if you'd chime in also - if the site is running fast & fine, please just drop in a comment that says so.
Please let me know how your experience is with the site today (it has been terribly slow - as in 10 seconds plus for pages to load), as well as over the past week - good or bad.
Many thanks and sorry for any inconvenience. Your feedback is much appreciated. Please let me know how fast your connection is, and how the page is loading, and anything else you may have noticed over the past week or so. Thanks.
Michael Nystrom
Editor
www.dailypaul.com
Slow Loading
It has been very slow loading as of late.
r/s
John R. Ellis
"Citizen for Freedom"
Timing
I've never before had a problem with the page until I read this post, then I refreshed and saw the delays. I would be willing to help try to pinpoint the problem so long as it's a Linux based system, I won't work on a windows server free even for RP :)
MySQL is not your problem, sites much bigger than this run fine with MySQL, only a MSCE would say to use MS SQL instead.
It could be that MySQL needs tuned, as well as the system.
I nmapped the system, it appears to be running some form of Linux:
Have you turned off unnecessary logging, as well as making sure the logs aren't synced to the FS on every write?
Is atime disabled on the filesystem?
Are the MySQL tables correctly indexed? And have they been checked and optimized recently?
Is the hard drive the database is stored on working properly? If it's IDE make sure with hdparm that it's using the fastest udma mode, etc.
It could also be related to the forum software you're using? You might see if there are other sites out there using the same forum software with the # of hits and users this one gets.
Normally tables are locked from writing while being read, so if you have a query which is taking a long time to complete it could lock write operations thereby causing a real backup of queries, as well as a high system load.
Sometimes it's best to setup a database interface so that writes to the tables are first pushed to a temporary table, and queued, then after a time period all the waiting writes will be flushed to the database. This frees up the main bulk of the database to make sure it's available for queries unhindered most of the time. Writes will only be performed every few mins, and the tables wont' be locked so often.
I wouldn't write off bandwidth as being the problem just yet. I used a program called mtr to monitor ping times to all the hops between you and I.
Three hops before dailypaul.com I have an avg 66ms, avg 132ms to the next, and avg 144 to dailypaul.com, however I've seen the dailypaul.com as high as even 700ms!
Do you have any bandwidth monitoring on the server? I suggest jnettop or iptaf, or I have a small bash script I wrote to monitor ethernet BW use. The thing is that most graphs you might have access to from the provider update in 5 min or more intervals, and you might only have a minute or two at a time where you are really getting hit hard, the other 4 mins will average out and the graphs won't tell you much about network load.
probably not the bandwidth
At least not most of it. I had excellent ping times while that last message posted, however it took forever for the post to complete. I'd really be looking into system tuning, MySQL, and possibly your apache settings at this point as your primary focus.
I Agree It's Probably Not Bandwidth
I also don't think it's slow data, but I did like the hdparm suggestion. If you're running linux with a kernel equal to or older than about 2.6.16, some serial IDEs behaved VERY poorly. You can see the kernel version by typeing "uname -a" at a terminal window.
However, it appears to me that the site is timing out waiting for something. Again, I'd suggest making sure named/bind (DNS) is configured properly, and I'd check to see if the web server is doing reverse DNS lookups. If so, and DNS isn't configured properly, you'd get timeouts similar to what I'm seeing. It might also be possible that the mysql logs are doing something similar, so if your on a private network (10/8, 192.168/16, etc.) and it's trying to do a reverse DNS lookup for another local machine, you might see DNS timeouts.
hosting suggestions
This site is lagging a lot right now (Sept 14, noon, EST)
My friend hosts some high traffic sites at VPS Link. They have pretty good prices and my web developer friend gives them top marks.
I host all my sites with Surpass Hosting, and like them pretty well too.
One quick way to reduce your bandwidth costs and a bit of server load is to stop forcing registered users to click the Add Comment link. Just build that comment form in at the very bottom of the page, only visible to registered users.
- D. Greene, audendi.com
------------------------------------------------
check out my blog at < href="http://www.audendi.com">audendi.com
Thank you!!!
I visit this site every other day with cable modem, but never had problem of slow access.
Thank you very much for your hard work and, please, keep up with it.
I'm Slow
Mike,
It usually takes a long time (10 - 20 seconds) to actually get into the site. Once there, things load pretty fast, except when leaving comments - that usually takes the same amount of time to preview and submit.
Today, things are going a little faster.
A huge THANK YOU!
I have never had a problem with this site using cable connection.
THANKS SO MUCH for all the effort this site takes, it is truly THE place to get the latest info on Paul.
"If men, through fear, fraud, or mistake, should in terms renounce or give up any natural right, the eternal law of reason and the grand end of society would absolutely vacate such renounciation. The right to freedom being the gift of God....
Sometimes slow, sometimes not.
Right now it's only taking 3-4 seconds to load a page, but I've seen it in the morning take 10 or 15 seconds. Certainly NOTHING like some of the posters here. In any case, it's dang well worth the wait for me. This is my biggest resource for Ron Paul news, and where I get most of the information for my own site. Let me take this opportunity to say THANKS a MILLION for all your hard work. This is a magnificent site. Absolutely magnificent. I am of the firm belief that if our guy gets elected you will have a great deal to do with it.
www.paulforronpaul.com
You might both be right. Add HEIGHT and WIDTH attributes.
The index.html file loads in about 2 seconds, but that is not sufficient information for the browser to render the page, because there are non-cached images without Height and Width tags.
Suggestions:
(1) Consider the images you link to that are specifically NOT cached, and insure they specify a HEIGHT and WIDTH. If you can't do that, put them closer to the top of the page if possible.
Example: http://s30.sitemeter.com/meter.asp?site=s30dailypaul
This link appears at the bottom of index.html, and tcpdump verifies that my browser requested this file after it initiates all the youtube and google video EMBED tags. Since the sitemeter image isn't cached, and doesn't specify a size, my browser doesn't know how to render the page until it finally gets that image and knows it is 20x20. Net result, the appearance of delay.
(2) Specify the HEIGHT and WIDTH on all the images you can. This won't help your repeat visitors as much (at least for the cached images), but new visitors will notice the difference.
Load times and hosting offer
It seemed fairly fast for me until I logged in.
I have a quad-core (2 x 2ghz dualcore opteron) server with 8gb of ram running gentoo sitting in a data center in Dallas that currently has a very low load.
What a waste.
I'd be honored to host dailypaul on it for free if you would like. The main limitation is disk space, so I can't support hundreds of gigs of data. It may bump me into the next bandwidth bracket, but thats fine.
Email me at: brian at realize dot org if you're interested.
doh
oops, double post
MySQL
Hello Michael, earlier today I got a whole list of MySQL data base errors on your site. I had a similar problem with a database of about 6,000 members a few years ago. An IT friend of mine told me that MySQL is like "SQL Lite" and that I needed to switch to MS SQL the full blown program. I took his advice and never had another DB problem.
I don't remember exactly but I don't think it was that more expensive. If it is and you need help with the costs, I, and I'm sure many of us would be glad to help with the cost to keep this site operating at full speed ahead. Hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Anti-Stupid
"MySQL is like "SQL Lite"" I
"MySQL is like "SQL Lite""
I run one MySQL database that deals with over 3 million subscribers for an ISP. We switched out of Oracle to MySQL.
MySQL is a heavy weight. It is in the settings and the design. Memory settings for the database are the most crutial. Default settings are very low as most DB's are 100,000 records or less.
Right now all seems to be working well which to me indicates a DB issue due to load.
Its fine for me
up here in the great NW (Seattle WA). Loaded with no delays.
Thank you fo all the hard work your doing!
..
Gimme a T-bone! http://www.dailypaul.com/node/51102
"You had me at Ron Paul"
http://gronga.wordpress.com/
site characteristics
This morning getting onsite caused my computer to get hung-up. This evening it seems to be working fine. Nevertheless - keep up the good word!
Patrick
Load time in Europe
I never have problems load this page. I visit you for about three months. Always it took 3-5 seconds. Yesterday evening I had problems log in and post this text.
Greetings from Trnava, Slovak republik.
slow response
Dear Michael,
I can not thank you enough for this website. It is my favorite site. I am greatly encouraged and inspired by all of the people participating in the revolution! I always knew and believed that there were like minded people out there. Because I "google Ron Paul" often, sometimes I see the articles that are on your site, on other sites as well. I do not enjoy reading them anywhere else but here. I don't know why, maybe your format? Maybe the people that write to you?
Anyway, being that you asked, the site has been slow for me not only today, but today is very slow. It took about 15 seconds to get the page once I clicked on "Daily Paul Hosting Issues". Whatever they may have done to improve the speed has not reached my computer yet.
Keep up the good work, it is appreciated and most of all, may it bring Ron Paul to the Whitehouse!
LivingTheDream
Slow - 1707 MST
I tested my connection to internet and it's fast. Took 24 seconds to load main page and then 10 to load this post subsection. I'd say this is about average for me connecting to this site.
Freedom is popular, can your site handle the popularity?
pings
I'm pinging google.com at about 70ms. Pinging your site at about 80ms. So the server's BW seems OK. Load times still slow though.
ps - I love what your doing for us, keep up the good work Mike.
Load time
I never have problems load this page. I visit you for about three months. Always it took 3-5 seconds. Yesterday evening I had problems log in.
Greetings from Trnava, Slovak republik.
Check your DNS configuration & logging configurations
Very often these types of problems are caused by trying to log an actual reverse DNS name in Apache (or some other web server). If Apache tries to do the reverse lookup and just times out, so the performance drops.
That's the first thing I'd look at.
slow around 430
seemeed like it was down at that time
Also was slow just now logging in.
someone mentioned checking your sql stuff, probably a good start.
if you have telnet access to your host and can do a top command
you might get an idea if the server is maxed out too.
rant.st views on finance, politics and science
gedankenexperiment.dk views on finance, politics and science
Also, i want a cookie
i've been coming here for a long time it seems now and i want some kinda logo by my name that says like Jedi Master or veteran blogger or RP level 7.
other blogs do that and you should too!
its fun! come on do it!
9/11 Lessons From Star Trek-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CyjD6Ulf6s&feature=channel_page
'9/11 Conspiracy Theories Ridiculous' - Al Qaeda
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_OIXfkXEj0&feature=dir
B.R.O * M.I.K.E.
Hosting Issues
In the past week I've gotten "cannot display page" As I also did today(9/13/07) Have to hit refresh or just try again then site comes up but still very slow.I have cable. I have the same problem with RonPaul2008.com.
Absolutely Wretched!
I think it is worse than before!
================
Who is John Galt? Vote ███ ███ 2012!
hit & miss
It's pretty much hit-and-miss.
All through the day the site's been very quick...that is until the last hour or two i think.
I haven't noticed any slow down before today either.
Ssssllloooo....We are sorry your page cannot be found.
Very slow and several times last few days got a "page cannot be found". Even did it when switching over to Foxfire.
horrific
it's been terrible for me the past few days, some of the time it either times out or the server is said to be unavailable. i know it is site-specific too because every other site works just fine for me, so it's not my connection. it's literally taken me about 5 minutes to post this reply...
I won't be hanging around
I won't be hanging around here until you get it fixed.
Famous Quote from Justice William O. Douglas
"The Constitution is not neutral.
It was designed to take the government
off the backs of people."
Famous Quote from Justice William O. Douglas
"The Constitution is not neutral.
It was designed to take the government
off the backs of people."
still slow - what host do you use?
It is still slow. Takes 20-30 seconds for a page to load. It just sits there for a long time doing nothing, then it when it starts loading the page it is decent. What host do you use so I can be sure to avoid them?
Yes, painfully slow
I thought it was my crappy computer.
Speed
The issue still seems to be in the database. Getting all hung up.
Your traffic I would imagine is on a very steady climb.
I assume that you are using a MySql database.
There are two places to start looking.
1) The database tables could be corrupted from the ups and downs. It is worth the check.
For the most part this needs to be done inside the server in telnet.
2) If you have a way of checking your database runtime info (I use phpMyAdmin a web driven MySQL DB admin) and check the settings for
Handler_read_rnd_next - is it high? 150M+?
Handler_read_rnd - is it 1 meg or higher.
Also look for Key_reads should be 100k or less if not increase key_buffer_size value
Select_full_join should be 0 if not there are issues with the indexing of the tables.
These settings are in the mysql variables and are sent in with commands just like the checking of the database.
Longer term. As you grow there is a need sadly to look at the software and system that you are useing. Every time some one accesses a page it is hitting the database. There are cashing systems that will create raw HTML files of the pages. They are self updating when ever there is a change on the web page.
On a whole the home page page for example stays the same for 10 minutes. All that log in would see a raw html file after a quick check to see if there has been a change. This leaves the database to deal with searches and other issues that are more timely. Rather than handing out the same page over and over.
Hope that is of some help. I run multiple servers. I am not a UNIX geek but can hold my head above water.
speed
The site seems decently fast to me, but I usually don't login unless I want to post a comment. After I logged in today it did get a lot slower. For now you might ask people to not login if they don't need to.
You might see if caching is turned on in Drupal. It's under "Administration" >> "Performance". I would suggest you try setting it to "Normal (recommended, no side effects)" if that's not turned on.
You can also enable Zend Optimizer for the PHP on your site. It's a free tool that speeds up PHP a fair amount.
speed
The site seems decently fast to me, but I usually don't login unless I want to post a comment. After I logged in today it did get a lot slower. For now you might ask people to not login if they don't need to.
You might see if caching is turned on in Drupal. It's under "Administration" >> "Performance". I would suggest you try setting it to "Normal (recommended, no side effects)" if that's not turned on.
You can also enable Zend Optimizer for the PHP on your site. It's a free tool that speeds up PHP a fair amount.
Me thinks thou protest to much!
your site has been slow slow for the past couple weeks i decided not even to leave this comment.!
i gave up and left, and thats exactly what they want!
also i've noticed these web sites running slow this week
911 blogger
prison planet
rense
what really happened
we are change
coincedence? or
Me thinks thou protest to much!
9/11 Lessons From Star Trek-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CyjD6Ulf6s&feature=channel_page
'9/11 Conspiracy Theories Ridiculous' - Al Qaeda
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_OIXfkXEj0&feature=dir
B.R.O * M.I.K.E.
it is veeery slow, but only
it is veeery slow, but only if you're logged in.
so I guess you have some problems with the database connection or in case the static pages are cached with CPU power.
Question? Decrease bandwidth
I dont claim to be an IT dude, but I believe if you simply post the link to the UTUBE videos instead of being able to view them at this site, you decrease your bandwidth usage. This will stop the dragging down of this site... anyone care to confirm this
5 Aug 2007
MITT ROMNEY: STILL UN-ELECTABLE
http://wilco287.com/
SlooOOOooooowww
On top of that, its about as painfull and laboriuos as waiting for my cat to hack up her latest present.. I hate furr balls.. !!!!!
5 Aug 2007
MITT ROMNEY: STILL UN-ELECTABLE
http://wilco287.com/
Toooooo slooooooooww
even with cable. Took me almost four minutes to log in, preview, and post reply. 30 guests and 135 users online, 1:55 PM Mountain time.
THE MORE I LEARN ABOUT GOVERNMENT
THE MORE I LOVE MY GUNS
FourWindsTradingPost
Yeah, it's definately slow right now...
About 20 seconds to go between pages, at 11:30 this morning however it was working as good as it used to.
(Also: I Wish you could post a comment without previewing it.)
Slower now than before
Much slower now for me than it was before. I have cable.
I'm slow, but it's worth the
I'm slow, but it's worth the wait. This site will be one of the reasons Dr. Paul will win! Great work Manystrom!
I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people to whom it properly belongs.
Thomas Jefferson
“It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds”
-Sam Adams
Very slow
It's been annoyingly slow for me also on a cable connection.
Not just you...
It's been bad today.
The problem is that not all servers are good candidates for virtualization. Virtualization is good for consolidating several servers that statistically sit idle much of the time. The providers love it as it saves on hardware costs, but as you see, high volume applications can suffer.
This could be network related. I'd sure love to look at the virtual console for your server, though!
it is slow for me too. about
it is slow for me too. about 15 - 30+ seconds.
It has always been a little slow so I guess I am used to it.
I also have a brand new computer with windows vista. I can blame it on that superflourous and inefficient operating system.
I'm not in that big of a hurry.
GO RON PAUL!
none are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.
testing your speed
I went to a few web speed checkers to test you. Here are some results:
http://www.iwebtool.com/speed_test
Size Load Time Average Speed per KB
80.07 KB 49.34 seconds 0.62 seconds
80.08 KB 2.12 seconds 0.03 seconds
80.08 KB 2.68 seconds 0.03 seconds
80.08 KB 2.07 seconds 0.03 seconds
80.08 KB 2.24 seconds 0.03 seconds
http://www.selfseo.com/website_speed_test.php
80.08 KB 2.63 seconds 0.03 seconds
80.08 KB 2.28 seconds 0.03 seconds
80.08 KB 2.14 seconds 0.03 seconds
80.08 KB 2.67 seconds 0.03 seconds
http://www.web-hosting-top.com/web-hosting/tools.website-spe...
80.08 KB 2.46 seconds 0.03 seconds
80.08 KB 2.32 seconds 0.03 seconds
80.08 KB 3.95 seconds 0.05 seconds
80.08 KB 2.3 seconds 0.03 seconds
looks like you have an intermittent problem at worst.
Sam Marsh
Musician
http://www.myspace.com/screwthebastards
Sam Marsh
Musician
http://www.myspace.com/screwthebastards
Speed Tests
Sam -
Thanks - I've run these speed tests also - they say load times of 2-3 seconds, which would be great. But on my machine, it is taking in the 10 - 25 second range. So I don't exactly know what those numbers mean....
The last time this happened, I considered switching hosts, but just upgraded with my current host. Things should be running faster, but to me it seems like things are actually slower now than before the switch!
Michael
'Always be yourself. Everyone else is taken.' - Oscar Wilde
A little slow - but worth the wait
.
I give you top honors for diligence Michael.
Yes the pages take a while to load, and I thought - as one of the others said - that the increase in traffic might account for the slowness.
My machine is pretty fast these days. I got some new hamsters for the wheel.
growing pains?
the site is definitely slower to load than one and, certainly, two weeks ago.
you might be experiencing growing pains; and unfortunately, or fortunately for the campaign, the growth in viewership may be exceeding your ability to expand within your budget.
great job, on a very helpful site.