iSoaker.net :: Soaking the world!

by **Doom** on Thu Sep 22, 2005 6:20 pm

Due to the location of our server (Houston, Texas), we may go down during Hurricane Rita. I would like to tell everyone that I am making multiple full backups. I am downloading a full FTP backup, a backup using our backup utility, a vBulletin forums database backups, and I am making MySQL backups using SSH. In addition, I have about 5 or so daily forums database backups that are ready if the other three are corrupt (it's better to be safe than sorry).

SoakerMedia should make their own backups, though, I am making a backup for them in case they do not. The loss of SoakerMedia would be a terrible one. I don't know their password, so I will tell Duxburian the new password after I make a backup.

Additionally, I am going to put these backups on my MP3 player in case my hard drive corrupts. Again, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Hurricane Rita most certainly will affect Super Soaker Central in the upcoming days. Right now my internet connection is barely working, but I have requested full backups from my host and am waiting for the answer to my trouble ticket.

I have asked my host if Hurricane Rita will affect our data center, but I am also waiting for a response. Of course, I am assuming that it will affect our data center from what I have seen on the news...

Just letting you guys know quick... I don't want Super Soaker Central to go through what Something Awful did during Katrina.

by **marauder_4** on Thu Sep 22, 2005 6:30 pm

Are you in the path of Rita? Or is it just your server? I hope you guys can get it all archived and whatnot. If you want me to save any pages or anything I can do that. I don't have a giant server, but I can use my hard drive.

by **Doom** on Thu Sep 22, 2005 6:40 pm

No, the server is located in Houston. I live several thousand miles away in Maryland. The internet problems are unrelated, in fact they've been occuring more often as Adelphia cuts costs further.

I'm afraid that saving pages in that fashion wouldn't be much help. The files use PHP variables and such. If we ran the site on a database, I would have one file to download, but I'm still working on that. Everything on the site and forum is backed up several times (I make backups periodically). I mostly am worried about the other things I was testing out and if my backups are stable.

I am well prepared for this problem, though I wish it weren't a problem...

Update:

I also would like to say that if the server goes down, but our support guy who lives in Georgia says it's only temporary, then we won't go buy some new hosting. Our server is in a very safe location, though I am not aware of it's defense against flooding. For more information, please visit our host.

I also won a huge hosting account in a contest a while back, so I probably won't have to buy new hosting if it comes to that.

Edited By Doom on 1127429107

by **isoaker** on Thu Sep 22, 2005 7:29 pm

Well, time will tell how much Rita actually affects the site. We can only pray for the people down there who'll definitely be affected by the storm.

Me: keeping fingers crossed for as minimal problems as possible for all...

:cool:

by **Doom** on Fri Sep 23, 2005 11:14 am

I'm not only worried about my site, I am extremely worried about the people down there. Our site can be replaced (and will if it has to), but people, they sure can't.

My neighbor's daughter lives in Houston... she has a degenerative bone disease and I hope she's doing well. Freakymist said he was boarding up his house, which isn't good either. I'm hoping that the storm will weaken before it hits.

Pray for those who will be affected!

by **LIGHT ANNIHILATOR** on Fri Sep 23, 2005 3:46 pm

It is weakening it is now a category 3 with 125 mph winds.

Edit: There is some bad news though. New Orleans is starting to flood again.

Also i just tried to view the ssc forums and i could not get in so ssc has probably shut down already.

Edited By LIGHT ANNIHILATOR on 1127505689

by **Doom** on Fri Sep 23, 2005 4:36 pm

Also i just tried to view the ssc forums and i could not get in so ssc has probably shut down already.

Umm... do you ever read the explanations on the pages? The forums are disabled to keep my backups current. If the server went down, you wouldn't be able to access anything at all (no website or forums).

My host has posted a message at their forums which sounds better than I had thought! Read it here:

A bit of information is coming out today about where it's expected to hit. NOAA is reporting tropical storm strength winds peaking at 65 MPH at Greenspoint Mall (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Greenspoi ... 3571&hl=en), where the office is located, so we'll be missing the bulk of the storm.

The building has been locked down, windows borded up, and structural integrity scanned over (http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.j ... jp14w&Ux=1) should Rita veer off from the expected course. It's looking like we should be in the clear, but nevertheless, having a contingency plan is a good idea should the worst happen.

Remote off-site backups should be pulled down by everyone if you haven't already since backups are done on a spare drive on the server. If you need those generated, filing a trouble ticket to get the bare minimum backup is a good choice in this circumstance. I'll be tracking the storm along with everyone else here and here's hoping it rolls in with a whimper instead of a bang.

Edited By Doom on 1127511277

by **Doom** on Fri Sep 23, 2005 6:58 pm

I have reactivated the Super Soaker Central forums after thinking over the situation. I doubt that the servers will go down seing the preparations made, and at most we will lose a few days of posts in the worst case senario.

Our auto-db backup system now has been set to backup every day.

Water-Talk has not been imported either. I have tested the importation, and I keep getting some strange problems. Water-Talk will be imported at a later date after I notify vBulletin of the bugs in their ImpEx system.

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