Hosting Change
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2026 4:25 pm
I am switching hosts for our server. I am currently unable to address the issues we are experiencing. I was planning to roll this change out a little more slowly, with as little impact as possible, but I think it is prudent to just try to get it done as quickly as possible.
A few notes about the change in hosts. The actual server will be approximately twice as powerful as the one we are on now. However, the biggest change is the structure of the hosting agreement. Instead of a simple hosting plan, I have set up a virtual private server. A VPS allows me to control all aspects of the server. An example of a change that I could make is increasing the number of concurrent database sessions (the error you have all been seeing). We are also changing our DNS provider to Cloudflare. While there may be occasional headaches associated with this move, in the long run, it will be far better for the site. By using Cloudflare as the DNS host, I can prevent connection floods before they ever reach the server. We will also be utilizing their CDN network, meaning that certain site elements will be sourced from a server closer to each individual user rather than always being served from the host. This should be seen as faster load times.
Along with the server change will be a name/address change. As many of you know, there is also a Facebook group called International Scale Modeller. Due to changes in management, these two sites are no longer connected in any way (other than the name). I have decided (with the admin team's consent) to change the site's name to "Global Scale Modeller." I am sure you recognize that this is quite a small change. The core identity of the site @Lee created remains the same, and it isn't going to change. While some existing links may temporarily not work, I will make sure they redirect properly. There will be a larger effort to rebrand the entire site, but initially, it will just be a name and a temporary logo change.
Ok, all of that is great, but what is actually happening when?
Later today (US Central), I will be modifying the forum to make it read-only. Existing Posts will still be visible, but new posts or edits will no longer be possible. I want to avoid turning off the forum if at all possible. This will allow me to start the backup processes without the danger of new data being created. Once the appropriate backups are created, I will begin transferring the data over to the new host and bring up the new site. When the new site is up, I will take down the old one and set up the redirect links. If something goes wrong (accidents do happen), the existing site can easily be brought back up, and we try again the next day.
The biggest caveat to all of this is the bot activity. If I can't block them long enough to complete the backup, I will have to turn the site off completely. Just know that if you can't see anything but the Maintenance Notification, I did everything I could to prevent it.
A few notes about the change in hosts. The actual server will be approximately twice as powerful as the one we are on now. However, the biggest change is the structure of the hosting agreement. Instead of a simple hosting plan, I have set up a virtual private server. A VPS allows me to control all aspects of the server. An example of a change that I could make is increasing the number of concurrent database sessions (the error you have all been seeing). We are also changing our DNS provider to Cloudflare. While there may be occasional headaches associated with this move, in the long run, it will be far better for the site. By using Cloudflare as the DNS host, I can prevent connection floods before they ever reach the server. We will also be utilizing their CDN network, meaning that certain site elements will be sourced from a server closer to each individual user rather than always being served from the host. This should be seen as faster load times.
Along with the server change will be a name/address change. As many of you know, there is also a Facebook group called International Scale Modeller. Due to changes in management, these two sites are no longer connected in any way (other than the name). I have decided (with the admin team's consent) to change the site's name to "Global Scale Modeller." I am sure you recognize that this is quite a small change. The core identity of the site @Lee created remains the same, and it isn't going to change. While some existing links may temporarily not work, I will make sure they redirect properly. There will be a larger effort to rebrand the entire site, but initially, it will just be a name and a temporary logo change.
Ok, all of that is great, but what is actually happening when?
Later today (US Central), I will be modifying the forum to make it read-only. Existing Posts will still be visible, but new posts or edits will no longer be possible. I want to avoid turning off the forum if at all possible. This will allow me to start the backup processes without the danger of new data being created. Once the appropriate backups are created, I will begin transferring the data over to the new host and bring up the new site. When the new site is up, I will take down the old one and set up the redirect links. If something goes wrong (accidents do happen), the existing site can easily be brought back up, and we try again the next day.
The biggest caveat to all of this is the bot activity. If I can't block them long enough to complete the backup, I will have to turn the site off completely. Just know that if you can't see anything but the Maintenance Notification, I did everything I could to prevent it.
well done Matthew 