Bit of advice on running two Linodes please..
I'm after a bit of advice is possible. I did have a 1GB Linode that was often over utilised with my main website, which is WordPress based. So, trying to save money, I spent a lot of time tweaking, changing, and caching every possible thing that I could, but it wasn't enough.
So, I decided to move away from Linode and go with DreamPress - DreamHost's managed WordPress solution. What a mistake that was! The site has been running like crap since I moved. I've decided that I'm not going to try and penny pinch, but rather put the correct solution in place for my needs. So here's what I was thinking:
Server1 - a 1GB Linode to host MySQL, and Varnish.
Server2 - a 2GB Linode to run all of my web files and Apache/PHP.
So my question is this. First of all, will I be ok to run Varnish for the whole setup on Server1, or is it a bad move to have it on the DB server? I'm new to Varnish, so I don't really know. I'm not looking for instructions on how to set Varnish up by the way, I'd had more fun learning for myself, I'm just after some quick advice on it.
If you guys can come up with a better solution for my needs then I am all ears, I thought for $75 (I would have backups as well) this is a pretty good setup. I obviously want something that's relatively future-proof as I'm sick of migrating, and fiddling with the site and it's server(s).
The site currently gets around 100k unique visitors a month, and it's growing at a rate of about 5% month-by-month. Just to give you an idea of the numbers we're talking about.
Any advice would be greatly appreciate guys, thanks!
Kev
17 Replies
@kevquirk:
The site currently gets around 100k unique visitors a month, and it's growing at a rate of about 5% month-by-month. Just to give you an idea of the numbers we're talking about.
Kev
Do you really mean 100K unique visitors per month? If so, what is the total number of visitors - uniques plus returning ones?
If you mean 100K visitors total per month, that's about 300 visitors per day - on average - so you may well get with a lot less in terms of resources….
Thanks for coming back to me. In terms of hits per day, so everything basically, you're looking at around 7-9 thousand per day.
Sorry, should have been more clear on that.
Thanks,
Kev
PS 100,000 a month equates to 3,000 a day, not 300.
User -> (Server2:Varnish) -> (Server2:Apache/PHP) -> (Server1:MySQL)
@kevquirk:
I tired nginx, but I just don't know it well enough to set it up. I wasn't comfortable supporting it on my own. Maybe I'll revisit that though.
if you cant get around nginx it will be harder for you to setup varnish and separate sql linode:)
You really doesnt need 2 linodes for this one. I have a wordpress blog (not the one on my sig) which I run on a 256MB OVZ instance. Apache and no caching of any sort. It gets about 1300-1500 visitors, 2500 page views and the load is almost 0.
> if you cant get around nginx it will be harder for you to setup varnish and separate sql linode
That's a little unfair. Just because I'm not comfortable using nginx automatically makes me some kind of biff that isn't capable of updating literally a few config files?
It wasn't setting up nginx that was the issue. It was all the knock on issues that I had with PHP.
> You really doesnt need 2 linodes for this one. I have a wordpress blog (not the one on my sig) which I run on a 256MB OVZ instance. Apache and no caching of any sort. It gets about 1300-1500 visitors, 2500 page views and the load is almost 0.
I'm sorry, but I find that very hard to believe, unless those numbers are monthly, not daily. Anyway, thanks for the comment though, I will be revisiting nginx on my development server as I've heard nothing but good things about it.
It's a PUBLIC website, you allow thousands of strangers there everyday, yet you feel the need to hide it from the people you're asking advice from?
10K/day could be tiny or HUGE it all depends on what it's serving up.
If it's general blog drivel, then a single 1G or 2G Linode should be more then enough (and a single box is ALWAYS easier to manage, security, monitor then multiple boxes).
> Why do noobs ALWAYS fail to post the website they're asking for help with?
Why do old hands always get on their soapbox and dictate to "noobs"?
I didn't post the link because a lot of forums don't like users posting links - especially new users. Didn't want the thread going to spam. Just a thought, but in future maybe something like "hey, you didn't post the link to your site. Can you do so please?" Would make you seem like much less of a douche.
I absolutely loath elitism. Just because I'm new to this forum, doesn't make me a noob.
A quick google leads to
@kevquirk:
> if you cant get around nginx it will be harder for you to setup varnish and separate sql linode:) That's a little unfair. Just because I'm not comfortable using nginx automatically makes me some kind of biff that isn't capable of updating literally a few config files?
Varnish is just a few config files? Then you doesnt really know about it at all.
> It wasn't setting up nginx that was the issue. It was all the knock on issues that I had with PHP.
Its extremely unlikely that PHP will be different on Nginx than it runs on Apache. Because PHP is mostly independent from the web server.
> I'm sorry, but I find that very hard to believe, unless those numbers are monthly, not daily. Anyway, thanks for the comment though, I will be revisiting nginx on my development server as I've heard nothing but good things about it.
I doesnt even need 256MB RAM for my site
lowendbox.com used to run on a 96MB VPS and it had about 10000< daily visitors at the time
freevps.us an busy forum which runs on a 96MB VPS
And as an extra here's a site runs on a 32MB VPS -
Maybe I should get a 1GB Linode again and hir you to set it up for me!
That's the badger Nuvini. I'll remember the URL thing for next time, like I said, didn't want to come across as a spammer, or as someone looking for free support as RefuGeeks is currently hosted with another company.
I've been working with DreamHost support this afternoon, and they seem to have resolved the issues with performance (after 3 days). However, considering it's a "managed" solution, I had to stamp my feet, A LOT to get my ticket escalated to someone who actually knew what they were talking about.
Even though the issues are resolved, I'm still looking to move back to Linode, as let's be honest here, they are second to none. So I am still looking for the best advice on how best to host me site.
Thanks all!
@kevquirk:
Maybe I should get a 1GB Linode again and hir you to set it up for me!
;-)
If you need help message me on the contact form found on my signature link web site
@kevquirk:
PS 100,000 a month equates to 3,000 a day, not 300.
:-)
Doh yes sorry - fingers not keeping up with brain