The server slowed down and stopped repeatedly as CA was either a) under a DDOS attack and/or b) got mentioned by Instapundit (the result is the same, the question is intent).
I’ve changed the theme temporarily to make the site a bit faster.
We are currently building a new server able to withstand these sorts of events.
Update: We also got mentioned by Rush Limbaugh, Digg, Slashdot and quite a few other blogs. Tonight its going to be covered by Fox News. Oh the joy.
Climate Audit 
28 Comments
I believe it was Rush Limbaugh who knocked your server down. He mentioned your site fairly early on his show, and within about 15 seconds I tested to see if it was down yet, and I couldn’t get any response. Big audience.
Can Limbaugh’s listeners actually work a computer? That’s news to me.
Particularly since Gore is the one that invented the Internet. I guarantee he’s not sharing with Rush.
Mark
Can’t you guys do anything right? Newsweek tells me that you are a wash in Exxon money, but still you are too slovenly to build adequate infrastrucure. *sigh*
FWIW I’m pretty happy with the quad Opteron machines that are running some of my PERL code and PostgreSQL database. I don’t know what WordPress is written in (let me guess; PHP), or what your budget is, but I reckon you should get something with at least 4 cores. These days 8 isn’t too unreasonable. I wouldn’t get less than 4GB RAM either. Forget fast hard drives, you don’t need them, if disk performance is an issue spend money on RAM for a disk cache instead.
I wish AMD would hurry up and bring out quad core chips.. until then an Intel solution is probably the best value for money (since you get twice as many cores per socket, and the number of sockets is usually what determines which price bracket you are in). But the AMD CPUs run PERL code great.
Dear Steve, if your server doesn’t survive an ordinary Installanche, maybe you should use some more standardized methods – such as blogger.com. Also, I think that you should have RSS feeds with your own articles so that they’re automatically mirrored by various services, something like
http://www.google.com/reader/view/feed/http://motls.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Re #4:
Newsweek tells me that you are a wash in Exxon money, but still you are too slovenly to build adequate infrastrucure.
If only that were true.
Re #5:
FWIW I’m pretty happy with the quad Opteron machines that are running some of my PERL code and PostgreSQL database. I don’t know what WordPress is written in (let me guess; PHP), or what your budget is, but I reckon you should get something with at least 4 cores. These days 8 isn’t too unreasonable. I wouldn’t get less than 4GB RAM either. Forget fast hard drives, you don’t need them, if disk performance is an issue spend money on RAM for a disk cache instead
I think you’re overcompensating for something.
Certainly the new server CA is moving to has a faster processor and twice as much RAM because these are essentials, but to survive an Instalanche, a Slashotting or a Digging requires specialized hardware. Unfortunately we don’t have the backing of shadowy pressure groups or billionaires willing to help out.
“Certainly the new server CA is moving to has a faster processor and twice as much RAM because these are essentials, but to survive an Instalanche, a Slashotting or a Digging requires specialized hardware. ”
IOW, you are going to do another half-assed fix.
TCO, either you put up the cash money for a “full-assed fix”, or STFU … your constant puerile sniping at decent, honorable folks is both pathetic and boring.
w.
TCO#
Are you offering your services as an IT consultant as well as a climate specialist; is their no start to your talent. If you have an issue with the hosting, then donate some money else stop the trollish mutterings.
John A, if you’re not interested in my advice, fine. But is it really necessary to insult someone who’s trying to help?
All I am compensating for is the performance my clients desire. They were quite happy with the cost of the servers and the performance they delivered.
FWIW,
RealClimate, also a wordpress, was having some of the same problems as you were last afternoon, though not nearly as severe.
Re #11 Nicholas
I apologize for the perceived snark. I intended to sound ironic, and not snarky to you. Its a persistent problem with html that there are no irony tags.
I am waiting for delivery of a new server any time now.
Re #12:
BCL: RealClimate use MoveableType and not WordPress. It is also hosted by an environmentally friendly webhost and funded by a multi-million dollar corporation otherwise known as then Environmental Defense Fund.
An INSTALANCHE typically results in problems like these.
Glen Reynolds is a prolific linker and an admired editor.
Well I’m not too fond of him right now. Steve probably begs to differ.
I tried posting earlier, and it got lost…
TCO,
the term you wanted is “awash”, not “a wash”. I’m surprised that someone who is such a stickler for proper English would let that slip.
John A,
What specs do you require?
I have a roomful of parts; perhaps there’s something in there to help.
Re #16: CA is moving to a new box this weekend. Twice the memory.
Re #17:
Good news!
I was thinking along the lines of multiple servers, to allow load-balancing.
(Provided there is sufficient room at your location)
I heard your story on Rush and FOX NEWS. I have some data for you. A few years ago I attended an air quality meeting where the Vermont Agency of Natural resources presents data showing Vermont’s air quality vs other state. i couldn’t believe the data could be accurate or represntative of Vermont air quality.
I followed up and had a meeting with the state people who complied the data and held the meeting. Come to find out, the data came from the only air quality monitoring station in the state at that time. It was located in downtown Burlington next to the exit payboth (20 feet)of a large parking lot. It was adjacent to a 4 lane road with a stop light within 100ft. At this 3 corner intesection there were 2 gas stations. You get the point…. I asked why this location was chosen and if they diid any remote monitoring to validate the reading. i was told they didn’t hve money to do remote monitoring and that funding dependied on finding a problem. I have photos of this statuion which has since been moved. The problem is that for a number of years this represented Vermont air quality. In fact a cancer study using this data insdicated a much higher cancer rate. I got the data and assumptions for the stusy and talked to the person doing it. WOOPS, very defensive. Turns out you would have to be ther 24/7, 300 days a year for 20 years to have the increased rate. Sort of like breathign a the exhaust fumnes directly. I showed the data to the local media who wrote stories, but they chose to ignore my facts. not surprising in a state like Vermont KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. I still have much of the data and photos
Steve Ciardelli
Burlington, Vt
19: So? This is modus operandi for many regulatory agencies and NGOs. Too bad there isn’t a blog that audits all the crap from these folks. I’m very worried about my grandchildren.
I just posted a site announcement on my site. I was already hit once before, it’s not going to happen again.
If CA seems quiet, it’s because CA is on “partial lockdown” right now. Access is limited to three points because of the volume problems. If you can read this message, you’re on one of those nets. bigcitylib – I guess you and I have the same internet provider.
I’m keeping my readers informed of happenings at Power and Control and at The Astute Bloggers
http://www.classicalvalues.com/archives/2007/08/climate_audit_h.html
The above blog got an Instapundit link AND a Fark link.
BTW I WAS jonesing while you were down. I feel lucky to be on the active ‘net.
I am trying to keep up with the latest info in regards to these recent attacks. Seems to be some unconfirmed rumors that sabatoge was at play at surfacestations.org.
Going to wait before I post anything at Global Warming skeptics
Re #17, John A
Is that going to be enough for this sort of traffic spike ?
#2,
For a site that claims to be conservative, why the consistent conservative bashing?
I’m willing to bet that if I were to try and defend the conservatives being bashed, SteveM would delete those posts. (In fact he has done just that in the past.)
Re #26, MarkW
Really ? Where ?
#26,
My bad
“For a site that claims to be conservative”
Should read
“For a site that claims to be non-political”
SteveM has stated time and time again that he wants to stay away from politics.
It seems that this is a one sided exclusion.