Just had a chat with PN CS.

Now I'm going to tell you a story...

Main problem is FTP upload access to CGI server. Usually unable to connect. If connects at all, usually slow, and on faster times it's throttled due to pipe leechers apparently. In some cases a failed connection causes a full network disconnection. Funnily enough the inability to connect at all is during the night.

The speed issues of the CGI servers are not new. In the last year, it's a good day if five users can browse the forums without lag. Some times I pop in on my own and it's slow.

So I phoned up. After pressing '3' for technical queries, I got to '4' for website and CGI queries, only to get a recorded message which leads back to the original menu. In my slightly weary state (I've been up all night backing up a hard drive which is ready to fall over ( ), I assumed I missed the option. Nope. A retry got the same deal. So this time I tried '3' then '2', and got connection in 5 seconds of the music starting. Shame it took 3 mins 20 seconds to get to the music.

I won't bore you with the entire conversation, but when I pressed the chap for a reason for the inability to connect, or the year-long speed issue, I was reminded to send logs from the FTP client to allow them to find the problem. After telling him that the problem is simple (unix command line stuff), I'm again asked to bear with them as they are looking into it. Well it's been a year, and I'm telling him I want an answer.

I press him to tell me if there are plans to increase capacity. He say "Yes, we are looking to increase backhaul" (thingummy jigger stuffy that I don't keep up with). I ask if they intend to increase capacity specifically to the CGI servers...

"No."

...is the immortal anwser.

Keep in mind this:

In reply to:

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15/02/2007 @ 17:08 Slow CGI Performance (39630) - UPDATE
This is an update to the previously reported announcement regarding the slow performance of our CGI web servers. A copy of the last announcement can be seen here:-
http://usertools.plus.net/status/archive/1171395124.htm

We are continuing to suffer from an increase in load on our CGI storage platform. This is causing customers' websites hosted on the CGI servers to load slowly or appear sluggish at times.

We have recently ordered the hardware to upgrade our existing CGI storage implementation. This should greatly improve response times and resolve the current performance issues.

The hardware is due to arrive towards the end of this month and we will be looking to conduct the work to upgrade the platform shortly after. Further details will be provided nearer the time.

We would like to thank customers for their patience and apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Kind Regards,

Bob Pullen
Customer Support

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Nuff said really. Oh, and the thing magically connected while arguing with the chap. Uploaded 1.5 Meg of data in about 12 mins due to 4 disconnects.

I'd rather pay a decent host three or four times as much a year for just a crappy little service which actually works, and I will be taking my business elsewhere. End of.

Hi there,

I'm not entirely sure what you're getting at here. The performance of the CGI servers has been lacking of late due to the storage running extremely hot. This problem can't be attributed to a year's worth of issues though.

We've ordered the NetApp 270C which will be on our doorsteps at the end of the month. We'll then be expanding the CGI storage platform. This will alleviate the times where load is high and hopefully resolve all of your performance concerns.

I don't suppose you have the ticket ID of the notes the agent in question will have left on your account? I'd like to make sure they are educated about our plans.

Kind Rgds,

I have two tickets open at present.

The CGI one is 21173046. I don't have the name of the handler. Call time was around 7am.

Since I got the forum setup there has been speed issues. Check the 'Website & Forum' section of it if you like.

Edit: Changed to correct section.

Edited by camieabz (Fri 16-Feb-07 09:22:16)

In reply to:

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I press him to tell me if there are plans to increase capacity. He say "Yes, we are looking to increase backhaul" (thingummy jigger stuffy that I don't keep up with). I ask if they intend to increase capacity specifically to the CGI servers...

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You could read that as increase bandwidth to the cgi servers - which of course is no. they are already on lan speed connections, its not bandwidth that is a problem, its storage speeds and no doubt cpu performace too!.

Camie, are you quitting PN altogether, or just for the CGI side of it?

As a frequent browser, I can confirm your forums are definitely slow at times, and there are other unexplained problems too, like why do I often have to log in manually, even though I've set it to "log me in automatically each time I visit", and why do I occasionally get weird error messages instead of success, when I'm trying to post something?

I'm afraid I'm not techie enough (or rather CBA) to know whether all these things are definitely to do with PN, but there certainly seem to be some issues.

T.

You know something is wrong when you complain Cami ;(

Sure do

Camie, When I last used the cgi servers I found that I suffered disconnections until I turned off PASV (Passive) mode. Once I did this my connect speed increased and I didn't get any disconnections. At the time I replicated this a number of times. It might be worth trying that if you aren't already.

That should only help with FTP though Vince - not the general slowness of the site when people browse.

May I suggest you get a job with PN CS. That's one they haven't suggested.

It worked ffs. Faster upload, no disconnections when uploading 2 Meg. I'll watch it closely. I can't [censored] believe that. It says:

If you have trouble connecting to the servers etc....enable passive mode, so I did a couple of weeks back. Gah!


Flipping FTP. It's like FDDs. Outdated and in good need of a new version.