BW excess charges

Knu · February 04, 2006, 07:45:15 PM

Hi,

Can you clarify what would happen if I exceeded BW allowances for a given month. I have read your TOS agreement, but it is not specific. If all it meant was an e-mail, informing me of the situation, and an upgrade to higher spec-ed account, with no interuption, that would be fine. However, if it meant immediate suspension and/or "fines" (outrageous charges per gig), that would not be so good.

Also, I run an SMF forum, with the Arcade mod. I've not had problems with my host so far, but it can make a lot queries of the database. What is your experience, if any, of this modification? - Is it a problem?

Thanks.

Jason · February 04, 2006, 08:56:20 PM

Hi, thanks for the post. I'll respond below:

Quote from: Knu on February 04, 2006, 07:45:15 PM
Can you clarify what would happen if I exceeded BW allowances for a given month. I have read your TOS agreement, but it is not specific. If all it meant was an e-mail, informing me of the situation, and an upgrade to higher spec-ed account, with no interuption, that would be fine. However, if it meant immediate suspension and/or "fines" (outrageous charges per gig), that would not be so good.

The servers we use are cPanel-based and are set to where they automatically "temp-suspend" your account if you exceed your bandwidth. However, it will start emailing you repeated warnings once you get to 80% of your monthly bandwidth. I am also copied on all of these emails so that I'm aware as well. What this means for most customers is that you will have several days' worth of warnings.

Typically I will monitor these though it's ultimately the client's responsibility. If you send me an email about the situation, we can make adjustments to ensure there is never an interruption. For example, for special cases -- like a once-in-awhile boost in transfer due to some sort of release, I will do what I can to provide what is needed for free for that month if I can. I've done that numerous times in the past. If it looks like you're going to need a higher allotment going forward, that can be discussed as well.

Additional bandwidth is $2 per 5 gigs per month. If you have a pretty large need, we can discuss greater discounting.

Quote
Also, I run an SMF forum, with the Arcade mod. I've not had problems with my host so far, but it can make a lot queries of the database. What is your experience, if any, of this modification? - Is it a problem?

To date, I don't believe any present clients are running that mod, though there's another post about it from a week or so back here. I've been contemplating installing it myself to see what it will do. So to be honest, I don't have the experience to say what loads it would cause. Ultimately, I will have to act on the best interest of the server and all clients.

If you're willing to share, I'd be curious to know the amount of traffic and users you keep online and stats like that to see if I could give a better response. However, we could always ask the developers if they know of the loads it uses.

I can tell you with certainty that my servers are well balanced, under-stocked and high-spec. If you're running fine elsewhere, I can't imagine any issues here. Again though, if the code wasn't perfect or your traffic started raising issues, I would have to act for the best of everyone.

Hope that helps and thanks for the inquiry. Please let me know if you have further questions.

Cheers,
Jason

Knu · February 04, 2006, 10:25:18 PM

Quote from: Jason on February 04, 2006, 08:56:20 PM
The servers we use are cPanel-based and are set to where they automatically "temp-suspend" your account if you exceed your bandwidth. However, it will start emailing you repeated warnings once you get to 80% of your monthly bandwidth. I am also copied on all of these emails so that I'm aware as well. What this means for most customers is that you will have several days' worth of warnings.

Oh, I have cpanel now, but have never reached 80%, so did not realise this. That's absolutely fine.

QuoteTypically I will monitor these though it's ultimately the client's responsibility. If you send me an email about the situation, we can make adjustments to ensure there is never an interruption. For example, for special cases -- like a once-in-awhile boost in transfer due to some sort of release, I will do what I can to provide what is needed for free for that month if I can. I've done that numerous times in the past. If it looks like you're going to need a higher allotment going forward, that can be discussed as well.

Yeah, I appreciate it's our responsibility. The TOS is quite tough, but I can understand why. I just wanted to get an idea of how things are usually managed in reality. I read the reviews over at SMF, and was impressed by the accolades.

QuoteAdditional bandwidth is $2 per 5 gigs per month. If you have a pretty large need, we can discuss greater discounting.

Well, that's not unreasonable.

QuoteTo date, I don't believe any present clients are running that mod, though there's another post about it from a week or so back here. I've been contemplating installing it myself to see what it will do. So to be honest, I don't have the experience to say what loads it would cause. Ultimately, I will have to act on the best interest of the server and all clients.

Of course you do, and as a fellow SMFer, I wouldn't wish to cause problems, so I brought up the subject first. The Arcade is not at all central to my forum. It's just a nice add on for what is very much a support site. It's not that most members will be there to hammer away at games, but it is query intensive when first loaded. Maybe at other times too; I'm unsure.

QuoteIf you're willing to share, I'd be curious to know the amount of traffic and users you keep online and stats like that to see if I could give a better response. However, we could always ask the developers if they know of the loads it uses.

Traffic is not an issue at the moment. I was never sure if the site/forum was going to be a long term venture, but recently decided to develop it properly, and intend to optimise it for the first time. I didn't want to actively recruit members only close down. It was originally a bit of a refuge, I guess. New content, and a relaunch should happen soon, but I'm getting wind of my pressent host playing games with someone with a busier SMF forum, claiming server abuse, when in fact, his traffic has dropped. I don't want to relaunch with all my new support content, (I've let many members drift away, I'd like them back), only to have my host say, "server load, time to get a dedicated server", and suspend the account as they have done with others, under dubious circumstances.

I sent the developer a PM, to ask about the issues raised. I was polite (I think), but he ignored the message. He's young, so maybe felt awkward, or embarrassed, I don't know. - He shouldn't do (16, and written a major modification for SMF), but the question has been raised a couple of times, with no real outcome.

QuoteI can tell you with certainty that my servers are well balanced, under-stocked and high-spec. If you're running fine elsewhere, I can't imagine any issues here. Again though, if the code wasn't perfect or your traffic started raising issues, I would have to act for the best of everyone.

Hope that helps and thanks for the inquiry. Please let me know if you have further questions.

Cheers,
Jason

I am running fine, but I am quiet. The games mod is the only potential fly in the ointment. If you could install this, and check it out, that would be great. I don't feel comfortable with my host any more, and feel they might try to blackmail me into a dedicated server if I jump in traffic, and suspend the account. That would not bother me, I'd just move, but I could do without that kind of credibility problem if I've just relaunched. If you found the Arcade Mod to be a problem, the the problem would be the same everywhere, so I'd just remove it. Knowing that in advance would help us both, and your other potential customer too.

Thank you for your courteous and timely response. They weren't exaggerating at SMF after all!

Jason · February 04, 2006, 11:02:39 PM

Sure, I can try to install it tomorrow and see what it looks like. I wouldn't necessarily be able to duplicate the loads of having multiple users in it simultaneously however so I fear a true test may not be possible at the moment.

If you're willing to part with it if it was a problem, then that would always be an option in a worst-case scenario.

Thanks for the kudos

It's something I love doing so it's fun to keep up with!

Knu · February 05, 2006, 05:13:58 PM

Quote from: Jason on February 04, 2006, 11:02:39 PM
Sure, I can try to install it tomorrow and see what it looks like. I wouldn't necessarily be able to duplicate the loads of having multiple users in it simultaneously however so I fear a true test may not be possible at the moment.

If you're willing to part with it if it was a problem, then that would always be an option in a worst-case scenario.

Thanks for the kudos It's something I love doing so it's fun to keep up with!

Hi, how's it going?

Well, even if it just shows momentary peaks, it would be enough to extrapolate from to get a rough idea.

I'll pop in again later, or tomorrow, and see if you've managed to come up with anything.

Thanks.

Jason · February 05, 2006, 07:17:17 PM

Well, to avoid doing all the tweaking necessary for RC2 (since there doesn't appear to be a release supporting it fully yet), I installed 1.0.6 and then the arcade.

There's all kinds of tweaks I apparently need to make for that too.

The code replacements on their forum aren't matching what's in a stock SMF 1.0.6 load, so it's taking me longer than I would've hoped to test this.

I have it roughly working here:

http://www.hostmenow.net/smf/index.php?action=arcade

Although, the games aren't loading.

Must be something else I need to alter somewhere.

I have some project work I have to do so I might have to table this until I have time to read up on what all is required to get this working properly.

Unless you see my error somewhere?

Knu · February 05, 2006, 07:37:53 PM

Ah, perhaps it's the "thingymabob"! What the hell do you call it? You need to run a file for the mod to take effect.

Edit: There is also an Arcade admin area, and you will need to check that the server path and URL are correct. I had a similar thing happen only recently when moving the Games directory, so it could well be that.

Jason · February 05, 2006, 07:42:29 PM

Quote from: Knu on February 05, 2006, 07:37:53 PM
Ah, perhaps it's the "thingymabob"! What the hell do you call it? You need to run a file for the mod to take effect.

I ran the install file (arcade_install.php). Otherwise, the mod wouldn't be working like it is now. Correct?

It must be the non-matching code replacements that I can't match up.

I posted in another thread here a few minutes ago too. Skhilled from the Arcade mod site posted there a few days back...maybe he'll respond.

Otherwise, I'll track it down when I can read their forum more to find the error(s). I have to prioritize some other client work that I promised to get done this weekend first.

Knu · February 05, 2006, 07:49:27 PM

Of course. No mad rush for me anyway.

Thanks.

Jason · February 05, 2006, 08:08:34 PM

Quote from: Knu on February 05, 2006, 07:37:53 PM
Edit: There is also an Arcade admin area, and you will need to check that the server path and URL are correct. I had a similar thing happen only recently when moving the Games directory, so it could well be that.

I did see that and it's working properly for the most part.

Quote from: Knu on February 05, 2006, 07:49:27 PM
Of course. No mad rush for me anyway.
Thanks.

No problem. It's a cool mod so I've been curious anyway.

I'll post back when I get a little more time to play with it.

WSA · February 06, 2006, 12:33:27 PM

Hey Jason,

Just so you know, I am also getting ready to upgrade my forum to RC2 and TP v0.8.6 with the arcade mod. I know that there are a few people running the arcade on these specs right now so I know it works.

I am unsure also what my BW usage will jump up to as this will only be a paid member option so I don't expect a huge surge. Currently only 12 members would have access to it, but that may jump accordingly as others know it's there.

I will also keep you updated on what it does.

Jason · February 06, 2006, 01:06:20 PM

Quote from: WSA on February 06, 2006, 12:33:27 PM
Hey Jason,

Just so you know, I am also getting ready to upgrade my forum to RC2 and TP v0.8.6 with the arcade mod. I know that there are a few people running the arcade on these specs right now so I know it works.

I am unsure also what my BW usage will jump up to as this will only be a paid member option so I don't expect a huge surge. Currently only 12 members would have access to it, but that may jump accordingly as others know it's there.

I will also keep you updated on what it does.

Thanks, that would answer Knu's questions as well since my test account I setup yesterday is on the same server.

I don't think the bandwidth will be an issue. Our concern was more over server loads/resources.

Let me know when you have it running if you don't mind -- I'd like to see how it all comes together -- especially since the buzz around TP has been growing louder lately

WSA · February 06, 2006, 01:20:57 PM

Not a problem. It should probably be done either today or tomorrow depending on time and I will let you know.

Knu · February 06, 2006, 11:32:36 PM

Hi Jason,

Just to say don't worry about it too much. I guess if (probably when) I move here to your servers, I will allow myself a week or two to play around with things. I can get one or two others to try the arcade out at the same time. I can note the time, and ask you about server load when we used the Arcade, if that's OK? Saves you having to get the mod working; it can be tricky.

Thanks.

Jason · February 07, 2006, 08:22:17 AM

Quote from: Knu on February 06, 2006, 11:32:36 PM
Just to say don't worry about it too much. I guess if (probably when) I move here to your servers, I will allow myself a week or two to play around with things. I can get one or two others to try the arcade out at the same time. I can note the time, and ask you about server load when we used the Arcade, if that's OK? Saves you having to get the mod working; it can be tricky.

Sounds good. Or you can let me know when you'll be testing and if I can be available, I'll watch it in realtime.