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BigCloset has Officially completed it's Cloud-Transition!
This isn't a fully virtualized cloud for BigCloset, but more of a hybrid-cloud setup where we still have multiple physical database servers that are clustered together for replication and performance needs while the front ends, the bits that compile the data from the database and make the pages you know to be "TopShelf", are fully virtualized with Scalability, Stability, and Redundancy in mind. While we are only using 25% of the total resources that we plan to hand over to TopShelf right now, we actually have an equal set of resources set aside for "redundancy" so that if anything fails, everything will just move-over and continue working like there was never a problem in the first place.
It's taken a lot of time to orchestrate this particular upgrade due to the need of learning a whole new server virtualization platform that we can scale as BigCloset grows, and allows us to achive a whole new level of stability, and performance.
On top of all this, I've still been spending my "down time" tracking down little errors, and problems, like disappearing images (err_too_many_redirects) and other things that we have seen on an intermittent basis and I think I have most of them knocked off the list.
I used to watch "error logs" fill up my screen faster than I could actually read, and now I'm down to having 1-2 lines write to the logs every couple of minutes. It has become down right boring to watch the log files :P.
I hope you enjoy the fruits of my labor of the last month or so. We have put a lot of work into getting this together, including re-wiring and mapping all the connections in the data-center, creating a proper hardware inventory and IP allocation map, and just getting everything "working" the way it needed to.
For the geekier of those in our midst, PM me if you want the gory details.
-Piper
This isn't a fully virtualized cloud for BigCloset, but more of a hybrid-cloud setup where we still have multiple physical database servers that are clustered together for replication and performance needs while the front ends, the bits that compile the data from the database and make the pages you know to be "TopShelf", are fully virtualized with Scalability, Stability, and Redundancy in mind. While we are only using 25% of the total resources that we plan to hand over to TopShelf right now, we actually have an equal set of resources set aside for "redundancy" so that if anything fails, everything will just move-over and continue working like there was never a problem in the first place.
It's taken a lot of time to orchestrate this particular upgrade due to the need of learning a whole new server virtualization platform that we can scale as BigCloset grows, and allows us to achive a whole new level of stability, and performance.
On top of all this, I've still been spending my "down time" tracking down little errors, and problems, like disappearing images (err_too_many_redirects) and other things that we have seen on an intermittent basis and I think I have most of them knocked off the list.
I used to watch "error logs" fill up my screen faster than I could actually read, and now I'm down to having 1-2 lines write to the logs every couple of minutes. It has become down right boring to watch the log files :P.
I hope you enjoy the fruits of my labor of the last month or so. We have put a lot of work into getting this together, including re-wiring and mapping all the connections in the data-center, creating a proper hardware inventory and IP allocation map, and just getting everything "working" the way it needed to.
For the geekier of those in our midst, PM me if you want the gory details.
-Piper
Comments
Cool
Thanks for the update.
Sheesh
News like this and I want to click a love or kudos button and say atta girl. Alas, I couldn't find a single button on the page to record a cheer for your hard work. I guess you're going to have to read my comment for a job well done.
Wendy K
^^ This ^^
^^ This ^^
- Leona
"Love" "Like" "Thank" "Kudo"
"Love" "Like" "Thank" "Kudo"
Kris
{I leave a trail of Kudos as I browse the site. Be careful where you step!}
^^ And This ^^
^^ And This ^^
- Leona
You go girl
Piper, you're my hero. I doubt any other TG story site has as dedicated an IT person as we do here at BCTS. I'll add my thanks to the other for that dedication and all of your hard work.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Thank You
Thank you for all the hard work you have been doing to keep us happy and reading stories that our fabulous authors post.
3 cheers for your team
CLOUD?
You are definitely one of those 'big brain' people. Is it true aliens have bred with us mortals and gave birth to super homo erectis?
Does this mean comments will go through the first time? ^J^
Hugs, Karen
Yay!
I'm totally behind any moves you make.
I am SO grateful you've provided this space for us. (SERIOUSLY!)
I just can't help thinking of an old online cartoon that declared " 'The Cloud' is just someone elses's hard drive'.
I hope the family jewels haven't been handed over to the possession of someone unworthy.
K@
(Admittedly a conservative curmudgeon)
Private Hybrid Cloud by QnEZ :)
Just to re-assure everyone, I wanted you to know that QnEZ is BigCloset, just as much as DopplerPress is.
Instead of out-sourcing our cloud solution to a larger provider we bought our own hardware and put it in our racks, bundled it all together, and built our own Private Cloud Platform just for BigCloset.
We plan to use the experience to build Commercial Cloud offerings for other customers in the future as demand requires but the only infrastructure we've outsourced is Facility and Network (we have our own Cabinet, PDUs, Switches, Servers, and use their Network, Facility, Generators, Battery Backups and A+B Power feeds). TopShelf is still safe in our own hands.
-Piper
P.S. Here is a Diagram showing the current BigCloset Hybrid Cloud setup.
Cloud activity
It is wonderful to learn about BC moving with new technology. May we continue to be on the side of the force.
The video above shows so much even in 15 seconds. I do not know how widely this video is intended to be distributed but, at 5 seconds the logo reads
You stories, Your community
should that not read - Your stories, Your community...
Robyn B
Sydney
Thank you
is a start,for all your hard work