I see that there are companies offering to manage a dedicated server. I see that there are companies offering to install scripts and security related software on dedicated servers. However, one thing that I'm not seeing is a company (or an individual) who offers "server tuning" services.
By server tuning, I mean that the person or company [1.] finds the optimal values for apache & mySQL on a case-by-case basis, and not just places generic "one size fits all" values in httpd.conf & my.cnf [2.] installs & tunes software like php accelerators, [3.] rebuilds and customizes kernels, and provides security hardening from the ground up, e.g., optimizing sysctl.conf, and whatever other .conf file that happens to dwell in /etc/.
Also, by server tuning, I mean that the source of "high server load" is identified and dealt with. If the server load is coming from an improperly written wordpress plugin, for example, then an added service could be to fix and optimize the plugin. Obviously, using tuning-primer.sh or something similar would help here. I thinking of have the person or company monitor the logging or mySQL queries that take longer than 1 second.
Idea. If some kind of script could be designed to transmit hardware & OS information to some remote central database, then it might be possible to correlate server load & hardware with the tweak values for the files involved with customization. Once a hefty database has been built up, then there could be a website that reflects this.) But I digress.
Does anyone know of a person or a company who can make a dedicated server SECURELY SCREAM in the sense of serving up pages at the speed of light? If so, what services will be done and for what price?
Thanks.Not sure if this helps or not, but you could look into a company that offers global content delivery. This would definitely speed up the delivery of static content (images, css, etc.) - freeing up your servers' resources to process dynamic content. I've seen performance gains between 50-75% using a CDN.Most good system adminstrators on here will be able to do that , just because nobody explicitly offers "server tuning" or whatever you wish to call it doesn't mean they do not poses the skill to do it.
Please understand however the key part of my above message is, "good system administrators". The best way to determine will be to ask some questions specfically relating to what you need and if you have a reasonable understanding (since your message seems to indicate things like checking mySQL, query optimization and so on) then give them a sample query you have and ask how they would optimize it.
Just a general idea.The costs to fine tune a server really does cost. If you want a fine-tuned mysql, get a mysql tech ( 4000$ or so ), if you want apache tuned, get an apache tech ... etc. It really isn`t easy to fine tune it. Most providers will fine tune mysql with some already available scripts that try to "figure out" the current usage, and will try setting it up based on the "current" report.And apache, most use ab to do some hardcore pressure and then just change the MaxServers etc values.It really depends on what you mean by "tunning", since it involves more than 1 level by definition.Does anyone know of a person or a company who can make a dedicated server SECURELY SCREAM in the sense of serving up pages at the speed of light? If so, what services will be done and for what price?
Expensive. For that type of work, expect to pay someone who knows *exactly* what they are doing and can almost *feel* the machine. This type of work, can run into the thousands per day. And take a few weeks.
If you want a fine-tuned mysql, get a mysql tech ( 4000$ or so ), if you want apache tuned, get an apache tech ... etc.
I respectfully disagree. What is really required is someone who understands every aspect and interface of the system as a whole. These people are exceedingly rare, but do exist. If one cannot be located, then separate specialists can work, but a single expert is better.
Now, best of all is someone who has been involved at every stage of the game including development of the application. Maybe not applicable in this instance after the fact, but nothing beats making design choices based on rigourous benchmarking during development.Everything that you've described should be done by your server admin anyway. The exception being to fix resource hogging scripts, such as Word Press. I believe that a good admin will say "Hey, your WP install is sucking up resources." - but its not really their job to handle website development issues.--TinaGreetings Tina:
Good points!Everything that you've described should be done by your server admin anyway.
--Tina
The problem is with us folks who opt to self-manage our own servers. Not everyone possesses the same level of knowledge and expertise, and therefore a company who charges a fee for optimization would be beneficial. The same logic that applies for seeking security hardening services also applies to seeking server tweaking services. While most companies or individuals advertise their security services, I do not see explicit advertising of server tweaking services -- I think this is an untapped niche, IMHO. This doesn't mean that those who do not advertise their tweaking services are incapable of doing the tweaking -- it just means that the tweaking service isn't explicitly advertised as a possible service in the first place, at least the frequency of threads about offering security services outweigh the frequency of threads about offering tweaking services.
There are some who have replied to this thread who have suggested that the cost of such optimization from experts will cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Obviously, this is not a viable option to those who do not have deep pockets. While it is a realistic option for corporations, companies, and wealthy individuals, it is not very realistic for the average joe server operator who runs several forums, blogs, or ecommerce stores as a means to supplement income. And the average joe, like myself, would be a nice target niche audience for such tweaking services. I realize that you get what you pay for, but does this necessarily mean that the "have-nots" ought to have no chance for optimization services, except to be refered to performing the traditional Google search?
It just seems to me that this is an untapped market, with the knowledge base for optimization coming from blog posts and from forum posts regarding how to survive a slash-dotting or the digg effect. But the settings that one site uses in order to survive the digg effect might be, and most likely are, different from another.
I'm rambling again. I'll just sit tight for a little bit and see where this thread goes.Most good system adminstrators on here will be able to do that , just because nobody explicitly offers "server tuning" or whatever you wish to call it doesn't mean they do not poses the skill to do it.
Please understand however the key part of my above message is, "good system administrators". The best way to determine will be to ask some questions specfically relating to what you need and if you have a reasonable understanding (since your message seems to indicate things like checking mySQL, query optimization and so on) then give them a sample query you have and ask how they would optimize it.
Just a general idea.
I agree. Most server management companies will do this without any questions asked. It is a form of admin time.There are some who have replied to this thread who have suggested that the cost of such optimization from experts will cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Obviously, this is not a viable option to those who do not have deep pockets. While it is a realistic option for corporations, companies, and wealthy individuals, it is not very realistic for the average joe server operator who runs several forums, blogs, or ecommerce stores as a means to supplement income. And the average joe, like myself, would be a nice target niche audience for such tweaking services. I realize that you get what you pay for, but does this necessarily mean that the "have-nots" ought to have no chance for optimization services, except to be refered to performing the traditional Google search?
Your posts make sense. Optimization or "server tuning" that you have described here is very custom and changes with each server, website, and individual needs. As a result of the continuously varying factors, it would be difficult to make a "one-package fits all" type offer that would cover this unless it some sort of hourly type setup.
Interesting though.
By server tuning, I mean that the person or company [1.] finds the optimal values for apache & mySQL on a case-by-case basis, and not just places generic "one size fits all" values in httpd.conf & my.cnf [2.] installs & tunes software like php accelerators, [3.] rebuilds and customizes kernels, and provides security hardening from the ground up, e.g., optimizing sysctl.conf, and whatever other .conf file that happens to dwell in /etc/.
Also, by server tuning, I mean that the source of "high server load" is identified and dealt with. If the server load is coming from an improperly written wordpress plugin, for example, then an added service could be to fix and optimize the plugin. Obviously, using tuning-primer.sh or something similar would help here. I thinking of have the person or company monitor the logging or mySQL queries that take longer than 1 second.
Idea. If some kind of script could be designed to transmit hardware & OS information to some remote central database, then it might be possible to correlate server load & hardware with the tweak values for the files involved with customization. Once a hefty database has been built up, then there could be a website that reflects this.) But I digress.
Does anyone know of a person or a company who can make a dedicated server SECURELY SCREAM in the sense of serving up pages at the speed of light? If so, what services will be done and for what price?
Thanks.Not sure if this helps or not, but you could look into a company that offers global content delivery. This would definitely speed up the delivery of static content (images, css, etc.) - freeing up your servers' resources to process dynamic content. I've seen performance gains between 50-75% using a CDN.Most good system adminstrators on here will be able to do that , just because nobody explicitly offers "server tuning" or whatever you wish to call it doesn't mean they do not poses the skill to do it.
Please understand however the key part of my above message is, "good system administrators". The best way to determine will be to ask some questions specfically relating to what you need and if you have a reasonable understanding (since your message seems to indicate things like checking mySQL, query optimization and so on) then give them a sample query you have and ask how they would optimize it.
Just a general idea.The costs to fine tune a server really does cost. If you want a fine-tuned mysql, get a mysql tech ( 4000$ or so ), if you want apache tuned, get an apache tech ... etc. It really isn`t easy to fine tune it. Most providers will fine tune mysql with some already available scripts that try to "figure out" the current usage, and will try setting it up based on the "current" report.And apache, most use ab to do some hardcore pressure and then just change the MaxServers etc values.It really depends on what you mean by "tunning", since it involves more than 1 level by definition.Does anyone know of a person or a company who can make a dedicated server SECURELY SCREAM in the sense of serving up pages at the speed of light? If so, what services will be done and for what price?
Expensive. For that type of work, expect to pay someone who knows *exactly* what they are doing and can almost *feel* the machine. This type of work, can run into the thousands per day. And take a few weeks.
If you want a fine-tuned mysql, get a mysql tech ( 4000$ or so ), if you want apache tuned, get an apache tech ... etc.
I respectfully disagree. What is really required is someone who understands every aspect and interface of the system as a whole. These people are exceedingly rare, but do exist. If one cannot be located, then separate specialists can work, but a single expert is better.
Now, best of all is someone who has been involved at every stage of the game including development of the application. Maybe not applicable in this instance after the fact, but nothing beats making design choices based on rigourous benchmarking during development.Everything that you've described should be done by your server admin anyway. The exception being to fix resource hogging scripts, such as Word Press. I believe that a good admin will say "Hey, your WP install is sucking up resources." - but its not really their job to handle website development issues.--TinaGreetings Tina:
Good points!Everything that you've described should be done by your server admin anyway.
--Tina
The problem is with us folks who opt to self-manage our own servers. Not everyone possesses the same level of knowledge and expertise, and therefore a company who charges a fee for optimization would be beneficial. The same logic that applies for seeking security hardening services also applies to seeking server tweaking services. While most companies or individuals advertise their security services, I do not see explicit advertising of server tweaking services -- I think this is an untapped niche, IMHO. This doesn't mean that those who do not advertise their tweaking services are incapable of doing the tweaking -- it just means that the tweaking service isn't explicitly advertised as a possible service in the first place, at least the frequency of threads about offering security services outweigh the frequency of threads about offering tweaking services.
There are some who have replied to this thread who have suggested that the cost of such optimization from experts will cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Obviously, this is not a viable option to those who do not have deep pockets. While it is a realistic option for corporations, companies, and wealthy individuals, it is not very realistic for the average joe server operator who runs several forums, blogs, or ecommerce stores as a means to supplement income. And the average joe, like myself, would be a nice target niche audience for such tweaking services. I realize that you get what you pay for, but does this necessarily mean that the "have-nots" ought to have no chance for optimization services, except to be refered to performing the traditional Google search?
It just seems to me that this is an untapped market, with the knowledge base for optimization coming from blog posts and from forum posts regarding how to survive a slash-dotting or the digg effect. But the settings that one site uses in order to survive the digg effect might be, and most likely are, different from another.
I'm rambling again. I'll just sit tight for a little bit and see where this thread goes.Most good system adminstrators on here will be able to do that , just because nobody explicitly offers "server tuning" or whatever you wish to call it doesn't mean they do not poses the skill to do it.
Please understand however the key part of my above message is, "good system administrators". The best way to determine will be to ask some questions specfically relating to what you need and if you have a reasonable understanding (since your message seems to indicate things like checking mySQL, query optimization and so on) then give them a sample query you have and ask how they would optimize it.
Just a general idea.
I agree. Most server management companies will do this without any questions asked. It is a form of admin time.There are some who have replied to this thread who have suggested that the cost of such optimization from experts will cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Obviously, this is not a viable option to those who do not have deep pockets. While it is a realistic option for corporations, companies, and wealthy individuals, it is not very realistic for the average joe server operator who runs several forums, blogs, or ecommerce stores as a means to supplement income. And the average joe, like myself, would be a nice target niche audience for such tweaking services. I realize that you get what you pay for, but does this necessarily mean that the "have-nots" ought to have no chance for optimization services, except to be refered to performing the traditional Google search?
Your posts make sense. Optimization or "server tuning" that you have described here is very custom and changes with each server, website, and individual needs. As a result of the continuously varying factors, it would be difficult to make a "one-package fits all" type offer that would cover this unless it some sort of hourly type setup.
Interesting though.