Author Topic: Back in time (Read 391 times)

SilverCrown · « **on:** December 24, 2011, 08:03:53 AM »

Beauties -

As if the holiday season isn't disorienting enough with all its hustle and bustle, good old TTB took a nosedive on Friday, 12/23, and came back at some odd moment in the past (12/17). A week doesn't seem like very long around here until we lose all of those thoughts we shared during that week. I don't know about you but I'm having a little trouble remembering where our conversations left off just before the big crash.

What can I tell you about the crash? I received an error message that told me that the place in the database where all of our posts are stored had crashed. I attempted to save as much current data as possible, restoring only the lost messages but quickly realized that doing so would take hours if not days. In order to bring TTB back online as quickly as possible I had to ask my ISP to restore all of our data, not just the posts, and that is why PM's and other information were lost as well.

Obviously I need to improve my backup strategy so that I have more current backups from which to restore and that begins today. Before I even check the status of TTB I will be running a complete manual backup of the database with my morning coffee (today's is finished). We are also attempting to establish an automated job to run a separate, more complete backup of the entire site at least once per day - our ISP says this is not possible but with a little luck and my DH's capable assistance we will find a way. If, in fact, we can't automate the backups then I will simply continue running a daily backup each morning so that the most we can possibly lose will be one day's worth of data.

If another crash occurs and depending on the severity, future restoration could result in TTB being down for at least a couple of hours. I keep a pretty close eye on things as does Canie but even I sleep sometimes. Once made aware of a crash, I will need to spend some time diagnosing the cause before restoring the data.. In the process of restoring things like all of our posts and our profile information - the things that you see - important information about a crash is lost too..I learned this yesterday when I tried and failed to save the information in the database about the crash. So I need to understand it before I can move ahead on the restoration.

I apologize again for the crash and I take full responsibility for the ensuing loss of data. I can't be certain that we will never have another crash but I can promise that we will always have a more current backup for restoration.

Wishing each and every one of you a joyous holiday season and a Happy New Year,

SilverCrown

ILuvLucy · « **Reply #1 on:** December 24, 2011, 08:10:45 AM »

Oh no, SC! so much work for you.

I went looking to reply to some PM's and didn't see them. But, I thought it was just my fault - LOL

Please don't work so hard - especially over Christmas!

milla · « **Reply #2 on:** December 24, 2011, 08:45:12 AM »

Take a rest! put your feet up! or do what i did just now...pour yourself a glass of something nice (mine was Port!)
Thank you for everything you do and have a levely Christmas!!
xoxo

Tupelo · « **Reply #3 on:** December 24, 2011, 09:52:10 AM »

I bet you have a lot of other, more time sensitive, tasks to look after on Christmas Eve, SC. I think TTB will catch up with itself - we'll all remember if we added new threads and re-post after Christmas.

Thanks for you hard work! Please take a deep breath and carry on with your busy day. Oh, and what milla said!

My DH just made me a mimosa. Great idea, milla!

makinalist · « **Reply #4 on:** December 24, 2011, 11:00:11 AM »

What everyone has already said, from me also. Maintaining a forum like this for over two years is an awesome task and responsibility. Most importantly, we know you keep us safe here, and I'm sure we can chatter enough in the next few days to make up for what we lost! Right, ladies?

Cougar · « **Reply #5 on:** December 24, 2011, 11:59:44 AM »

Yes, we're already making up more messages to fill the cracks

I'm just sorry you have to deal with the problems that go with maintaining the forum. Where are your elves? On hiatus?

milla · « **Reply #6 on:** December 24, 2011, 12:23:13 PM »

Quote from: milla on December 24, 2011, 08:45:12 AM

Take a rest! put your feet up! or do what i did just now...pour yourself a glass of something nice (mine was Port!)
Thank you for everything you do and have a levely Christmas!!
xoxo

I meant ... a lovely Christmas.I am not touching that Port until tomorrow after the meal.

SuePhilly · « **Reply #7 on:** December 24, 2011, 12:32:06 PM »

Don't worry about it! You are doing an amazing job! And besides, sh*t happens.

makinalist · « **Reply #8 on:** December 24, 2011, 01:47:20 PM »

Milla - Don't bother correcting yourself today, please. You are so much fun to talk to today!

SilverCrown · « **Reply #9 on:** December 30, 2011, 10:08:08 AM »

Update: It took DH many hours and our ISP said it couldn't be done but we now have an automated backup running every morning at 4 AM. It backs up the database (where all the information like our posts, PMs, and profiles as well as a number of administrative settings are stored) and all the code that makes TTB look the way it does. In addition he wrote a whole new program to restore the data so that we should be able to quickly restore the most recent backup in the event of another crash.

Finally, just as a double-check, I run a manual backup of the database every day, sometimes twice a day if traffic is heavy. I am determined that we will not lose large amounts of data again!

You are the best members that any forum administrator could hope for. Your gracious and understanding attitude about the recent loss of data go above and beyond. I heard not one complaint and received a lot of support. You picked up the threads where they were broken and knitted them back together into a strong fabric. As one member and personal friend said, we have great members!

Thank you all for your kindness, understanding, and flexibility.

-SC

ILuvLucy · « **Reply #10 on:** December 30, 2011, 11:04:09 AM »

Thank YOU SC and Mr. SC (who happens to know way more than your ISP

)

SuePhilly · « **Reply #11 on:** December 30, 2011, 11:19:23 AM »

makinalist · « **Reply #12 on:** December 30, 2011, 01:57:56 PM »

Wonderful news! It sounds as if Mr. SC is like my DH...telling him something cannot be done is like waving a red flag in his face. They just dig in that much harder, don't they?

Tell him how much we appreciate his part in making our favorite place even more secure for us.

marci65 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 30, 2011, 02:57:32 PM »

Thanks to you both for fixing us and all you do on an ongoing basis to keep the forum running!

SilverCrown · « **Reply #14 on:** December 30, 2011, 05:20:00 PM »

It's our pleasure, truly, to operate the forum. I've never come across a greater bunch of women in my life. Lots of diverse backgrounds and lifestyles and yet everyone seems to enjoy the diversity and even thrive on it. After all the forums and sites I've been on where the slightest difference of opinion resulted in a flamewar, I am just so happy that everyone here is open-minded and open-hearted.

I learn new things every single day here. That was what I was hoping for when I first started TTB. The lack of a place just for us was screaming at me and I'm totally devoted to maintaining TTB for you and for me.

LemonMyrtle · « **Reply #15 on:** December 30, 2011, 06:24:49 PM »

back at you, SC. You and your DH are just beyond words wonderful for looking after us as you do, and yes, what truly timelessly beautiful women are on this site.

Cougar · « **Reply #16 on:** December 31, 2011, 01:42:24 AM »

If you crash us on a regular basis and put us back in time, can you do it enough to let me lose a few years?

ILuvLucy · « **Reply #17 on:** December 31, 2011, 08:22:26 AM »

Quote from: Cougar on December 31, 2011, 01:42:24 AM

If you crash us on a regular basis and put us back in time, can you do it enough to let me lose a few years?

{{A small group of women mysteriously grows younger. Later it's revealed that they were all frequent posters on TTB}}

makinalist · « **Reply #18 on:** December 31, 2011, 11:54:00 AM »

Quote from: ILuvLucy on December 31, 2011, 08:22:26 AM

{{A small group of women mysteriously grows younger. Later it's revealed that they were all frequent posters on TTB}}

{{...followed by an onslaught of new members stampeding the site}}

ILuvLucy · « **Reply #19 on:** January 01, 2012, 08:38:55 AM »

I thought I'd already reached Ageless Beauty status. Possibly this is why I'm now a Platinum Member? Alas, I'll have to work hard to get back to being ageless.

Poppyfields · « **Reply #20 on:** January 01, 2012, 12:13:42 PM »

Ah, me too Lucy. Yay, I'm younger for the new year!

makinalist · « **Reply #21 on:** January 01, 2012, 01:16:26 PM »

Aww, Lucy and Poppy -- you will always be Ageless Beauties to me! Besides, you two can make up those few posts in no time.

SilverCrown · « **Reply #22 on:** January 01, 2012, 01:32:11 PM »

I decided that it wasn't fair that a glitch should affect a member's status so I've made a temporary tweak that restores your Ageless Beauty status. The tweak will last until you and others have once again reached the necessary 1,000 posts to qualify as an Ageless Beauty.

Besides, you're all ageless beauties in my eyes anyway. The numbers are mostly just a fun way to keep track of number of posts. They also help to identify relatively new members so that we're sure they don't fall through the cracks - though my observation is that everyone here is very responsive to anyone and everyone.

SC

Poppyfields · « **Reply #23 on:** January 01, 2012, 06:34:02 PM »

Aw, you are so sweet, SC. I wasn't complaining - really.

SilverCrown · « **Reply #24 on:** January 01, 2012, 08:31:47 PM »

Quote from: Poppyfields on January 01, 2012, 06:34:02 PM

Aw, you are so sweet, SC. I wasn't complaining - really.

Not only weren't you complaining, both you and ILuvLucy were remarkably good natured about it. But when I saw that you had each lost at least 50 posts in the crash I decided that something needed to be done.

Now, if you'd like to go back in time again I'm sure something could be arranged in the other direction. . .but I think we'll do it on a case-by-case basis rather than the whole forum.

SusieQ · « **Reply #25 on:** January 02, 2012, 12:17:53 PM »

I noticed it for a second and continued on. I am sorry to hear that you and Mr. SC had some extra work to do before Christmas. I'm sure that everyone noticed this before but SC also stands for Santa Claus. Just rambling on and on....