How would you spread the server load?

Do you go from single core to a dual core or even 2x cpu solution, or do you buy another server just for the mysql?

i'm cheap, so in that situation i'd go with whatever is cheaper :P

Went from 2 P4 servers, one database and one web to a single DualCore Xeon Dell 2950. The performance increase was excellent however this was mostly due to the fact that the hosting company only gave us a 10Mb link between the two previous servers.

I'm sure that if they'd done what I'd asked and put in 1Gb NICs and a crossover cable we wouldn't have had to change configuration.

Saying that, buy investing in the forum and buying the 2950 server and moving to a straight "co-lo" rather than renting dedicated servers I will be cutting my hosting bill in half. Advertising on the forum had already paid for the new server in terms of "profit" so basically the server is already paid for and the cutting of hosting costs is extra money in the bank to promote the forum.

We're hoping to do a few interesting promotions next year ;) ;)

a 10mb link between 2 servers on same DC.... thats just stupid

a 10mb link between 2 servers on same DC.... thats just stupidNot really, it was a low-cost solution and they weren't set up to have people linking servers, the servers were sold on the basis that they had a 10Mb uplink, which is usually MORE than enough for any website, however for a web server/database server combination and a BUSY vBulletin forum it causes a bottleneck.

So basically it was my fault for not designing the hosting correctly.

yeah, having 10mbit for real world connections, but between servers in DC 10mbit is awfully slow. but oh well... cheap solution as you say

Any internal communication should be 1gbit, between 2 servers can be 1gb easy.. i don't understand why servers don't offer this? I can understand their cheaper solutions offer 10mbit or 100mbit or 1gbit capped from server to world.

Any internal communication should be 1gbit, between 2 servers can be 1gb easy.. i don't understand why servers don't offer this? I can understand their cheaper solutions offer 10mbit or 100mbit or 1gbit capped from server to world.Some companies do, depending on how "flexible" they are with their offerings. Top end managed Gb switches are still very expensive items of hardware so they aren't exactly the most common of pieces of gear in a lot of DC's, so inter-server comms are usually done with crossover cables and some companies aren't interested in sticking additional NICs into their servers.

Switches that support VLANs between MAC addresses or Ports are also available but again they aren't cheap so it's more likely to be in higher-cost hosting that they appear.

Bottom line, you pays your money and generally you get what you pay for. For large forums I'm now firmly of the belief that it's best to supply your own equipment and simply pay for rack space / connectivity.