The Big Crash

[Michael]

The Big Crash

As you may be already aware, the hosting company that previously provided the internet server for Discussion World Forum had a serious crash on October 7th/8th, resulting in a complete loss of data for many customers - including wiping out of the backup drives. We were one of those customers.

We have now moved our business to a new hosting company that provides better backup services. Off-line backups of the forum database are now being made to prevent this kind of data loss.

We apologize to all our members for the loss of posted messages, pictures, links or anything else lost, and the almost two weeks we've been off-line, all due to this most unfortunate crash. We are doing everything we can to prevent this kind of event from ever occuring again.

We hope that moving forward, Discussion World Forum will be bigger, better and will never disappear again! :)

Sincerely,
The Forum Staff

[Michael]

You may also notice that some recovered threads have been posted. :)

There are quite a few more, but it is a time-consuming process. We will continue to do this over the next few days as Dominick or myself have the time to do it.

Some stuff is 'gone gone', some stuff has been recovered and some stuff may still be recoverable through further searching the Google cache. Please PM Dominick if you would like to offer your help trying to locate some of this stuff.

Your patience with this process is appreciated. :)

[Dominick]

IMPORTANT.

The user identities of the previous members do no longer exist, alas. If you're reading this as a guest and a previous member, you will have to re-register.

Also, the forum structure has changed slightly, so bookmarks to threads in the previous incarnation of DWF will not work or not work correctly.

Our apologies for all inconvenience.

[Malvolio]

Hey .... at first I thought this thread was about the stock market. ;)

[SMadsen]

Wow, how unfortunate can one get with a host? That was a bad one.

[Michael]

Wow, how unfortunate can one get with a host? That was a bad one.
Yes indeed, it was a bad experience.

It was not so much the 'crash' and the data loss itself that encouraged us to move to a new hosting company - it was the way the company handled the episode that was really, really annoying. Total amateurs on the customer service side of things.

[Dominick]

And actually, I think this is very similar to the other Big Crash. Both are the result of of a culture of incompetence, hastened and aggravated by the constant maximization of profits and the total disdain for quality and service.
One representative of VPSVille (to name the culprit) stated explicitly that they were not inclined to hire 'old expensive employees'. As in 'people with experience and oversight' ? :rolleyes:
The way the incident happened was completely analogous to a bank manager making sure he leaves both the vault door and the front door of the bank open before (s)he goes home.

Go figure.

[Americano]

Yes indeed, it was a bad experience.

It was not so much the 'crash' and the data loss itself that encouraged us to move to a new hosting company - it was the way the company handled the episode that was really, really annoying. Total amateurs on the customer service side of things.

And, obviously, on the internal controls side. Crashes do happen but the data loss was inexcusable.

[Multiplum]

Ah, now I understand why the forum was completely gone all of a sudden.

[Michael]

Ah, now I understand why the forum was completely gone all of a sudden.
Yes, it was a most unfortunate situation. Luckily, we able to learn the lesson of untrustworthy hosts while we were still young. Now we are well covered.

Even if this new host totally crashes and wipes out this forum, we will never lose more than the last day's posts. We are running daily 'off-line' backups of the forum database and critical files now so that the forum can be restored if anything happens. :)

Anyways, as long as we have our members, this forum will never die.

[Sucre]

resulting in a complete loss of data for many customers - including wiping out of the backup drives.
Just one question : how can this be possible ?

I am worried because of our own server at work. I am using a small Berliner company and I like working with them because they are friendly and always on the phone for me for the slightest problem, even a night and on weekends. I know nothing of technics.

I thought that it is sufficuent that backups be provided for. Isn't it true ?

[Michael]

Just one question : how can this be possible ?

I am worried because of our own server at work. I am using a small Berliner company and I like working with them because they are friendly and always on the phone for me for the slightest problem, even a night and on weekends. I know nothing of technics.

I thought that it is sufficuent that backups be provided for. Isn't it true ?
Definitely NOT TRUE. We originally relied upon the host-provided backup feature. But if the host has any kind of major crash, that kills the backup as well.

Therefore you really ought to have your own 'off-line' backup stored. We learned that the hard way. I'd recommend you inquire about that soon.