I need some tips on setting up VPS

[donpetru]

Yes, I installed 64bit CentOS 6. And thanks, I will try install instructions from that url. I'll return tomorrow with some conclusions.

[Dmacleo]

prior sh file had you manually edit a repo file version number, forget what one but I am thinking you may have hit that.
I've installed a few but am not an "expert" on it which is why I just replied and didn't do the pm/setup for pay method.

[donpetru]

Since my last intervention here, happened a lot. I tried a couple days to install CentOS and zpanel and unsuccessfully. The problems I posted here:
http://forums.zpanel...tos-6-2-1-00-sh
At alvotech not have access to iptable. Is this because of failure, do not know! I think that zpanel is still a control panel with many bugs. I read that on several websites.

Finally I managed to successfully install CentOS 32bit and kloxo but I think it is set to consume too many resources. We talked with others who have VPS with CentOS + kloxo and they told me si to much for my website IPS Suite with 20 visitors online that use about 1Gb RAM. I have attached below the result from applying the top command:
VPS RAM usage - 10-07-2012.txt
and file my.cnf
mcnf.zip

Please, can someone help me to optimize this VPS?

[Elly]

PM me and I'll set you up with a nginx fpm mariadb config for your server for free. No panel though, but you can use FTP and SSH to do most.

A little worried about the performance of your VPS, so a look would be easier.

[Dmacleo]

A little worried about the performance of your VPS, so a look would be easier.

this.
with 23 online running top shows cpu usage of .7% for me not 33% he sees.
this looks like a host issue IMO.

[donpetru]

Elly, thanks for the initiative, but at this time will leave a period kloxo + CentOS to see how well it works. After several weeks, if things do not work after expectations will contact you to help me I setup nginx +fpm+ Mariadb. But I have a question regarding this, if the database is MySQL, it can be configured per mariadb (here are some aspects that do not understand very well).

Dmacleo, that 33% is an instantaneous value. I had less than 10%. The problem is that: RAM use increased after I reboot my VPS. Initially it was about 200MB and now stands at 900Mb but sometimes drops to 600MB. So, those values do not remain fixed 900Mb.

[Elly]

After taking a look at VPS RAM usage - 10-07-2012.txt it seems as though your CPU usage is fine. However about your RAM issue, it is probably due to your Apache configuration. I tend to prefer nginx+fpm myself. Nginx is very lightweight and it's easier to control memory with fpm (using ondemand would mean it reduces RAM when not in use).

Are you checking your ram with

# free -m

? The server would be using some RAM as cache, it will let it go when the server needs RAM for something.

MariaDB is a drop in replacement for MySQL. Nothing needs to be changed, in fact commands such as mysql etc are exactly the same.

[donpetru]

I have attached below the results from the use of free-m command (now I have 23 users online):
free m command.txt

So...

[Elly]

Your server has 463 MB RAM 'free', which could be normal if you're counting Kloxo panel and MySQL.

If you are happy with your performance (page generate times) and your server is not overloading (or swapping) then your configuration is fine. Minimising RAM usage could also have negative effects. RAM usage efficiency =/= minimising RAM, like for example you it would be beneficial to have MySQL use as much RAM as you can afford to reduce hitting the disk all the time.

[AlexJ]

Well why not remove all control panels? Just install u apache, php, mysql, postfix and FTP. This way no RAM consumption from control panels and u get more RAM for u MySQL or Web server.

[donpetru]

Elly, thanks for advice.

AlexJ, I tried this several times, but don't worked. Maybe I did not understood well enough, do not know!
I would like to remove kloxo because I gain some RAM but right now will leave a site in time to see how many users this structure supports.

[euantor]

You don't even need FTP. Doesn't everybody use SFTP these days anyway?

[donpetru]

Today, nearly 30 users online, VPS used SWAP memory. So, has exceeded 1Gb RAM.
I say again, those from alvotech.de promotes burst RAM as SWAP RAM, but don't telling that in the hosting offer.

Already thinking about getting serious about giving up the apache. @Elly, your help is still valid? Or someone else?

Later edit: Now with 25 user online I have:

[Dmacleo]

are you seeing a lot of the users are searchbots?
you know google/baidu/bing, etc.
if so maybe locking them to a really bare theme with no hooks/etc may help?

if they are normal users then this does not apply.
I ran over a year on a zen based vps with 768mb ram w/o these issues (and that was with cpanel installed) so I am thinking anything you do is just overcoming a crap host and you'll always find yourself having to deal with this.
just my opinion though.

[donpetru]

Now I see that I have two search bots and RAM usage is about 950Mb with 21 users online.

This deficiency (too much RAM used) I noticed on several configurations: kloxo+CentOS, Debian + IspCP Omega, Ubuntu ... and even the old host with CloudLinux + cPanel but the old host I had high CPU utilization. Now what to think? Is VPS become, but the old host? However, I think the new IPB 3.3.x eat a lot of resources ... but maybe I am wrong!

[Elly]

I've set up nginx+fpm+mysql+xcache stack on donpetru's server. However it seems configuration alone isn't enough as the load times are still pretty slow, ~9seconds even though debug says page gen is only 0.5sec. Hence I think it could be overloaded VPS or a inefficient query. I'm not too familiar with VPS systems. I've suggested easier route is to upgrade the VPS with better performance...

Memory is now under control though.

[donpetru]

Thanks Elly,

I typed the command free-m & top and the results I have posted below (with 13 users online):

If making a comparison with CentOS + kloxo, with "kloxo + CentOS" the load average was smaller then CentOS+nginx+php-fpm... and forum index page access is faster on CentOS + kloxo.

However, it will leave VPS to see how it evolves resources when they are 25 users online or more.

Now I do not know what to think. Recently I started to read statements that blame hardware VPS. Something like "not good VPS alvotech". But how is truth and what is lie? Someone else told me that a good VPS starts at 20USD a month or more. Maybe yes, maybe not!

!!!

[Elly]

You can get pretty good VPS accounts for 20USD/month, such as at Linode or 6sync.

Since your memory isn't your hog (notice it's still very low now) you would be getting more I/O and CPU time on a better VPS. At the moment nothing comes out as being such a hurdle to the long loading times. Perhaps it's the Linux Vserver architecture capping your CPU time or something... I did notice one thing though, compiling nginx and fpm took a very long time and had load ~4. I just compiled on one of my test VPS accounts and it was very quick (Xen).

If you have time and money I'd definitely try on another server, that way you can rule out VPS performance as a factor (even as a test VPS)

[donpetru]

Since your memory isn't your hog (notice it's still very low now)

Briefs me how you calculated it's low memory, tell me if it is correct: [used=1000] - [cache=863] == 137Mb used RAM and 1024 - 137 = 887 free RAM. I understand well ??????? I think so because the previously calculated values ​​correspond to those of the second line (free -m command).

Elly, in your experience, how many tasks can handle one VPS like alvotech VPS ? now I see about 26 tasks. This value is important?

[Elly]

Yes you look at the second line.

That's the problem. At first glance your VPS seems to be low load, nothing is hitting limits and memory is low, but page loads are slow. Your VPS is highly likely to be oversold, therefore I can't say. The easiest way to reduce this problem is to go with a high quality provider (that uses Xen or less overselling, better CPU). I'm sure others will agree with me when I say 'you get what you pay for'.

Number of idle tasks is unimportant.

[donpetru]

I've heard that: "you get what you pay for". Sad but true.

By the way, no one wants to do with me exchange the VPS? :sad: Or where to find a VPS with a quality / price ratio good?

[donpetru]

Now I see that can access pages more quickly with one exception: if I try to refresh forum index page, the refresh takes about 10 seconds (too long!). Or if I are in an IPC article and I want to access the forum, the forum takes about 10 seconds for open up. So, the problem only occurs when I access the forum index page. If I stop using the sidebar and custom IPC menu, then the problem disappears. Does anyone have any solution (because I would not want to give the IPC custom menu or IPB forum sidebar)?

[Dmacleo]

any ads on pages?
often they cause speed issues.
other then that I am out of ideas, only going to be able to do so much with limited resources.

[donpetru]

I have two ads but I try remove ads and the result is the same. The only thing left that I suspect is customized menu IP Content.

But when I have CentOS and kloxo was not this problem. However, CentOS and nginx is not seem to terms with mod_rewrite, that even if nginx is properly configured to use mod_rewrite, the pages of the IP content simply refuses to work properly (the ipc and index forum page is loaded slow). Now we've switched OFF features friendly urls and the issue is present.

Now, on this issue, above @Elly blamed hardware VPS, but if it was becoming hardware, why did not this happen when I was CentOS and kloxo? I notice that some users here trying to blame the hardware VPS, and others wish to hide small imperfections IPB software (the IPB last version I mean). Now, I don't know what to think, but one thing is certain ... however the "lazy and imperfect" was my VPS (remember that, I don't bought the cheapest web hosting package from alvotech), I think VPS should work properly with some users online, no!

[Dmacleo]

as I said I ran on a 768mb vps for some time with none of the issues you have.
and that was a centos 6 using cpanel.
so I had a panel with a higher memory footprint, same software, and using pure apache server (no nginx/varnish, etc) and it ran better than your setup with (supposedly) more memory...again...you have a host issue.
whether its the underlying virtualization (xen,openvps, whatever) or drive issues its host issue.
accept it, ignore it, whatever.
it is what it is.