Server migration has been completed.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Fri Jul 28, 2017 2:53 pm

As of this writing, we are currently in the process of migrating this website to a new server.

Current schedule is that the forum will be out-of-service starting at 7:00 pm Pacific Daylight Time (UTC 2:00 am), about 4 hours from now as of this writing, and will remain unavailable until the migration is complete.

I anticipate that the actual migration will take only a couple of hours, but because there is also a DNS nameserver change, it may be substantially longer before the new site will be reachable using the usual names (5gmct.hosts.cx, amateurmicrography.net).

There is no mechanism for me to notify users by email when the forum comes back up, so please just check back periodically.

Thanks very much for your patience!

Best regards,
--Rik

Edit: changed title to reflect delay, retry, success
Edit 5/3/2020: Change thread to normal status rather than "Announcement"

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Fri Jul 28, 2017 10:07 pm

It turned out that there were some previously undetected errors in configuration of our new server, that could not be corrected in a timely manner.
<insert gnashing-of-teeth emoticon here>

So, I have reset DNS entries to point back to the old server, and I have re-enabled the forum here (on the old server) so that people can get back to using it.

We'll try this again when the server configuration problems get fixed.

I apologize for the inconvenience.

--Rik

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Sat Jul 29, 2017 3:30 pm

We will try again this evening to migrate the forum.

Same procedure as before: the forum will be out-of-service starting at 7:00 pm Pacific Daylight Time (UTC 2:00 am), about 3-1/2 hours from now as of this writing, and will remain unavailable until the migration is complete.

The migration requires a DNS nameserver change, which may take a long time to propagate down through your ISP. For those of you skilled at managing such things yourself, say by editing the 'hosts' file on your own computer, the new server IP address will be 45.56.221.127 . Please note that simply embedding this IP address in a URL will not work.

--Rik

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Sat Jul 29, 2017 8:29 pm

Migration appears to be successful this time. You are currently seeing the forum running on the new server.

For the next few hours, many of you will be accessing the forum indirectly, through the URL http://5gmct.hosts.cx/

Please remember that this URL is just a stop-gap measure, to use during the next day or so that it takes for DNS caches to get updated at your location.

Do not upload any images or generate any links using the 5gmct.hosts.cx URL. Those will break in various ways, either immediately or some time later.

Please let me know if you encounter any strange behavior. My personal email is rj.littlefield@computer.org

--Rik

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Sun Jul 30, 2017 12:32 am

Well done Rik, thanks, that's a relief. I can't imagine how many hours of work it took.

Lou Jost · Post by **Lou Jost** » Sun Jul 30, 2017 5:21 am

Success!!! Than you Rik!

Sumguy01 · Post by **Sumguy01** » Sun Jul 30, 2017 8:29 am

Thank you for all the work you do to keep this amazing site running.

zzffnn · Post by **zzffnn** » Sun Jul 30, 2017 9:53 am

Thank you very much, Rik, for your hard work for our community! My life would he different without this forum.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Sun Jul 30, 2017 10:47 am

You're very welcome. I am very pleased to see these kind words -- not least because it means the forum is working and people can post!

--Rik

Smokedaddy · Post by **Smokedaddy** » Sun Jul 30, 2017 11:39 am

Congrats on a successful migration. When I first got on last night it seemed faster as well. Anyway, thanks for all the hard work, keeping the system up and running and taking the time to answer everyone's questions in a timely manner along with your own postings.

mawyatt · Post by **mawyatt** » Sun Jul 30, 2017 12:30 pm

Rik,

Yes things seem a little snapper now.

Thanks for the upgrade and everything else you do for the site and it's members.

Best,

Mike

lonepal · Post by **lonepal** » Mon Jul 31, 2017 12:02 am

Hey Rik!

Thanks for your continuous effort to keep the forum rigid.

My ideas about macro had deeply evolved by this forum and it's precious members.

I wish it goes on still and my children can see my messages here when they grow up

dolmadis · Post by **dolmadis** » Mon Jul 31, 2017 12:06 am

Just to add my thanks for this forum without which I would have lists of questions with no answers.

BR

John