Servers and delfuego moving, expect downtime.

July 5, 2003 8:58 PM

Tomorrow, I’ll shut down all the computers that still live in my old apartment in New York (including the one running this site and the MetaFilter server), drive them up to Boston, and set them all up on the new T1.
5 Jul 03 @ 9:31 PM"
Expect downtime. MetaFilter addicts take note. You have been warned. We now return to your regularly scheduled flamewar.
posted by wendell to Uptime at 8:58 PM (84 comments total)

Dammit, I need more details! Tomorrow when?! For how long?!

Thanks for the heads-up, though wendell.
posted by graventy at 9:19 PM on July 5, 2003

Jason is getting the same IP numbers at the new spot from what I hear, so the downtime will only be when he is in transit (4-5 hours I would guess).
posted by mathowie (staff) at 9:49 PM on July 5, 2003

So ah... do we have to suffer from an inferiority complex and hate the Yankees now or something?
posted by Stan Chin at 9:56 PM on July 5, 2003

You say 4 -5 hours as though that was some reasonable amount of time to be without metafilter. Curse you, haughey, have you no empathy for the addicts?!?!?
posted by jonson at 9:57 PM on July 5, 2003

Jason is getting the same IP numbers at the new spot from what I hear, so the downtime will only be when he is in transit (4-5 hours I would guess).

True, but Jason hired the Bill Buckner moving company. All bets are off.
posted by machaus at 10:19 PM on July 5, 2003

So I guess we'll see if the DT's are any easier when one has warning, instead of a rude surprise...
posted by pmurray63 at 10:43 PM on July 5, 2003

I hear the latency on I-95 is horrible.
posted by dhartung at 10:43 PM on July 5, 2003

Well, 4-5 hours is great compared with getting new IPs and having to wait 1-7 days for the new DNS to propigate among the net. So consider yourselves lucky, and I hope your shakes don't get too bad during the downtime.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:58 PM on July 5, 2003

servers packed, check.
drive to boston, check.
servers set up and booted, check.
mefi and related sites back online, check.

cue the backhoe.
posted by quonsar at 11:08 PM on July 5, 2003

If the shakes get really bad, there are always the filter clones.
posted by homunculus at 11:10 PM on July 5, 2003

You poor suckers are pathetic. Me, I can quit whenever I want.

I could quit today if I wanted to.
posted by Hildago at 11:40 PM on July 5, 2003

Doesn't a T1 mean that MetaFilter will really fly from now on?
posted by MiguelCardoso at 11:41 PM on July 5, 2003

Well, we could all fly to Boston for a meetup. I'll bring a blue blackboard and lots of yellow post-it notes.

(The back of the blue blackboard will be grey, of course.)
posted by weston at 11:47 PM on July 5, 2003

Doesn't a T1 mean that MetaFilter will really fly from now on?

It'll fly on the Boston T1 at just about exactly the same speed as it was flying on the T1 in New York, I imagine.
posted by kindall at 12:11 AM on July 6, 2003

Well, 4-5 hours is great compared with getting new IPs and having to wait 1-7 days for the new DNS to propigate among the net

One... to seven.... days?

*Imagines this, faints*

*revives*

Thanks for the heads up. I may have to investigate this thing called "outside" and see if I still have what some call "a life".
posted by jokeefe at 12:19 AM on July 6, 2003

Crap. Now I'll have to watch Wimbledon with my wife.
posted by davidmsc at 12:35 AM on July 6, 2003

Shouldn't some of the MeFites between New York and Boston be providing some kind of escort? (motorcade escort... I know how your minds work...) You can just imagine what would happen if Jason's car got into *shudder* an accident...
("Forget the driver, you've got to save the server!!")

*opens can of whoop-ass, leaves room*
posted by wendell at 12:36 AM on July 6, 2003

I think I speak for the group when I thank you for the ludicrously enormous bandwidth you provide unto us.
posted by Pretty_Generic at 3:00 AM on July 6, 2003

I seem to recall a couple of years back, when Matt came to Australia (and decided against taking me up on the offer of beer - wisely, perhaps) that MeFi was offline for a matter of weeks.

Or did I just dream that?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 3:11 AM on July 6, 2003

and decided against taking me up on the offer of beer - wisely, perhaps

seeing as you were in rehab at the time ....................; )
posted by sgt.serenity at 4:40 AM on July 6, 2003

When I first joined, there was a two week (planned) downtime. It was like you guys knew that I signed up.
posted by adampsyche at 5:40 AM on July 6, 2003

you were in rehab at the time

Metafilter withdrawal is an ugly, ugly thing.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:48 AM on July 6, 2003

yeah, but metafilter addiction is ten times uglier.
posted by crunchland at 6:31 AM on July 6, 2003

*snorts screen*
posted by sgt.serenity at 7:30 AM on July 6, 2003

who's volunteering to help this guy paint his new house and lift his gear up the stairs for him ?
there must be some mefites in boston...
posted by sgt.serenity at 7:33 AM on July 6, 2003

Doesn't a T1 mean that MetaFilter will really fly from now on?

Not on my dial-up, it won't :(
posted by carter at 7:42 AM on July 6, 2003

You mean there's a MetaFilter? I just thought there was MetaTalk! Do other people post on this MetaFilter besides Miguel?
posted by eyeballkid at 8:46 AM on July 6, 2003

So when is this downtime supposed to happen?
posted by eyeballkid at 6:15 PM on July 6, 2003

9 hours, 17 minutes to drive from NYC????
posted by quonsar at 6:16 PM on July 6, 2003

Sweet, sweet MetaFilter - you've come back to me! Local time: 7:11 pm, Sunday night. I shall mark this date & time on my calendar and celebrate each year by...by...engaging in some sort of elaborate, MeFi-loving ritual!
posted by davidmsc at 6:18 PM on July 6, 2003

And oh so zippy now! (Or maybe it's just that we're the only ones here?) New T1 helps... what was it on before?
posted by squirrel at 6:23 PM on July 6, 2003

Welcome to Boston, Mefi. Park in my space and I'll kick your ass from here to Quincy.
posted by PrinceValium at 6:24 PM on July 6, 2003

*lays in a supply of ammonia and wet-naps in anticipation of davidmsc's ritual*
posted by quonsar at 6:24 PM on July 6, 2003

it was on the old T1 before.
posted by quonsar at 6:25 PM on July 6, 2003

Ahh, so that's what happened. I was wondering where Metafilter had gone.
posted by Mars Saxman at 6:32 PM on July 6, 2003

Meet the new T1 / Same as the old T1
posted by cortex at 6:46 PM on July 6, 2003

I am giddy with the thought that The Server is now completely within range of my fantastic weaponry.

BWA-HA-HA-HA!
posted by briank at 7:03 PM on July 6, 2003

Hey Prince Valium, I thought that Quincy lived on the other coast...L.A., to be specific...


posted by davidmsc at 7:06 PM on July 6, 2003

Yeah, Quonsar, that ammonia and wet-nap solution will come in pretty handy come this time next year...everyone else, you've been warned...
posted by davidmsc at 7:06 PM on July 6, 2003

You people are downright frightening...
posted by Dark Messiah at 7:49 PM on July 6, 2003

wow, the mefi server only about 20 miles away - makes me feel kinda tingly all over! Are there visiting hours? I'd like to set up a shrine or something.
posted by madamjujujive at 7:50 PM on July 6, 2003

Wow, what does one have to do to rate their very own T1?
posted by bshort at 8:05 PM on July 6, 2003

Wow, what does one have to do to rate their very own T1?

Not that I am in any way unappreciative of the dedicated pipe that MeFi has been generously given, but a T1 means 1.544 Mbps. I get better than that here for under US$20 a month. If I wanted to spend around $50, I could get more than 30 times that, or 50 Mbps (and up from there).

Korea rocks in some minor ways.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:15 PM on July 6, 2003

9 hours, 17 minutes to drive from NYC????
and quonsar, sitting at his computer, hitting "refresh" once a minute to determine the exact duration...

Wow, what does one have to do to rate their very own T1?
I hear that Arnold Schwartzenegger has a T3... *rimshot*

If I wanted to spend around $50, I could get... 50 Mbps. Korea rocks in some minor ways.
Yeah, but just try getting the MeFi server through Customs...

Are there visiting hours?
I would hope the equipment is under extra-high security; remember it's within range of briank's "fantastic weaponry. (BWA-HA-HA-HA)" But then, I've heard from someone who's seen his weaponry, and doesn't think it's so fantastic.

It's fun to be back.
posted by wendell at 8:39 PM on July 6, 2003

I didn't miss you guys. At all.
posted by signal at 8:54 PM on July 6, 2003

I've never been to Boston. Please, for the benefit of overseas users, what's Boston like?
posted by MiguelCardoso at 9:02 PM on July 6, 2003

If I wanted to spend around $50, I could get more than 30 times that, or 50 Mbps (and up from there).
That really sucks - at work here (in Australia) we are paying AUD179.95 per month for a 1.5 MB/256kb ADSL connection and that is about the only choice we have in broadband. No broadband available at home :-(

The shaking is starting to ease now that MeFi is back - what a way to start the work week! The only thing that got me out of bed this (Monday here) morning was the knowledge that I could catch up on the weekend happenings here while I woke up. As you can imagine, a tragic start to the day ensued.
posted by dg at 9:02 PM on July 6, 2003

I've never been to Boston. Please, for the benefit of overseas users, what's Boston like?
If for some bizarre reason I was not allowed to live in NYC in the US, I'd pick Boston hands down. It's an incredibly good city. I like it's vibe a lot. Historical yet modern.
posted by riffola at 9:29 PM on July 6, 2003

and quonsar, sitting at his computer, hitting "refresh" once a minute to determine the exact duration...

silly. i had a script do it for me.
posted by quonsar at 9:32 PM on July 6, 2003

I've never been to Boston. Please, for the benefit of overseas users, what's Boston like?

Boston is a tiny, tiny city (with a metro area of ~5 million people) with a decent public transportation system, lots of history, great restaurants, fantastic seafood, and lots of waterways. I lived there for ~3 years and absolutely loved it.

It also has some of the best universities in the country, and a very liberal outlook. Lots of people refer to it as "Taxachusetts", but I'm suspecting that they've probably never been there.

I'd move back, but I love NYC more.
posted by bshort at 9:41 PM on July 6, 2003

Sure, it's just a stereotype, but I'd imagine the townie locals are a little boorish for your refined tastes, migs.
posted by jonson at 9:45 PM on July 6, 2003

we are paying AUD179.95 per month for a 1.5 MB/256kb ADSL connection

Good old Telstra - holding Australia back is job one!
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:49 PM on July 6, 2003

Please feel free to print this out and construct your own shrine at home.

Your're welcome.
posted by jokeefe at 9:58 PM on July 6, 2003

Miguel, here are a few nice photo galleries for Boston, and another for next door neighbor, Cambridge. Come visit!

jokeefe, ha! thanks!
posted by madamjujujive at 10:07 PM on July 6, 2003

Sorry for the extended downtime. I had forgotten that I would have to leave an air conditioner in New York for the computer; that meant that today, I had to shut down the computers and the old T1, then uninstall the air conditioner, and THEN drive to Boston. And once arriving in Boston, I had to rebuild the shelving, get the new T1 up, and then get the machines up and running. And lastly, getting the new T1 up meant a few new tricks, since my ISP kindly added a few extra addresses to my address block, which (unfortunately) meant that I had to change my router config around a bit, as well as the configurations on all the machines in the rack. When I started MetaFilter up, I forgot to make the changes in the network config on it until Shannon gently nudged me that it wasn't responding... and then all was well.

And maybe I'll decide to combine a few ideas in this thread; the visiting hours will be entirely contingent on sgt.serenity's idea of painting my walls...
posted by delfuego at 10:27 PM on July 6, 2003

Thanks, Jason.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:35 PM on July 6, 2003

Good old Telstra - holding Australia back is job one!
With Job Two being keeping their share prices up - good thing they can at least get that right!

Oh, wait....
posted by dg at 10:40 PM on July 6, 2003

Please feel free to print this out and construct your own shrine at home.

The metafilter server is kept in a Pizza Box??

After the incredulity sets in, I'm amused for the What's Up Doc? or Oscar style mixup hilarities which could ensue....
posted by namespan at 10:48 PM on July 6, 2003

Okayyyyyyy... so what happened this time? It was like a Hitchcock move, where you get the expected little shock and then just as you're settling in, you're blindsided by the unexpected one. It's an emotional roller coaster!

*weeps*

~chuckles~
posted by soyjoy at 9:37 AM on July 7, 2003

with a decent public transportation

*cough*
Green Line
*cough*
posted by matteo at 9:46 AM on July 7, 2003

I hear there's some construction going on in Boston...how's that coming? Interrupt traffic much?
posted by vito90 at 10:02 AM on July 7, 2003

I've never been to Boston. Please, for the benefit of overseas users, what's Boston like?

The local attitude needs mentioning. As a stereotypically standoffish New Englander, I've never been happier with where I live. For visitors, there's lots to see, but you might find the locals a bit cold. Expect the people with whom you interact to be reserved. We don't dislike you, we just don't KNOW you. The energy's what you might find in a very small-scale London.
posted by Mayor Curley at 10:29 AM on July 7, 2003

Did I miss something? What happened?
posted by i_cola at 10:34 AM on July 7, 2003

Um.. why is the Mefi server seperated from mathowie by a continent?
posted by dash_slot- at 10:51 AM on July 7, 2003

O, and thanks Matt, Jason et al. No, I mean it.
posted by dash_slot- at 10:52 AM on July 7, 2003

Um.. why is the Mefi server seperated from mathowie by a continent?

well you see, after the allegations of sexual abuse, even though never proven, the Server Protection Agency took custody and, you know, these things just never turn out well...
posted by quonsar at 11:01 AM on July 7, 2003

Did I miss something? What happened?

Um.. why is the Mefi server seperated from mathowie by a continent?

I tell you, it was a pizza box mixup....
posted by namespan at 11:25 AM on July 7, 2003

Um.. why is the Mefi server seperated from mathowie by a continent?

Wasn't there some talk of moving to commercial hosting a couple of months ago, when the Google ads commenced?
posted by timeistight at 11:53 AM on July 7, 2003

so, delfuego is a kind of fosterblogger? I wonder who gets visitation rights...
posted by dash_slot- at 1:26 PM on July 7, 2003

I'm going to be in Boston this weekend, and I am actually going to get to see the server for the first time in almost a year. It's on the other side of the country because it's cheaper that way.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 1:49 PM on July 7, 2003

Matt, do you have plenty of people lined up to buy you a drink (or two)? If not, I'm sure that something could be arranged - either way, hope you enjoy your stay!
posted by yhbc at 1:56 PM on July 7, 2003

Matt: It's on the other side of the country because it's cheaper that way.

and is visiting the server a deductible occurrence (free travel and all that)?
posted by DBAPaul at 2:57 PM on July 7, 2003

I'm sorry ... did I miss something !?!
posted by feelinglistless at 3:46 PM on July 7, 2003

and is visiting the server a deductible occurrence

Oooh, good thinking. I should really get myself to a tax accountant's office and figure out ways to write everything off that I put into MeFi.

But sadly, I'll be in Boston for work.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 4:08 PM on July 7, 2003

Wow. Thanks all. Boston really is IT this year.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 4:47 PM on July 7, 2003

I get a T3 for a mere $20,000 per annum, and they throw in an education. It's very nice.
posted by Hildago at 4:48 PM on July 7, 2003

Remember, mathowie - take a nice gift... and tell her you love her...
posted by dash_slot- at 5:03 PM on July 7, 2003

Anyone for a short-notice meetup at Redbones?
posted by PrinceValium at 5:08 PM on July 7, 2003

Remember, mathowie - take a nice gift... and tell her you we love her...
posted by dg at 5:35 PM on July 7, 2003

What's Boston like?

It's, like, an hour drive from Worcester -- and I didn't have a car.
posted by cortex at 6:15 PM on July 7, 2003

Wasn't there an old pic of Matt setting up the then new server in del fuego's apt? If I recall correctly, it led to a hilarious thread with people posting such absurdities as shannon and jason having that feeling of 1000's of people watching them, as the mefi server was in their bedroom. Ah yes, here it is. Anyway, any chance of delfuego posting pics of the new shrine, er, server location and what is surely going to be a touching meeting between Matt and MeFi?
posted by Lynsey at 7:55 PM on July 7, 2003

Er, sorry, was that Jason setting up the server? I don't see the trademark Haughey glasses.... ;)
posted by Lynsey at 7:56 PM on July 7, 2003

Think the server will put on a little eyeliner and get its hair done for its date with Matt? I, too, want to see pictures of this great moment.

(Excuse the heterocentricism.)
posted by jokeefe at 9:34 PM on July 7, 2003

It's, like, an hour drive from Worcester -- and I didn't have a car.


LOL! Me too. Well, not exactly. My roommate did have a car, and he was taking weekly night classes at Boston College, so I managed to see Boston twice, mostly through the window of a subway car.
posted by gyc at 10:38 PM on July 7, 2003