Server updates

[exxos]

Fail2ban, great tool for this.

That's what I am using.. have done since my new server went online a few years ago :)

[exxos]

I tried 7.2, but it from the AMN site with it being old, I think the floppyshop page broke as well.. The only way I could run later php versions is to run 2 servers :(

Or you could set up a docker container for the old site. This would somewhat sandbox the installation (and therefore improving security a bit), and the rest could be updated.

Is that simple to do ? It would be good if I could at least get the forum running on php7... though likely some extensions would break which would be the main issue :(

Probably the only way to really know, would be to clone the server and try the updates on the clone to see what happens.

EDIT:

Or just update ubuntu from 14 to 18 :twisted: :twisted:

[IngoQ]

I'd do it the other way around: Keep your server recent, and have a docker container with the static environment that AMN needs.

Docker CAN be simple, I just started on that topic myself. The most difficult is probably the networking, since every container has its own networking interface. What I would probably do is set up the container to my liking and then have the already running apache reverse proxying the site to the container.

[exxos]

The forum may run a little slow for the next couple of hours, I am having to reorganise files and how the server backs up because things are freaking out that the disc space is getting low (there is actually 2GB!) :roll: I may have to restart the server at some point, so if the forum goes off-line for a few minutes, then people know why :)

[exxos]

Just a small warning that I am going to install a small forum extension likely tomorrow.

As things normally go wrong, you can expect the forum to crash and churn out all sorts of errors. Rest assured I know about them and won't likely last more than 10-30mins.

[exxos]

Extension didn't work, so no surprise, BUT Apparently I was using the wrong version of it, in other words don't assume the latest version is the latest version :lol: :roll:

anyway, this was @Icky idea... Basically to add a shop button in to the nav-bar. This will of course go directly to my web store. I think this may be a good idea as some people seem to be going to my main homepage to get to the store, which I mostly forget to update anyway...

Incidentally, there is a links button in the nav bar as well... if anyone wants to add anything there, then send me a PM with the link.

[Icky]

Nice icon @exxos. I'll stop bugging you now :)

[exxos]

Forwarning that the whole server will be offline for about 10-30 mins at some point very soon. Not sure exactly when, some time over the next few days most likely. Will post more closer the time.

I will basically be cloning the sever so I can try upgrades of Ubuntu which include php7 etc which currently I know the Floppy shop PDL page will break along with AMN site.

AMN will be moved over to its own server and will likely remain on PHP5. I will also try a get the AMN forum running properly in the mix of things.

I'm assuming the forum software is already updated enough to run on php7.. Most of my site is basic HTML so shouldn't be any problems, my store will likely be the sticking point. I'm not aware of any depritiated functions, but I'm not expecting things to work first time.

With all this chaos going on, I will try it all out on a server clone first..hence the need to take the server offline to clone it soon. This work I suspect will be ongoing for several months in the background.

[exxos]

I have been looking into ways to clone the server ( as it used to be possible with the host) to practice on updating Ubuntu.. Long story short, the host cannot do this anymore because of incompatibilities with their new and old servers :roll:

I have just tried updating a fresh install of V14 to V16 ...

Capture.JPG

While this server is now running V16, Apache seems to have died. I am currently updating to V18 and I see V20 is out now as well.

So if even a generic version stall is not going to update without issues, my whole server is just not going to work either.

So what I am going to do is practice on a fresh install of V20 and then work out ways of cloning the forum and my website over to the new server for starters.. Basically moving stuff in stages and in a way I can thoroughly test the new server is running fine before making it live.

Please bear in mind, this work will happen incredibly slowly as I have just have so much to do anyway. I will not be touching the live server for probably some months but I just want to keep people in the loop of changes which will happen at some point in the future.

[exxos]

Been playing around with a new V20 server and did a quick test on the same webpage with the V14 and V20 server..

14.JPG

20.JPG

So the new one seems twice as fast, be it the server and/or UBUNTU version.