[Robbie Ferguson]

I haven't been happy with the CDN performance. I mean, happy, but not amazed.

As you see on V3 today, it's all messed up. S3's API isn't accepting the episode images for 240 nor is it getting the new JS files... so basically, it's broken.

I'm SURE they'll fix it, but I'm also sure I won't have this for even a day. It's a set-back, but I'm cancelling cloudfront and going to instead setup our buckets on S3 and use CloudFlare as the CDN.

Means having to redo our entire DNS, which is a bigger job than you'd think because we host SO MANY subdomains... but I'm going to have to close down some of the old subdomains and change my CDN model so we can meet the demand of our growing audience.

Bear with me as V3 will seem stagnant while I work through the CDN issues.

[Garbee]

Wow. That is a massive undertaking. Getting DNS/CDN working properly should come before the site, otherwise how are we going to get to it?

It still seems like a big issue on their end to have an issue like this, it is completely unnaceptable unless due to natural disaster.

[Robbie Ferguson]

It's not S3 that's causing the problem; it's the compatibility between S3 and my host... their panel takes on too much control...

So my thinking is, just like the site, reinvent the wheel... don't let my host control my S3, instead I create my OWN API.

The reason I'm considering CloudFlare instead of CloudFront is 1) save a bit of money and 2) add the security benefits that CloudFront doesn't offer.

It's still up in the air, but yes; you're right--I have to work out the CDN (I thought I had!) before we can do anything. The site is meant to be screaming fast, and without a CDN it is only partially screaming fast.

[Garbee]

2 questions... When you say "their panel takes on too much control" and "Don't let my host control my S3". Who is the their and who is the host?

[pyrosrockthisworld]

wow and when i saw the site issues i was thinking it was an issue on my end as i get that sometimes when things take to long to load

[Garbee]

I think the only excuse Robbie will want for the site being slow when he is done is if you are on dial-up. Other than that he wants it to be an instantaneous load.

[Robbie Ferguson]

Even on Dialup, V3 should be screaming fast. You wouldn't be able to play any of the videos... but maybe listen to the audio at least

The issue stems from the fact that I setup the CDN using 3rd party software, thinking that'd be fine.

It worked a treat, but then stopped updating (pushing new files to S3).

So, now I'm reassessing my stance on the CDN and saying, I'm not going to use 3rd party systems to maintain the CDN. I'm going to redo our DNS (a daunting task which also means deprecating some of the old subdomains). I'm going to manage the S3 syncing myself, manually to start and eventually tapping into their API to automate the process. I'm going to have to rebuild the ENTIRE CDN structure from scratch, which means killing V3 and rebuilding the backend of the CDN. It's a pretty big set-back, but it's required.

[Robbie Ferguson]

PS - here's a great way to test speeds on dialup: http://www.dallaway.com/sloppy/index.html

[Robbie Ferguson]

Well, I finished off the DNS updates... had to take a few things offline which are old and I can't see moving, and was very tempted to delete perfectbuntu but decided to leave it just for now in case I decide to rebirth the project (which Canonical rendered kinda obsolete since 11.04).

So in the next 24 hours we should see either the CDN come into effect on V2, or V2 going down. Depending on whether it works or not

I decided to implement it on V2's servers since those are the servers which will inevitably be hosting V3. Saves me redoing it later.

To test if the new CDN is online in your area, try this link: http://cdn.category5.tv/test.png

NOTE: That will become a deadlink in a couple weeks since I'll obviously remove the test file.

Hopefully this upgrade will also improve performance of V2 for those still using it, and we'll see how it fares with V3 when I transition the files over to the V2 server.

Thanks!

[Garbee]

1) Ew, java for sloppy.

2) Test png is working just fine for me.

3) I don't even touch v2 that much anymore.