[FX.php List] [OT] Planning for/handling Server Outage

[Gjermund Gusland Thorsen]

Keep in mind that you most likely have to make separate script for
accepting _GET request from the self composed link.

ggt

2007/12/17, Gjermund Gusland Thorsen <ggt667 at gmail.com>:
> I send an email using pear mail no matter what...
>
> but with a link that I can click on to register the desired data.
>
> ggt
>
> 2007/12/17, Alex Gates <alex at gandrpublishing.com>:
> > Hi Jonathan -
> > I think measures can be taken on a situation to situation basis -
> > for example, when I process a form that web users fill out to request a
> > packet to be mailed to them, I first do a quick fmview() to test
> > connectivity to the database.
> > In the event that the database can't be reached, I take all their
> > information and generate an email to our customer service reps saying
> > the database was down and this info will have to be entered manually. (I
> > also shoot an email to me alerting me that the DB is down - and also a
> > text message to my phone)
> > That works perfectly find in that situation - but something (say, a
> > sign-up for a website) is pretty instantaneous - in this case, I also
> > generate an email internally saying add this user manually - and one to
> > me (and a text message so I immediately know if there are problems) -
> >
> > This is the same for anyone who tries to sign in - if the database can't
> > be reached, an email is sent and a session variable is set so multiple
> > attempts to log in won't mean multiple emails from the same customer for
> > each time they try to log in.
> >
> >
> >
> > Jonathan Schwartz wrote:
> > > Hi Folks,
> > >
> > > Talk about Murphy's Law and the all-important corollary (Anythng that
> > > can go wrong, will go wrong...at the worst possible moment).
> > >
> > > Pardon this OT post, but I think that there are FMP and fx.php specific
> > > issues involved.
> > >
> > > I have a two machine set up (Web server with html and fx.php on one,
> > > FMSA and files on another). They are both at a remote colo. They are
> > > both mac minis.
> > >
> > > Yesterday, in the middle of a campaign launch (email+web response), the
> > > FMSA machine went dark.  Now, I'm not sure what kind of excitement gets
> > > others pumped up, but the reality of hundreds of users hitting your new
> > > launched solution and seeing error messages will get your heart rate going.
> > >
> > > The question is how to plan for this type of thing in the future.
> > >
> > > In this case, one of the PDUs (Power Distribution Unit) flipped a
> > > breaker and the FMSA machine shut off.  The web server stayed on, being
> > > on another PDU.  Problem is, it takes valuable time to figure out what
> > > is going on when you can't see or touch the machine. It's only after a
> > > process of elimination do you realize that the machine is off.  Talk
> > > about fun.
> > >
> > > Then magically, the machine came back!  A remote service person had
> > > reset the PDU and powered up the machines.
> > >
> > > First FileMaker FMSA-related question: should auto-start be turned on in
> > > the FMS8/FMSA8 preferences?  If the database is damaged during the rude
> > > shutdown, then automatically starting it could be a big mistake.
> > >
> > > fx.php question: How do you handle the prospect of the FMSA not being
> > > available, on the web server?  In this half hour episode, I had to post
> > > a "Come Back Later" sign.
> > >
> > > Finally, what do you do to deal with the prospect of web services not
> > > being available?  Redundancy appears to be a huge technical and
> > > financial leap....or at least I think that it is.
> > >
> > > Again, I'm sorry for the slight off-topic nature of this post, but I
> > > feel that this topic can help others.
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > > Jonathan
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>