sir first of all it is quite a unique idea you have there with your Sub-Site Proposal, however, as a server administrator myself this could be quite messy from the server perspective, not that it cannot be done but it could still be quite messy using 2 level deep subs i.e. subs of subs.
With that being said one of your main challenges will be the DNS.
The top level domain or commonly known as TLD - animals.com - will of course be hosted on one server, and that server will need to resolve the domain names for all the sub domains with DNS entries for the subs on server 2 entered so they are pointing to server 2.
Now some would argue that this could be accomplished by using what we call Poor Mans Load Balancing by adding server 2's IP to the DNS of Server 1's TLD, but then in this case Server 2 would then have to have every DNS listing as Server 1. A lot of work and very messy.
I would suggest the best route to take with your proposal and to make it work efficiently would be as follows:
Server 1 hosts the TLD and does all the DNS for both servers.
The above is relatively clean, manageable, and easier to trouble shoot.
But we are forgetting one thing that has not been mentioned, that is creating the Multi Site on Server 2 and administration thereof.
This would be accomplished by two things:
a Word Press Install would be need to setup on Server 2 either as single installs for each domain or you will need to use animals.com again in a Multisite environment.
A way to address animals.com on server 2.
The first thing to do would be to make a way that you could address animals.com on each server independently. This can be accomplished by using in Windows based machine the Hosts file located more then likely at (does not consider custom installs of windows OS): C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
After one of the last entries in the Hosts file i.e. # localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
and its native entry of 127.0.0.1 localhost
you would add:
server1IP animals.com
server2IP animals.com
and which server you want to talk is controlled by commenting otu the one you do not wnat to work with I.E.
This allows you to address server 1:
server1IP animals.com
#server2IP animals.com
This allows you to address server 2:
#server1IP animals.com
server2IP animals.com
now keep in mind that after you have made the switch each time you must save the file and the change is immediate. CAUTION: Use only a text editor that does not add extra character encoding to the file.
I use cloudflare for my nameservers. You should check them out.
I Love your post by the way!
For the sake of clarity, let me clear up a few points I missed.
The networks, cats and dogs, are unaware of each other for the most part.
Iam thinking of using a third server for the root domain animals.com. It will be nothing but an html file that says click here for cats or here for dogs.
So my DNS entries would actually look like
animals.com = 1.2.3.4 /serves static html file
*.dogs.animals.com = 1.1.1.1 / WMPU Community
*.cats.animals.com = 2.2.2.2 / Different WPMU community
FYI this is all coming from more of a need than a desire.
If there was a green cat breeder, and a green dog breeder, I wouldn't want them to be confused with each other, and it would give me more time/opportunites to launch new servers for like birds snakes, etc.
animals is just an example. Each server would have an estimated 5,000+25,000 Blogs.
Because that is the size of the niche/subniches I'm in. Each server will get their own administrator as well.
I use Linux with Nginx and APC caching, so I'm hoping I can also keep this running of multiple virtual servers. The VM's can scale up to 4 GB of ram. Do you think I'm taking a good approach to this?
Responses (3)
Support Kangaroo — 6th February 2012 11:38 #
Greetings Jason :-)
sir first of all it is quite a unique idea you have there with your Sub-Site Proposal, however, as a server administrator myself this could be quite messy from the server perspective, not that it cannot be done but it could still be quite messy using 2 level deep subs i.e. subs of subs.
With that being said one of your main challenges will be the DNS.
The top level domain or commonly known as TLD - animals.com - will of course be hosted on one server, and that server will need to resolve the domain names for all the sub domains with DNS entries for the subs on server 2 entered so they are pointing to server 2.
Now some would argue that this could be accomplished by using what we call Poor Mans Load Balancing by adding server 2's IP to the DNS of Server 1's TLD, but then in this case Server 2 would then have to have every DNS listing as Server 1. A lot of work and very messy.
I would suggest the best route to take with your proposal and to make it work efficiently would be as follows:
Server 1 hosts the TLD and does all the DNS for both servers.
Drop the fourth sub of a sub in the domain name:
Server#1 IP 1.1.1.1
http://dogscommunitynetwork.animals.com <- WPMU for dogs only.
Could have subsites like
http://birddogloverdoggscommunitynetwork.animals.com
http://weinerdogsRusdoggscommunitynetwork.animals.com
http://catloverTrolldoggscommunitynetwork.animals.com
Setup DNS in server 1 with A records for the Sub Domains on server 2 to point to the IP of server 2
Server #2 IP 2.2.2.2
http://catlovernetwork.animals.com
With subsites like
http://calicofanscatlovernetwork.animals.com
http://ofmiceandcatscatlovernetwork.animals.com
http://ihatecatscatlovernetwork.animals.com
The above is relatively clean, manageable, and easier to trouble shoot.
But we are forgetting one thing that has not been mentioned, that is creating the Multi Site on Server 2 and administration thereof.
This would be accomplished by two things:
a Word Press Install would be need to setup on Server 2 either as single installs for each domain or you will need to use animals.com again in a Multisite environment.
A way to address animals.com on server 2.
The first thing to do would be to make a way that you could address animals.com on each server independently. This can be accomplished by using in Windows based machine the Hosts file located more then likely at (does not consider custom installs of windows OS): C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
After one of the last entries in the Hosts file i.e. # localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
and its native entry of 127.0.0.1 localhost
you would add:
server1IP animals.com
server2IP animals.com
and which server you want to talk is controlled by commenting otu the one you do not wnat to work with I.E.
This allows you to address server 1:
server1IP animals.com
#server2IP animals.com
This allows you to address server 2:
#server1IP animals.com
server2IP animals.com
now keep in mind that after you have made the switch each time you must save the file and the change is immediate. CAUTION: Use only a text editor that does not add extra character encoding to the file.
Joe :-)
Member — 6th February 2012 17:15 #
I use cloudflare for my nameservers. You should check them out.
I Love your post by the way!
For the sake of clarity, let me clear up a few points I missed.
The networks, cats and dogs, are unaware of each other for the most part.
Iam thinking of using a third server for the root domain animals.com. It will be nothing but an html file that says click here for cats or here for dogs.
So my DNS entries would actually look like
animals.com = 1.2.3.4 /serves static html file
*.dogs.animals.com = 1.1.1.1 / WMPU Community
*.cats.animals.com = 2.2.2.2 / Different WPMU community
FYI this is all coming from more of a need than a desire.
If there was a green cat breeder, and a green dog breeder, I wouldn't want them to be confused with each other, and it would give me more time/opportunites to launch new servers for like birds snakes, etc.
animals is just an example. Each server would have an estimated 5,000+25,000 Blogs.
Because that is the size of the niche/subniches I'm in. Each server will get their own administrator as well.
I use Linux with Nginx and APC caching, so I'm hoping I can also keep this running of multiple virtual servers. The VM's can scale up to 4 GB of ram. Do you think I'm taking a good approach to this?
Member — 9th February 2012 03:09 #
I loved that first response, I should would like another!
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