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Why did TriumphRat.Net go through a change?
This was described at length on the former TriumphRat.Net. However, I assumed everyone had taken time to read it and the information would be redundant after the conversion. Regardless, the information below represents both what was previously posted, and some additional feedback:
The former version of TriumphRat.Net ran on a Content Management System that was considered cutting-edge open-source technology at the time. Back then, portals that ran on those systems were leap-frogging in features and innovation; but many popular projects were struggling with issues as organized content was becoming mainstream.
After the first year, I had already migrated TriumphRat.Net through two servers and was running the site in a hosting facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was low-budget, but the server there was stretched to the limit as I made every effort possible to keep the costs of the site down.
During the time in Las Vegas, the lead developer of the Content Management System that TriumphRat.Net ran on was dealing with strife among his peers on the software project. Upgrades were available, but it seemed that with dramatic issues went along with new features. The drama ended when the same lead developer died in a motorcycle accident.
So Mick and I did our own code modifications when we could, and I gave up hope for any official support on TriumphRat.Net. I moved the site out of it's low-budget environment, put it into a carrier-grade facility and built as much infrastructure power and security technology as could be afforded.
What happened over the last three years, from a web-developer and IT perspective was surreal as other sites experienced catastrophic failures, new versions of security and vulnerability problems, and an overall lack of useful tools for implementing a replacement for TriumphRat.Net that we would like and enjoy using.
More recently, when TriumphRat.Net migrated to it's first 64-bit system, it became apparent that the old technology just wasn't suited for a site at our activity level any longer. Moderators were also donating too much time to administrative tasks, and it seemed that all I had time for was just keeping the infrastructure going. Rat.Net users may have been happy, but the admin / moderator team was always dealing with some sort of struggle - or a degree of burnout. There were times I thought it would be better to just throw the Off Switch and say it was fun while it lasted.
However, my love for Triumph Motorcycles kept me going and found a technology combination with promise; which was used to start another smaller motorcycle-forum community. After a year of operation, and three major upgrade/revisions, I found a combination that would work on TriumphRat.Net.
The old TriumphRat.Net ran on the latest/greatest server OS technology, but it required significant special server configuration to support process that are considered non-standard today. There are already newer versions of particular server software components available, that are not yet mainstream, but cannot run TriumphRat.Net regardless how much configuration I do. Which meant that roughly around the end of 2008, I would have to maintain TriumphRat.Net on older server technology just to keep it running - which equates to greater costs and more administrative time required, with no guarantees that it would work reliably or not get hacked.
The conversion of TriumphRat.Net may result in mixed impressions, but it required the assistance of three developer/specialists to migrate the 1.2 million records and get it to the stage at the site's initial roll out.
Since the new site went live, user activity doubled and server utilization dropped sharply - dropping down to 25% of what it was when running the former TriumphRat.Net. Security from an external viewpoint hasn't changed much (The same Firewalls continue to protect TriumphRat.Net) but the internal side is rosy compared to what it was.
Simply put, without the migration effort TriumphRat.Net would have ceased to exist in roughly 18 months. I could have kept it running after that time, but the effort would have been too much and with no guarantees of stability or security. TriumphRat.Net could have been just wiped out and restarted as a new site as well (many other sites have had to do just that against their wishes), but I felt that it was important to retain our community to the best of my ability.
Like any other significant change, this will soon be past us, and things will settle back to what we enjoy doing the most.
Hope this helps.
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