MyBB Community Forums

When compared to paid solutions such as Invision Power Board, how well does MyBB compare? I love the more advanced (and I'd even say more intelligent) way things are formatted in MyBB, but I am concerned with server loads. One of the main features of IPB 2.0 was to cache as much data as possible, including templates to lower the load on the server (although this has yet to be 100% proven)...I looked through some of the MyBB files and noticed all the templates are requested from the database instead of preconfigured PHP files, how does that work? How are they cached?

And I have a few more questions:

1. How well would MyBB operate on a dedicated server with at least 5,000 users (maybe even more) on at all times?

2. Is there any expected time frame in which to release the first final point release?

3. Will there be any future support for the PostgreSQL database format? As we have had trouble with mySQL locking tables and such...speaking of that, does MyBB have good workarounds for "saving" data when a table locks up?

4. Will there be a payment plan in the works for business organizations that wish to remove the copyright?

I apologize for the sheer number of questions, but I appreciate any answers I recieve.

1. I have not seen a myBB that large, odd's are something of that size would require some speed tweaking, but that is easy enough to do if you know php code. Otherwise you could always ask for help here in the code hacking forums.

2. I can't answer this, only the dev's can

3. Right now all SQL text is hard coded into the php files, but i've heard chris mention that multiple database drivers will be developed after the stable version is released

4. I'm not sure on this ethor, someone with the company would have to answer that.

Hi.

MyBB implements a sort of template cache system where the required templates are ALL loaded in to variables at the top of each script ($templates->cache()). The templates are then stored there so they do not have to be queried for inidividually in the runtime in the script.

MyBB also implements a data cache system where things like usergroups, and in RC4 smilies, badwords, and a host of other things so they once again dont have to be queried for in the top of the script, which for larger forums will make it less intense on the server as there wont have to be as much querying to the database.

As for your other questions.

1. We haven't tested with 5,000 users online at one time. We can simulate flooding the online table but that wont be the same as 5,000 users actually visiting the forums and generating a page. For the largest community currently running you can go to the Messenger Plus! Forums -> http://msgplus.mybboard.com <- Which are currently running on a 1.2ghz and we sometimes (especially around releases) have up to ~300 or so users online at one time over a 15 minute period. Those forums at the moment are currently on a server which shares with another set of popular forums. The server copes, but as its only one server which is shared you will sometimes see the load limit message we have included in MyBB to prevent further increase in the load. Those forums will soon be moving to a brand new 2.4ghz dedicated server.

2. The final release for the 1.0 series, marking MyBB as stable is planned for after Release Candidate 4. Release Candidate 4 is currently in production and nearly the completion of some of the major changes such as table prefixes and the language system. From there, we will be going in to a two week closed beta of Release Candidate 4 before it is released to the mainstream public. As RC4 is released, production and changes on "Final" will begin, which will mainly be a clean up release.

3. PostgreSQL is currently not supported, and as Bruce said we plan to add multiple database drivers in the future. There is nothing stopping it being implemented in the code base as all of the queries should be cross compatible. I haven't had much time to play with PostgreSQL but this is one of the things we will be looking to in the future. MyBB uses standard PHP/MySQL functions to access the database, so if it happens in another discussion system which does the same chances are it will happen in MyBB. There are numerous changes however which can be made to the MySQL configuration file (my.cnf) for more active and powerful querying on larger forums such as query caching.

4. At the moment those prices are not publicised as the new website has not been launched. We're hoping to launch the new website with the release of RC4 or Final which will contain information on pricing schemes for copyright removal and features alike. If you would like to contact us for more information regarding the pricing, please email [email protected].

Best Regards and I hope thats some solid information for you,

Chris

Thanks for the answers Chris! I'll wait for the new site for the copyright information, as I have quite a bit of time before our new site is launched with new community features, etc... However, I am confident we'll be using MyBB, from my point of view, it's by far the most logical option.

Thanks for the comments, and your decision about using MyBB. Just out of curiousity, whats you're site about? It sounds big from what you have posted already.

Regards,
Chris.

The site I represent is for a major record label, unfortunetly I can't not give any further information at this time.

Also the later versions of mySQL are a bit easier on the server load, it is possible to do alot more with mySQL now then could be done a year ago.

There is much you can do to ensure a forum can cope with heavy load, everything from speed tweaking the software from running your server, or servers correctly.

With myBB it is possible to host mySQL on one machine and the php files on a second server. Or if you really needed to you could throw multiple servers + load balancing at it.

Running any dynamic site of that size is going to take some backbone both in server horse powered and bandwidth, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

As Bruce said, it is possible to share PHP/MySQL across two servers, which is actually whats done here.

MySQL is on one server, whilst PHP is on the other - it does increase the load time a bit but decreases the server load as querying is done on a more dedicated box. Both machines are linked locally via the internal network.

As you probably already know there are several versions of MySQL, MySQL MAX is what you would probably bargin to be using of a forum that size (assuming we're talking 5,000 users online at a time), and you would have everything spread out across afew very powerful machines.