Over on the <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.moodle.org">www.moodle.org</a><!-- w --> website there has been some in-depth discussion concerning the ability/inability of shared servers to cope with Moodle. I have tried as much as I can to sing the praises of Totalchoicehosting, but it its becoming clear that at least one member (hey, not me!) has caused a server crash (admitted) as a result of up to 30 students using Moodle. That number does not appear to be excessive, considering that its very use for classes! Apparently Totalchoicehosting 'pulled the plug' on his site, for overuse of resources (related to MySQL demands?)<br /><br />Now it is clear that many users visiting <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.moodle.org">www.moodle.org</a><!-- w --> are recommending totalchoicehosting for running Moodle. Yet, it appears that the demands of Moodle might be somewhat excessive on a shared hosting account. <br /><br />This is a reality check, and some guidance is required relating to the use of Moodle. Clearly, Moodle is meant for class use, and just imagine if a whole school of 1500 got enthusiastic about its use!<br /><br />Given the amount of discussion on the Moodle website, I am very surprised that this topic has not arisen here.....before now.<br /><br />Need more information about what is being written about Totalchoicehosting ? (you deserve the chance to respond) .....then you need to go to<br /><br /><a href="http://moodle.org/mod/forum/index.php?id=5" target="_blank">http://moodle.org/mod/forum/index.php?id=5</a><br /><br />(LOGIN as a guest )<br /><br />and do a search using the key word... totalchoice<!--content-->
As one post states<br /><br /><!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->A Moodle server with 200 users and 20 courses is neither a testing nor a small site installation. If you look for it in the forums, you will see that many Moodle sites have been banned from many hosting services mainly because of their heavy use of CPU and Database calls.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><br /><br />Although 30 may not seem like alot it all comes down to server use. If those 30 take up too many resources that it causes issues with the rest of the sites then it will be dealt with.<br /><br />I see many talking of getting a server designed for it, if you want a big site for use with that then maybe a dedicated server is the route to take.<!--content-->
Fine. I have read all the postings on Moodle, and have added a few comments myself. <br /><br /><!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->OK , the picture is becoming quite clear now. Moodle eats <img src="http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="
" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> servers for breakfast, and the hosting providers will not admit that! Sooner or later, at this rate of expansion, it will disappear from the Fantastico package. <br /><br />So, to any educational establishments out there wishing to get serious about VLE, then go for a dedicated server package. Otherwise, just tinker away on a virtual server with a few of your students, and just dream about what could have been...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->I am just at the tinkering/evaluation stage, using my own money <img src="http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/dry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="<_<" border="0" alt="dry.gif" /> from teaching to pay for hosting for what is in effect a school resource, and I have a number of websites hosted with Totalchoicehosting. <br /><br />I need to think very carefully about the future expansion of the use of Moodle. It is clear that at least 2 users have been 'unplugged' for becoming a little too enthusiastic in the use of Moodle. Somehow, somewhere, there needs to be a health warning about the use of Moodle. At the moment I have done a search for all those hosting companies which have 'banned' Moodle. .. but I have not been able to find any evidence to support the statement <i>...you will see that many Moodle sites have been banned from many hosting services mainly because of their heavy use of CPU and Database calls </i><br /><br />Yet, it appears to be just a matter of time before the health warning spreads across the internet. Moodle is in danger becoming too powerful for its own good. <br /><br />Time to back up all my sites again, and start looking elsewhere. I am not going to wait for armageddon. <br /><br />I have placed further onformation on the Moodle website relating to a possible 'reduction' of stress on servers:<br /><br /><!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Well, the true picture is beginning to emerge. Moodle started as a great resource, and has 'blossomed' into a Juganaut , taking on new Modules and resources, and beginning to become the VLE that everyone is looking for ...a resource that meets the needs of everyone! The exponential expansion of Moodle suggests that the developments are becoming more and more attractive to users with different agendas/needs. I don't have a problem with this rate of expansion at all, except that my little venture into VLE now has to expand into a quest for new sources of money to make it successful in our cash-strapped school.<br /><br />Catch-22 ... make sure that your cash-strapped school can find new funding to pay for the hosting requirements for Moodle!<br /><br /> Some guidance/advice will certainly be needed, related to resource requirements. Users should not be put in a position where they will be told later of the 'problems' with expansion.<br /><br />There are a few possible solutions, for cash-strapped schools.<br /><br />1. There is no problem at all in spreading a number of Moodle's around the world, hosted on a number of different servers. Why put all your eggs into one basket, and then wait for doomsday/armageddon? <br /><br />2. Each department should be encouraged to take on board their own Moode resource (site), rather than to depend on one person trying to do everything. Goodness, the learning curve is not that steep.<br /><br />3. Another partial solution is to be very selective with the Modules, and to only install the ones you will need at the time.<br /><br />Also, unless there is a very real need, the use of Moodle involving full class participation at any instant might not be entirely necessary or desirable. The use of Moodle can be spread along the 24/7 universe, not just in a 1 hour class slot. Therein is the great beauty of Moodle.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><!--content-->
As one post states<br /><br /><!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->A Moodle server with 200 users and 20 courses is neither a testing nor a small site installation. If you look for it in the forums, you will see that many Moodle sites have been banned from many hosting services mainly because of their heavy use of CPU and Database calls.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><br /><br />Although 30 may not seem like alot it all comes down to server use. If those 30 take up too many resources that it causes issues with the rest of the sites then it will be dealt with.<br /><br />I see many talking of getting a server designed for it, if you want a big site for use with that then maybe a dedicated server is the route to take.<!--content-->
Fine. I have read all the postings on Moodle, and have added a few comments myself. <br /><br /><!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->OK , the picture is becoming quite clear now. Moodle eats <img src="http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="
" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> servers for breakfast, and the hosting providers will not admit that! Sooner or later, at this rate of expansion, it will disappear from the Fantastico package. <br /><br />So, to any educational establishments out there wishing to get serious about VLE, then go for a dedicated server package. Otherwise, just tinker away on a virtual server with a few of your students, and just dream about what could have been...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->I am just at the tinkering/evaluation stage, using my own money <img src="http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/dry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="<_<" border="0" alt="dry.gif" /> from teaching to pay for hosting for what is in effect a school resource, and I have a number of websites hosted with Totalchoicehosting. <br /><br />I need to think very carefully about the future expansion of the use of Moodle. It is clear that at least 2 users have been 'unplugged' for becoming a little too enthusiastic in the use of Moodle. Somehow, somewhere, there needs to be a health warning about the use of Moodle. At the moment I have done a search for all those hosting companies which have 'banned' Moodle. .. but I have not been able to find any evidence to support the statement <i>...you will see that many Moodle sites have been banned from many hosting services mainly because of their heavy use of CPU and Database calls </i><br /><br />Yet, it appears to be just a matter of time before the health warning spreads across the internet. Moodle is in danger becoming too powerful for its own good. <br /><br />Time to back up all my sites again, and start looking elsewhere. I am not going to wait for armageddon. <br /><br />I have placed further onformation on the Moodle website relating to a possible 'reduction' of stress on servers:<br /><br /><!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Well, the true picture is beginning to emerge. Moodle started as a great resource, and has 'blossomed' into a Juganaut , taking on new Modules and resources, and beginning to become the VLE that everyone is looking for ...a resource that meets the needs of everyone! The exponential expansion of Moodle suggests that the developments are becoming more and more attractive to users with different agendas/needs. I don't have a problem with this rate of expansion at all, except that my little venture into VLE now has to expand into a quest for new sources of money to make it successful in our cash-strapped school.<br /><br />Catch-22 ... make sure that your cash-strapped school can find new funding to pay for the hosting requirements for Moodle!<br /><br /> Some guidance/advice will certainly be needed, related to resource requirements. Users should not be put in a position where they will be told later of the 'problems' with expansion.<br /><br />There are a few possible solutions, for cash-strapped schools.<br /><br />1. There is no problem at all in spreading a number of Moodle's around the world, hosted on a number of different servers. Why put all your eggs into one basket, and then wait for doomsday/armageddon? <br /><br />2. Each department should be encouraged to take on board their own Moode resource (site), rather than to depend on one person trying to do everything. Goodness, the learning curve is not that steep.<br /><br />3. Another partial solution is to be very selective with the Modules, and to only install the ones you will need at the time.<br /><br />Also, unless there is a very real need, the use of Moodle involving full class participation at any instant might not be entirely necessary or desirable. The use of Moodle can be spread along the 24/7 universe, not just in a 1 hour class slot. Therein is the great beauty of Moodle.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><!--content-->