What do I get with a (gs) Grid-Service plan?
- 100 GBs of premium storage
- 1 TB of short-path bandwidth
- 100 unique sites / alternate domains
- 2,000 GPUs
- 100 databases
- 1,000 email addresses
Can I use SSH to access my (gs) Grid-Service?
Yes. SSH access to your (gs) Grid-Service can be enabled
on a per user account basis directly from the control panel inside
the AccountCenter. Read this article for more information.
Does my (gs) Grid-Service come with Subversion?
Yes. Subversion is installed on the Grid. You can access your repositories remotely using "svn+ssh://" style urls. At this time repository access using "svn://" or "https://" style urls is currently not supported. For more information on "svn+ssh://" style urls, see this page in the subversion book. Please see our KnowledgeBase article for more info.
Which versions of LAMP software comes with my (gs)?
The (gs) Grid-Service currently features the following versions of software:
Can I resell resources on my (gs) Grid-Service?
Yes. However, customers serious about reselling should look at our (dv) Dedicated-Virtual Server.
Although not specifically designed for reselling hosting services,
many designers and developers routinely resell their (gs) Grid-Service
space. This solution works well for those designers and developers who
typically maintain websites for their clients and only need to provide
clients with email, FTP, and SSH access. You can easily create additional users that have
access to email, FTP (including sub-folder FTP restrictions) and SSH
resources. However, it's not designed to be a traditional mass reseller
hosting platform. Therefore, it doesn't offer separate control panel
access for your clients, separate website statistics for each site
hosted on your (gs) Grid-Service, or any white label billing and customer
support services for your clients. If you are interested in a more
robust reseller solution, please look into our (dv) Dedicated-Virtual Servers.
These solutions will allow you to set resource limits for your clients
and provide them with separate control panel access, in addition to many
more reseller-friendly features.
Does the Grid go down for maintenance?
The Grid is designed for continuous operation
24/7/365. The distributed nature of the (gs) Grid-Service nodes allows this
system to be maintained without ever being taken offline. Should a
maintenance issue arise that would require a disruption of service all
efforts will be made to open a maintenance window during off-peak hours
and provide all affected customers with ample advance notice.
Which applications are available for 1-Click installation?
We currently have WordPress, Drupal, and
ZenCart available for 1-Click installation. More applications
will be added based on customer demand. Please let us know which applications you'd like to see added to our 1-Click installer.
If I install an application using the 1-Click installer, will it automatically be updated when new versions come out?
The current version of the 1-Click installer does not
provide automatic application update capabilities. We are looking into
the feasibility of adding this feature in the future. We still encourage you to become familiar with any 1-Click application you install, so you may perform your own routine maintenance and
updates as needed.
Which applications are known to run on the (gs) Grid-Service?
For an up-to-date list of applications that have been installed on the (gs) Grid-Service and tested for basic compatibility by (mt) Media Temple staff or customers, please see our KnowledgeBase article. If you've successfully installed an application not already on this list or an updated version of an application, feel free to let us know. We will do our best to keep the list authoritative and current.
If I don't see an application on the known compatibility list, does that mean it won't run on the Grid?
Absolutely not! The list of applications that are known
to be compatible is for convenience only and doesn't represent a
comprehensive list of applications that are capable of running on the
(gs) Grid-Service.
What are the charges if I exceed my bandwidth?
If you go over the bandwidth included with your hosting plan, you will
automatically be charged for overage at the rate of $0.15 per GB.
Please note: We constantly monitor the bandwidth usage of every client
on our network. Once our bandwidth monitors have projected a potential
overage for your hosting service, you will automatically receive an
email notification containing additional details. You may also view a
report of your current and projected bandwidth usage during any billing
cycle directly inside the AccountCenter.
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Overview of the GPU measurement.
With (mt) Media Temple's Grid system, your website
is no longer tied to an individual hardware server, rather it is spread
across hundreds of server processors. This model gives your site ever
expanding grid-cluster computing capability which allows you to scale
and grow beyond the older shared server systems and even radically
exceed dedicated server performance. This system is made
possible by keeping track of each customer's individual usage using
a system we created called GPU (which stands for Grid Performance
Unit). Each (gs) Grid-Service hosting plan includes a large number of
GPUs which have been carefully calculated to provide 99.7% of all
customers with enough resources to never exceed the GPU allocation. For
those clients operating large scale web sites experiencing daily or
infrequent traffic surges, GPUs allow you to host your websites without
worrying about reaching an arbitrary limit before getting shut down.
How can I tell how many GPUs my sites use?
You can view a breakdown of your GPU statistics at any time from inside the AccountCenter. This area of the AccountCenter will allow you to see a report of your GPU usage broken down per day.
If your server is projected to exceed its allocated GPU usage, a courtesy email will be sent to you automatically by our systems. The GPU system is capable of displaying hourly totals along with daily totals.
Why is the GPU based on processor core (CPU time)?
CPU time is a good representation, in general, of the overall load
generated by a single (gs) Grid-Service. As (mt) Media Temple's GRID
system develops over time, the GPU will also incorporate other
measurements of system resources such as disk I/O and database
activity. This will ultimately assist site owners with servers
representing all types of usage characteristics, to understand their
applications better and to plan for scalability.
How are GPUs calculated?
A GPU is a measurement that derives from CPU time required by every
single hit/request made to your (gs) Grid-Service. This includes
your web server activity, programs, scripts, and all associated parent
and child processes across all nodes within our system (100's of
processor cores). The Grid system keeps track of all the measurements
taken from your server and adds them to a running total which is calculated about once an hour.
A GPU (Grid Performance Unit) is equal to:
- 2,000 GPU's is equivalent to running a continuous 20% load
on one processor for the month.
- You can use up to 2.78 GPU's per hour and not go over the 2,000 GPU limit
- 1 GPU = 7.24% of 1 CPU for 1 hour
NOTE:
The above numbers are based on a 30-day calendar. These numbers will
vary based on actual calendar days for each given month in your
billing cycle.
What if my service exceeds the allocated GPUs?
One great aspect of the Grid: It is built to handle spikes and
surges in usage. If your service grows to use 100% continuous use of a
processor core, your server will effectively use 10 GPU's per hour. It
is also important to note that it is unlikely that your server will
have the same usage during off-peak hours as it will during high-peak
hours -- so as an example, your server can effectively use 2 GPUs
per hour during the day and 0.6 GPUs per hour at night. At the end
of the month, you will not have exceeded the allocated amount with your
plan. This is called "bursting." Based on the analysis of over 10,000
random sites, we emphatically show that the vast majority of sites
(99.97%) run perfectly fine, even under serious traffic and never
exceed their GPU allocation. If you should exceed your GPU allocation, you will simply be
billed at the end of the month for the overage that your server
incurred at the rate of $0.10 per GPU.
How are cost projections calculated?
At the beginning of each new billing period, the Grid system resets
your GPU count and begins to calculate a projection of how many GPUs
your server may possibly consume. When the hourly usage results
multiplied by 24 (hours in the day), multiplied by 30 (days in a month)
exceeds the amount of GPUs allocated in your plan, the Grid system
generates an email message as a courtesy notice to you. You can also
view a GPU report for your server directly inside the
AccountCenter.
Is it possible for my service to be shut down because of the GPU use and overages?
Yes. We have seen a very rare number of circumstances
in which some customers have reached such "severe resource demands"
that their ending monthly bill would greatly exceed a majority of
hosting budgets. In most of these situations, the "severe resource
demands" stemmed not from organic traffic patterns and usage, but
rather from malformed software, hacked scripts, or highly inefficient
programming techniques. As a safety measure to the customer, it is (mt)
Media Temple's policy that any (gs) Grid-Service consuming more
than 250 GPUs per hour will be suspended until (mt) Media Temple can
communicate with the customer and determine the source of overly
demanding resource utilization. If you would like to pre-approve your
service "bursting" past 250 GPU/hr, please contact us so we can set up
an exception to this policy.
Is there a way to throttle or cap my GPU usage?
Not at this time. The (gs) Grid-Service was designed to handle
large bursts and traffic spikes. Restricting its performance is not
something that was built into the design of the technology. (mt) Media
Temple is, however, considering developing controls for this feature.
There is currently no ETA for this feature.
I just got this email saying that I owe $200.00 GP-something or other. Is this a bill?
That is only a projected overage. The email is letting you know that if things continue as forecasted, you will go over your allotted GPU's and have to pay for the overage.
How much am I charged for overage?
$0.10 per GPU
What does GPU stand for and what is a GPU anyway?
GPU stands for Grid Performance Unit.
You are allotted 2,000 GPU's per month.
2,000 GPU's is equivalent to running a continuous 20% load on one processor for the month.
- Based on a 30-day cycle, that allows you to run 1.38 GPU's per hour.
- Based on a 30-day cycle, 1 GPU = 7.24 % load on one processor for 1 hour.
Where can I see how many GPU's I'm using?
-
Log into your AccountCenter.
- Click on your primary domain.
- Click on GPU Usage Report.
How can I cut back my GPU usage?
Optimizing scripts, disabling plugins. View the GPU Usage Report for suggestions.
How come I'm being charged this by (mt)? My old hosting company didn't do this.
Your previous hosting environment had your site on one server. We have your site on a grid. This gives you access to more processing power than your old hosting company. 10% of a processor is actually more processing power than you would receive on a single shared server hosting environment. So, you are actually getting more power. Yet, we still have to put a cap on it. We put that cap at 20% (2,000 GPU's).
Will I get a notice when I'm over 2,000 GPUs?
You will actually get an email before. The moment you are projected to go over, you will be sent an alert.
Can I get alerts every time I use "X amount" GPU's?
GPU alerts are not customizable at this time.
Can I throttle/cap/limit GPU usage?
You cannot throttle/cap/limit your GPU usage at this time.
Can I buy a bundle of GPU's ahead of time at a lower rate?
We currently do not offer GPU packages.
Does PHP have safe-mode limitations?
Absolutely NOT! Safe-mode limitations are history.
Although our PHP environment is so flexible, you could turn it back on
if you really want to. On the (gs) Grid-Service, you can turn off safe mode per domain using the .htacess file. Please see this KnowledgeBase article for details.
Which PHP modules are included with your versions of PHP5?
Visit the links below to view phpinfo pages for the latest versions of PHP5 running on the Grid.
PHP5 - phpinfo()
If you need a module that's not already included, please let us know and we'll look into adding support for it.
Is it possible override the default php.ini settings?
Absolutely! You can override most php.ini configuration
settings by managing your own php.ini file for your (gs) Grid-Service. We've
even provided a sample php.ini file to get you started. To learn more on how, please read this KnowledgeBase article.
What PHP frameworks are compatible with the Grid?
Have you been able to install other PHP frameworks on the Grid? If so, please
let us know by sending a link to your favorite PHP framework running on the Grid and we'll add it to the list.
Will my (gs) Grid-Service come with SSL capabilities?
Yes. Your (gs) Grid-Service automatically comes with a
shared SSL certificate that is useful for encrypted email over SSL. Please see our KnowledgeBase article for details. You may also purchase one custom SSL certificate through us for secure web browsing. Click here for details.
How many SSL certificates can I have associated with one (gs) Grid-Service?
Each (gs) Grid-Service can be associated with one SSL certificate. This one certificate can either be used with
your primary domain name or one of your alternate domain names. If your
project requires more than one SSL certificate, you can use the shared
SSL certificate with either your primary domain name, access domain
name, or any of your alternate domain names.
Can I purchase an SSL certificate from (mt) Media Temple?
Yes. We offer QuickSSL certificates (from GeoTrust), for $50 one-time setup and $10 monthly for one year. You can purchase the SSL certificate in your AccountCenter. Please read this KnowledgeBase article for step by step instructions.
How many database users comes with my (gs) Grid-Service?
Each (gs) Grid-Service is deployed with a single database user capable of creating up to 100 databases. Each (gs) Grid-Service in the SmartPool system can then create up to 4 more MySQL users, bringing the total to 5. Permissions which include database access, read only and read/write capabilities, can be set on a per user, per database level. If more users are required, this can be changed by purchasing a MySQL GridContainer. The MySQL GridContainer Lite comes with 10 MySQL users, Pro includes 20 users, and Advanced supports up to 50 users. Permissions can be set on a per user, per database level. Privileges include database access, read capability and read/write capabilities.
Can I access my databases from external applications?
Yes. Each (gs) Grid-Service comes with a unique address
that will allow you to access your databases from outside the (mt)
Media Temple network. For your protection, you will need to add the IP
addresses you will be connecting from before you can gain external
access. Please see the "Database" section of the "Server Guide" from
more information. Detailed instructions are available in our KnowledgeBase article.
How much storage is available for my MySQL database in the SmartPool v.2?
There is a 4GB limit on total database size. If you burst beyond this, then you will be put into the appropriate sized MySQL GridContainer. Customers have the option to purchase a separate MySQL GridContainer to provide additional database storage. Please visit the MySQL GridContainer product page for details.
What is a MySQL Burst Container?
A MySQL Burst Container is a single-tenant MySQL GridContainer that is allocated to you automatically in real-time when the SmartPool system recognizes sudden spikes in database traffic. This solution allows your databases to scale beyond the guaranteed SmartPool resources. This unique feature helps you survive temporary traffic bursts resulting from press releases, mass blog coverage, DIGG, etc.
Do MySQL Burst Containers cost extra?
No. MySQL Burst Containers are an automatic no-cost part of our MySQL SmartPool v.2.
How long will I have access to a MySQL Burst Container?
You will have access to your MySQL Burst Container for up to three full days.
What happens after three days?
The SmartPool will analyze your MySQL usage patterns and send you an email with additional MySQL options that are available.
During peak usage, will (mt) shut down my instance of MySQL for my website?
No. Please note: It is possible for your resource usage to exceed the limitations of your Burst Container. The limits of this container far exceed traditional shared hosting and are comparable to hosting products costing three times the price of your (gs) Grid-Service.
How many times will I be able to temporarily scale using a MySQL Burst Container?
Each (gs) Grid-Service comes with two MySQL Burst Container cycles each month. If you exceed two in any month, you will receive an email notification containing additional options.
How can I purchase a permanent MySQL GridContainer?
Permanent MySQL GridContainers can be purchased and instantly activated 24/7 from inside your AccountCenter. Please visit our MySQL GridContainer product page for more details and available options.
Where can I find more MySQL Container FAQs?
Please visit our MySQL GridContainer FAQ page.
How many databases can I have on the SmartPool v.2?
Each (gs) Grid-Service can have up to 100 databases using the SmartPool v.2 system. Please keep in mind that there is a limitation in the number of database tables each (gs) can have in total. There is a maximum allowable limit of 10,000 database tables. The main reason for this limitation is to protect against abuse -- most applications that use a database don't even approach these limits under normal circumstances.
What is the difference between the MySQL GridContainer and the MySQL SmartPool v.2 ?
The new MySQL GridContainer is designed for customers who
demand guaranteed performance and absolute reliability for their hosted
database systems. Past versions of MySQL, much like MySQL SmartPool v.2
system, work well for a majority of applications but unfortunately
remain subject to the unavoidable volatility of shared hosting,
sometimes called the "bad neighbor effect." The MySQL GridContainer system
solves past problems with a next generation system that runs a single
instance of MySQL in a dedicated server which has complete RAM and CPU
isolation from other applications, databases, and customers. This new,
industry-first architecture results in faster performing sites with a
narrowed scope of administration for optimizing and troubleshooting
database driven applications.
How do I know what size MySQL GridContainer I'll need?
The GridContainer size you choose depends on how your
web applications use the MySQL database server. The GridContainer Lite
is an excellent entry level, business grade solution that offers a
highly tuned MySQL environment with additional tools to help you
analyze your database utilization and understand your scalability
needs. Once you've purchased a GridContainer Lite, all upgrades and
downgrades between other container sizes can automatically be managed
from the AccountCenter.
Does the (gs) Grid-Service include a free MySQL GridContainer?
The (gs) Grid-Service doesn't include a free MySQL
GridContainer. However, the Grid does come with all the MySQL
capabilities provided by our recently re-architected MySQL SmartPool
v.2 system. For the majority of (gs) Grid-Service customers, the MySQL
SmartPool v.2 system is an adequate solution. Those interested in
higher performance, business grade MySQL hosting may purchase a MySQL
GridContainer for an additional monthly fee.
Is there downtime when upgrading between GridContainer sizes?
Acquiring additional GridContainer resources is a simple,
automated upgrade from within the AccountCenter. Resource increases
happen in real-time with zero disruption or downtime for your
applications.
How do I manage my GridContainer environment & applications?
We've developed our own set of time-saving GUI tools to
help you manage the setup and routine maintenance of your MySQL
GridContainer. All the existing database management tools inside the
AccountCenter work the same as before with your MySQL GridContainer.
These tools feature quick access to the most commonly used database
operations. phpMyAdmin is also available for additional web-based
database control. In addition, new exclusive MySQL GridContainer controls
allow you to reboot your container environment, quickly repair database
tables, and provide access to MySQL performance and query analysis tools on
demand. Additional tools for enhanced, monitoring, and customization
will continue to be added to the MySQL GridContainer controls in the
future.
Will I have root access to MySQL?
While root-level access is not available on the (gs) Grid-Service, you can edit the my.cnf file through the MySQL
GridContainer controls in the AccountCenter. Most options are fully configurable. There is a convenient reset option if you want to return to the default configuration. You will not be able to effectively set certain parameters beyond the resources you have purchased with your container. For example, key_buffer_size cannot be set to allow use of more than your purchased RAM. Despite this, a great deal of customization is possible.
Which version of MySQL does the GridContainer come with?
All MySQL GridContainers include MySQL Server version 5.1.26.
Is the MySQL GridContainer solution a clustered or replicated database solution?
The current implementation of the MySQL GridContainers
provides a single unshared copy of the MySQL Server. No clustering or
replication functionality is included. We are looking into the
possibility offering this functionality in the future.
I have an existing (gs) Grid-Service account, how will the new containers affect me?
Along with the new MySQL GridContainers, our MySQL
SmartPool v.2 system has been completely re-architected for increased
performance and stability. Please visit the MySQL SmartPool v.2 page
for more details.
How do MySQL GridContainers stack up to other MySQL hosting solutions?
MySQL GridContainers provide a scalable, resource
isolated environment specifically tuned for maximum MySQL Server
performance. Containers feature many of the benefits of a dedicated or
virtual dedicated sever without any of the setup, maintenance burdens
or costs usually associated with dedicated server solutions.
What MySQL GridContainer sizes are available?
MySQL GridContainers are currently available in the
three sizes shown below. All GridContainers can be ordered from the
AccountCenter and rapidly provisioned for use in minutes! Once you’ve
purchased a GridContainer, all upgrades and downgrades between container
sizes can be controlled automatically from the AccountCenter.
- Lite: 128 MBs
- Pro: 256 MBs
- Advanced: 512 MBs
What are the prices for MySQL GridContainers?
The 128MB GridContainer is an additional $20 per
month, the 256MB GridContainer is an additional $75 per month, and the
512MB GridContainer is an additional $150 per month.
Where can I sign up for the MySQL GridContainer?
In order to purchase a MySQL GridContainer, you will
need to already have a (gs) Grid-Service. To purchase a new MySQL
GridContainer, simply log into your AccountCenter and click on the GridContainer icon to sign up.
How can I tell how my applications are using MySQL database resources?
There are many different methods to help determine how
your applications utilize database resources. MySQL GridContainers
include specialized tools and documentation to aide in this process.
For complete details on these tools, please visit the MySQL
GridContainer controls in the AccountCenter.
Can I edit any MySQL configuration options?
In the current version of our MySQL GridContainer
technology, server-level configuration editing is not available. We are
currently looking into the possibility of making this feature available
in the future along with root-level MySQL access. Although these
features are on the product roadmap, availability dates have not be
determined.
Is MySQL 5.x available to use within the GridContainer?
Currently, only MySQL 5.1.26 is available. In the future,
we plan on making multiple versions of MySQL Server available inside
our GridContainers along with the possibility of version switching.
Although these features are on the product roadmap, availability dates
have not be determined.
How many MySQL user accounts does a GridContainer come with?
The MySQL GridContainer Lite comes with 10 MySQL users, Pro includes 20 users and Advanced supports up to 50 users. Permissions can be set on a per user, per database level. Privileges include database access, read capability, and read/write capabilities.
Why does the Grid use containers?
Server software, including MySQL, perform best when dedicated
resources are allocated to them. (mt) Media Temple has recognized this
trend and developed proprietary GridContainer technology to provide
high performance, resource isolated environments specially designed for
hosting this class of software.
How do I manage my GridContainer environment & applications?
GridContainers have been designed with a unique balance
between maximum flexibility and minimum maintenance. To achieve this
goal, we've developed our own set of time saving GUI and command-line
tools to help you manage the setup, deployment, and routine maintenance
of the software running inside your container. Please read the
documentation for the MySQL GridContainer for details
on available tools.
How do GridContainers stack up to other hosting solutions?
GridContainers provide a scalable, resource isolated
environment, optimized to perform a specialized hosting function.
Containers feature many of the benefits of a dedicated or virtual
dedicated sever without any of the setup, optimization, maintenance
burdens or costs usually associated with dedicated server solutions.
What if my applications outgrow my GridContainer?
GridContainers allow you to instantly scale your
applications without hassle! When you're ready, all you'll have to do
is upgrade to the next larger GridContainer. Container upgrades are
automated and happen instantly 24/7 through the AccountCenter! When
it's time to upgrade, you won't even have to make changes to your
application.
How much disk space is included with each MySQL GridContainer?
The MySQL GridContainer Lite includes 4GB of storage, Pro has 6GB, and Advanced has 8GB of storage. This is the only storage space available to your MySQL GridContainer and does not count against the disk space included with your (gs) Grid-Service.
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