I was trying to browse the galleries, and everything was moving incredibly slow--- and I have a cable connection. I never once have seen messages like these below, but they popped up on one of the screens above everything else: SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: SELECT name FROM gallerysection WHERE sectionid = 3 SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: SELECT ad_no FROM Advertisement WHERE ad_space='Super' SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: SELECT ad_no, bannerad_url, bannerad_code, impress_served, impress_max, buyer_email, contract_type, ad_weight FROM Advertisement WHERE status='A' AND NOW() >= contract_start_date AND (ad_space = 'Galleries' OR ad_space = 'Super') SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: SELECT ad_no, bannerad_url, bannerad_code, impress_served, impress_max, buyer_email, contract_type, ad_weight FROM Advertisement WHERE status='A' AND NOW() >= contract_start_date AND (ad_space = 'ROS' OR ad_space = 'Super') SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: SELECT ad_no, bannerad_url, bannerad_code, impress_served, impress_max, buyer_email, contract_type, ad_weight FROM Advertisement WHERE status='A' AND NOW() >= contract_start_date SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: SELECT * FROM page WHERE username = 'mjustmike' ORDER BY page_id SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: select * from gallerysection

The database server was overwhelmed. It can happen on rare occasions when under a heavy load. Basically, the EASE Server was trying to build your web page and was unable to connect to the MySQL database server. Solution, just wait a few seconds and refresh.

Found the problem Mike. We were being spidered. It was the second time today from the same dial-up PPP range from Internet America, an ISP based in Dallas, TX. Don't worry, their admin will be getting an email from me with details. "Don't try to trick us, we can tell." ;)

You know, I was wondering if I was seeing my first account of that, because I have never seen the gallery moving as slowly as it was, and I also first got a message that there were too many people online or something, but the count at the top only said like 300 something. So I guess people think they're gonna be clever and just try to download the entire gallery all at one time, huh? Leave the computer running all night and come back to a drive full of fresh pictures? Meanwhile, who cares if the people who legitimately visit this site have to be inconvenienced? I'm glad you have the equipment and ability to track such things. :) Cheers, Mike

BTW, this was not a logged in user. It was one of the anonymous surfers that we try to block by making the galleries viewable only to members. But every time we shut down the galleries, people cry out. But what will they do now when the site is non-responsive due to these spiders?

I see your point completely. I guess there's no way to block out a spider, eh? Man, you just can't win.

It's tough if they don't log in. It's basically becomes a denial of service attack and is against federal law.

Update, this same user attacked our site three separate times in the last two days. Every time we were forced to block their IP address to halt the attack. But, since it was a dial-up, they were able to repeat their attacks later. We were notified that this incident has been resolved with the deactivation of the user's ISP acount.

Ouch! That hurt, I bet! :)

Ouch! That hurt, I bet! :)

WOW I didn't mean to put that up twice, but look below at what I saw after I submitted the first time. I copied/pasted from a page which was almost blank, then hit back and hit submiit again. Second time it went through. Is this more spider activity, or just "normal"? SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: SELECT * FROM moderator WHERE forum_id = 12357 AND username = 'mjustmike' SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: select Name,Priority,Announcement from Forum WHERE ForumID = 12357 SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: SELECT ad_no FROM Advertisement WHERE ad_space='Super' SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: SELECT ad_no, bannerad_url, bannerad_code, impress_served, impress_max, buyer_email, contract_type, ad_weight FROM Advertisement WHERE status='A' AND NOW() >= contract_start_date AND ((ad_space = 'Forums' AND ad_subspace = '12357') OR (ad_space = 'Super')) SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: SELECT ad_no, bannerad_url, bannerad_code, impress_served, impress_max, buyer_email, contract_type, ad_weight FROM Advertisement WHERE status='A' AND NOW() >= contract_start_date AND (ad_space = 'Forums' OR ad_space = 'Super') SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: SELECT ad_no, bannerad_url, bannerad_code, impress_served, impress_max, buyer_email, contract_type, ad_weight FROM Advertisement WHERE status='A' AND NOW() >= contract_start_date AND (ad_space = 'ROS' OR ad_space = 'Super') SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: SELECT ad_no, bannerad_url, bannerad_code, impress_served, impress_max, buyer_email, contract_type, ad_weight FROM Advertisement WHERE status='A' AND NOW() >= contract_start_date SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: SELECT * FROM page WHERE username = 'mjustmike' ORDER BY page_id Welcome to the ??? Forum! SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: SELECT username FROM moderator WHERE forum_id = 12357 Welcome to the ??? Forum! ??? SQL Query Error: MySQL server has gone away Query was: select * from Message where MessageID = 192091 Back to [Read new messages]

Certainly not normal. Doesn't appear to be a spider this time. Just a spike in site activity overwhelming the data server it seems.