Members,

Starting on Tuesday, July 1st, at 2 AM PDT, we will be taking the first steps of a major operating system and database upgrade for There.com.  This is a large and significant project, and we estimate that it will take approximately 8-12 weeks to complete the work.

Why are we performing this upgrade?  For a start, it will allow us to move everything onto faster hardware.  It will also give us a greater deal of flexibility across the board.  This means we can start longer-term projects that will result in reduced server downtime, particularly in cases where an AvMan (Avatar Manager) fails.  What all of this means for you is better performance and greater stability all around.

How will the upgrade work?  Over the next 8-12 weeks, we will migrate all of the AvMan servers to the new system.  Most of the work will take place between midnight and 4 AM PDT, in order to affect the least number of people possible.  There are some servers that we know will take a little longer, and in those cases we will start a bit earlier. 

Typically, we will work with one AvMan at a time, although there will be instances when we do more than one.  Our intention is to move slowly and evaluate the success of the project at each step, so days (or weeks) will sometimes pass between migrations.  The length of the project also reflects that we will adapt the roll-out schedule around client and server releases, so that we can continue to provide you with new features and fixes in the meantime.   

The good news is that we can complete the work on most of the AvMan servers without entirely shutting down the service.  Usually, we will just need to bring down specific servers.  Before each planned migration starts, we will announce which AvMan server(s) will be unavailable.  You can use the AvMan status page to find out which server houses your avatar.  During the time that your particular AvMan is affected, you will not be able to log in to There.  Other members will be able to log in during that time, but might not be able to access some of their inventory items or use particular features. 

We will start the migration on Tuesday, July 1st, at 2 AM PDT with AvMan 32.  We are starting here first because AvMan 32 does not hold any data, and we expect it to result in the least amount of impact to the members.  As always, we thank you for your patience as we undertake this very important project and appreciate your continued support.

The Team at There