We're running a LAMP stack (Perl, MySQL) and have recently experienced roughly a tripling of our database load due to increased usage and shifting user behavior... which has overloaded our system.
Using a fairly standard 3-tier architecture, lots of webservers (doesn't seem to be the problem), a few specialty servers (don't think it's the problem) and a rather large MySQL database on modern Sun hardware with lota (72GB) of memory (the DB seems to be the current bottleneck).
Two questions I guess:
1) Anyone know of some resources they could point us to to help us work through our load issues? Buying hardware is definitely on the table; as is config changes...
2) Anyone out there with experience massively scaling a LAMP stack who would be interested in paid consulting work? We need someone immediately, preferably willing to travel to Raleigh NC to help on-site... First goal is to get out of the current crisis; second goal would be to help plan for another 10x usage increase over the next 2 years.
(As a sub-question to question #2: where would you go to look for such a consultant???)
Thanks in advance! -Steve