The setup you’d probably go for is some sort of load balanced setup, with multiple web servers and possibly a couple of database servers behind the scenes. You should also be thinking about the wonders of virtualization and all the benefits that brings but that’s for another day.

Having multiple web servers brings about its own set of issues. Your blog code needs to be deployed to all web servers (preferably at the same time) so that if you get visitors that happen to hit different machines, you give them the same experience.

Deployments and Uploads

But that’s not so much of a problem – you could deploy code to all servers with Ant or Capistrano, or even write your own system to do it exactly to your requirements.

However, in this kind of setup, you’re going to come unstuck with plugins, themes and uploads. WordPress has an awesome upload utility, but the file you select from your local computer will get uploaded to a location on a single machine in your server farm. When a visitor lands on a different machine, they won’t see the upload. If you’re using the automatic add plugin or theme wizard built into the newer version of WordPress then it’s the same situation.

Link to NFS locations

But the situation is not nearly as dire as you may think though. There are loads of ways to combat it – and it’s a piece of cake if you’re using Linux! The easiest way is to create an NFS share on web server 1 and link to it on web server 2 so that the “/plugins” directory on 2 actually points to the location on 1. Easy!

If you’ve got a file server, even better – create your NFS on there and link to that location instead so that content really is separate from your code!

With windows it’s just as easy with shared directories – same principle, just a different terminology.

The only issue you’ve got left is that some plugins may have the paths to their files built slightly oddly so that they load the wrong files. But then, if you’ve got errors with the plugins, it may be time to look for alternatives!

Have you had any problems with WordPress on load balanced servers? How did you solve it or did you choose another setup?

No related posts.

Take my Wapple Architect Mobile Plugin for WordPress for example, and the way it used to communicate with Wapple’s web services. It used to use SOAP simply because that was the protocol we chose to employ as our means for delivering web services.

SOAP is not always available!

Now don’t get me wrong, what we’ve got is a really smart, well-designed and developed web service that’s both extensible and easy to use. But the fact was that if you hadn’t got SOAP, you wouldn’t be able to use it. And if you’d only got a shared host available, you might not be lucky enough to have a decent one like me (Evohosting) who allow you to install SOAP on your server.

So what we’ve done is to create corresponding REST web services so you can use Wapple Architect and your dev key, but either request data through a URL by modifying a query string, or through a POST request with something like curl.

Nothing can stop you now!

This is fantastic news all round. For developers who are experimenting with Architect, it’s even easier to develop. And as we’ve already incorporated this new technology into our plugins for WordPress and Joomla, you can use it even if you don’t want to delve into code!

The latest release of the WordPress mobile plugin is out now (version 1.4) – have a read of the full feature list and the new REST web service support in an article over at Mobile Web Junkie.

On a more general note, what do you prefer to use, SOAP or REST? Or maybe XMLRPC? If you haven’t got a clue about any of this but would still like to have a go at leaving a suitably technical comment, here’s a few words you may want to include: “combobulating”, “aerodynamics” and “flux capacitor”.

Related posts:

1. Mobile CakePHP Apps

Unfortuntely, the powers that be decided that the new version didn’t need them, so rather than sulk about it (ok I did sulk a bit) I’ve turned those hand crafted cumulo nimbii into a WordPress plugin!

All that work designing the clouds, making sure they appear at random locations and animating them so they move across the screen as if blown by a category 5 hurricane. None of it has gone to waste now it’s available for everyone!

Best of all, there’s a hot air balloon that appears at a random time and moves across your site from bottom-right to top-left!

Clouds on WordPress

Any day now, WordPress will approve my plugin (and lets face it – who wouldn’t want clouds on their site!) and you’ll be able to search for clouds when installing a plugin! But in the mean time, all of that cloud goodness is available for all to see on here! (They’re the white fluffy things at the top of the page incase you missed them).

By the way, keep your eyes peeled for any other flying objects appearing (other than the balloon) – if you spot them feel very privileged as they only appear to a chosen few!

If you’ve got any suggestions for other things that fly – Elliot on his bicycle with ET in the basket or a bi-plane are 2 that spring to mind – let me know and I’ll try and include it!

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YARPP

“Returns a list of related entries based on a unique algorithm for display on your blog and RSS feeds.”

Does exactly what it says on the tin – great for keeping readers on your site with links they might be interested in.
Read more…

Wapple Architect Mobile Plugin for WordPress

“Mobilizing your wordpress site using Wapple Architect and WAPL.”

I’m a little biased on this one as I wrote it, but I’ve used other mobile plugins for WordPress and not wishing to blow ones own trumpet, mine is way better. Its got more features, doesn’t forward you off to another URL, retains the look and feel of your web theme and much more.
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Developer Formatter

“Developer Formatter system to WordPress”

If you want to quote some code in your post, I’ve not found a plugin better than the Developer Formatter to do it. Others tend to chop things off and have a bit of a flid when switching from Visual to HTML mode but not this one. Top Marks.
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Google Analyticator

“Adds the necessary JavaScript code to enable Google’s Analytics”

Who doesn’t like looking at stats? Ok, it might be just me then. But still, it’s always good to know who’s been visiting your blog and this plugin integrates with the best Analytics software out there.
Read more

Twitter Tools

“A complete integration between your WordPress blog and Twitter”

Finally, Twitter tools – easily put your latest tweets on your sidebar. Dead easy to setup and works a treat – great stuff!
Read more

That’s it – 5 great tools that once setup, keep your visitors on your site, make sure any mobile visitors get a great experience, show nice looking code to them, let your readers know what you’re up to and finally track where they’re coming from!

Let me know what you think of my list and if there’s any you feel should be on there!

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Not a problem as WordPress allows you to release new versions that actually prompt an admin to upgrade, groovy!

So without further ado, version 1.2.1 is released. Here’s a link to the install guide so you can get cracking with your upgrade to make sure your blog is in tip top condition!

Your blog probably already works, it’s only when combined with an exceptional set of circumstances rarer than a Honey Badger that it’ll look a bit screwy!

Related posts:

1. WordPress Mobile Plugin Version 1.2 is here
2. Top 5 WordPress Plugins
3. WordPress on Load Balanced Servers