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I have a few blogs running on a dedicated server - they are pretty small, the largest one gets like 3,000 visitors a day, 100k a month maybe.

One of my new ones is growing fast and I'd like to maximize server performance and efficiency.

Previously, I'd just add a new install of WP and a new, unique SQL db for each blog.

My question, what is the Best Practice for running multiple blogs on a dedicated box?

These aren't splogs, they are daily updated, handwritten, lots of bookmarkers, lots of commenters.

Thanks, in advance, for the advice.

You shouldn't have to worry about it for a while with your current numbers.

All the more reason to do it correctly now.

Do you mean you want to centralize the whole CMS system for all your blogs? If so, I thought version 3 was going to have such a function

I don't know shit about WP, but I assume that if you have a dedicated server, and assuming it's just decent, you'd worry about it one you get at least 50x the traffic you're getting. We've a community with 800+ blogs and serving videos and with a 100Mb box it works perfectly fine

Use a cache plugin, like Super Cache, or other.

Turn off post revisions if you don't need them.

Install a database plugin like WP DBManager that will optimize your tables every week or month if you tell it to. It also backs them up and can gzip and email them to you each night if you want. I have all of mine backed up this way each night and sent to a Gmail account. With Gmail I have them filtered straight to the Trash, knowing that Gmail keeps them there if I need them for 30 days.

Nice suggestions!

+2 Nice suggestions!

I strongly recommend staying away from Wordpress MU and a centralized DB. We made that mistake a few years age and it made selling off pieces of the network very difficult.

I also recommend a cache plugin like Super Cache. We are currently running Quick Cache on 200 blogs and it works great. The only problem with caching plugins is, if you run a link trade script traders won't see their links until your sites caches so you will get a ton of emails. FUN FUN FUN

Speaking of links check out our network in SIG for some (delayed by one hour) hard links :)

Thanks

details on that hack?

It's a dedicated box, so I don't see the point of using a cache program.

Backing up the DBs is important. Using a plugin like Brujah mentioned or script to do this automatically is a great idea.

You should consider protecting your admin areas. Main thing is change the admin username. http://www.thechetan.com/2008/11/mak...cking-attacks/

Change your wp_ default table name
http://blogsecurity.net/wordpress/tool-130707

very nice

w3 total cache is good too, it supports CDN