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From Don Zereski, VP of Technology:

We've all packed up and moved at some point during our lives. It's a pretty simple process, really. All you do is throw your stuff in boxes (and maybe chuck a nasty looking shirt or a pair of pants that you just know will never fit again), load it all into a suitable vehicle, drive to a new location, and unpack. After a few trips, you and your belongings will be happily located in fancy new digs.

Moving a Web site really isn't too different. Here's a "you are there" account of how Jon, Jeff, Hank, and I moved Tripod a couple of weeks ago. Well, we actually only moved the machines that serve up Tripod on the Internet — from their old home at PSI in Albany, New York to their swanky new air-conditioned space at Exodus in Jersey City, New Jersey (where the servers can enjoy an incredible view of the Manhattan skyline). Tripod itself is still headquartered in the rural New England splendor of Williamstown, Massachusetts.

This journal was written as the move occured — photos, facts, and Handy Cybermove Tips included.

Sunday 8/24

• Start a full backup of all Tripod member's files.
• Tripod Fun Fact: It takes over 17 hours to back up all 20 gigabytes of member files.

Monday 8/25

• Verify the full backup by restoring random files and directories — it went fine.

Tuesday 8/26

During the Day...

• Jon and Hank set up an alternate set of network config files on each of the servers. This will make it easy to get the machines online quickly in their stylish new home.
• A Handy Cybermove Tip: Do as much prep work as you can before the move. Plan and test everything possible.

9:00 PM

• Send Jon to PSI (I think his car could find its own way there by this time) to set up a spare machine that will serve up premium member pages during the move.
• While Jon's at PSI, start a second full backup of the member files — you can't be too safe.

Wednesday 8/27 (MOVE DAY)

6:00 AM

• Jeff starts copying premium member files onto the spare servers.
• I head to Albany and catch a train to New York City for a meeting to make sure everything is ready to go at Exodus.

5:00 PM

• All is well with Exodus; even the security guys know we'll be there early tomorrow morning. I catch the 5:40 train back to Albany.

11:00 PM

• Meet Jeff, Jon, and Hank at PSI and get the move rollin'.
• Start an incremental backup to save any member files added or changed during the day.

12:00 PM

• Start shutting down machines and packing up.
• A Handy Cybermove Tip: Don't let your four-foot roll of bubble wrap tumble out the back door of your ISP and unravel its way across their parking lot (I wish I had a picture of this).

Thursday 8/28 (STILL MOVE DAY)

1:00 AM

• The incremental backup finally finishes so we can pack up the last of the machines.

2:00 AM

• We're packed up and ready to roll.
• Hit the highway and head for Jersey City.
• Another Cybermove Tip: Minivans are great for hauling kids as well as large quantities of computer equipment. Almost all of Tripod's server equipment fit snugly into JoAnn's Caravan and Bruce's Integra.

5:30 AM

• We arrive in Jersey City and empty the contents of the minivan and Integra onto Exodus's loading dock. The freight elevator operator is waiting for us as planned.

6:00 AM - 12:00 PM

• Install and configure the servers in their fine new abode.
• We had planned on being up and rolling by 10:00 but the installation of a software patch took much longer than expected.

Considering everything that could have gone wrong, I can live with being two hours late. Don't be surprised if Jeff, Jon, Hank, or I don't answer our phones for a while; we're probably still snoozing.

Take care,
Don, VP of Technology (9/12/97)

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Read more "Letters from Tripod" in the archive.

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