Keep Side-Line up and running

As you might have noticed we have a serious server issue which has caused the Side-Line website to go down on Sunday.

The problem occurred after we did a standard back up on Sunday morning like we do weekly. Normally this should not cause any problem but as it happens the file system could and can no longer be mounted and this due to an ubuntu issue which we found after checking the whole system.

IT-INTERVENTION

After mailing back and forth with the hosting company, it is clear that even the hosting company is not able to solve it. As a result we have contracted an IT-team yesterday noon to solve the issue. They were able to identify the root of the problem and have have tried to solve it but yesterday evening they informed me that the server issue is too critical - read 'can probably not be solved' - and that further steps are needed.

We have now instructed the IT-team to try an ultimate effort and if that doesn't work to start work to salvage the data and get us back up and running.

FINANCIAL FALLBACK

The invoices will be circumstantial however - a weekend intervention is not cheap and we are only starting to get the site back up and running. These costs are too big to carry on my own.

I clearly say on my own here.

The reason is pretty simple, next to being the chief editor I am also the only one financing the Side-Line website and this since 1997. Not a problem in normal times, I've always been willing to invest in the industrial scene and a few lovely labels and some loyal readers are helping out to cover some of the monthly costs as well.  And even during the Corona pandemic - which also hit my personal business (tourism sector) very hard with a 90% fall in revenue - I kept paying the recurring bills.

However, I never anticipated to get this on my plate right now.

More precisely I'm personally looking at invoices between 2500 to 3000 euros minimum, this includes this weekend's emergency intervention to detect the problem and the time needed to recover the data from the crippled server, set up a complete new safe environment, relaunch everything and make sure that such events will be contained in the future, so that we have a quicker up-time in case the server would go haywire again.  At this moment we are looking at an extra 2 to 3 days minimum. 

This dedicated team has been working around the clock to help us out. But that comes with a cost, a free ride doesn't exist.

DOESN'T AD REVENUE COVER THE COSTS?

First of all, you might have noticed that we have no ads on Side-Line except in the discussion module but that's really peanuts.

Although Side-Line gets some financial support from a few labels and readers it only covers part of the monthly costs that come with all the services running in the background (social media push software, anti-hacking software, cashing software, image smushing software, newsletter software, etc.).

The music business is already going through rough times, so that doesn't come as a surprise.  But it does create a big issue for us - and especially for me - when we suddenly get confronted with these kind of unexpected problems.

That's why I have set up a crowdfunding project in order to cover part of the costs that come with getting us back online.

If you appreciate what we do and want to help out please do so, it will be needed and will be very much appreciated. 

All extra funds left after the site is back up and running will be transferred to our charity fund, which is unaffected by this.

I hope I can count on your support to keep Side-Line up and running.

Thanks in advance, stay safe,

Bernard @ Side-Line