Revaulting wrote on May 29^th, 2015 at 8:27pm:

Ah Pook wrote on May 29^th, 2015 at 11:07pm:


Maybe bro, sorry if I got the terminology wrong.
Without seeing the issue, I'm not sure what we're dealing with in terms of systems or the best way to achieve it.
They have an existing server merge tool that likely needs updating.
The guys here have speculated what the backend might be, so a DBA might be able to do the job with some scripts.

I'm optimistic to the extent that I have seen far more complex data amalgamations done for businesses.
A couple of game servers is unlikely to be more difficult than many other business critical data amalgamations during mergers and takeovers.

Having a plan, the right people and a decent budget I'm sure it can be done.

DropBear wrote on May 29^th, 2015 at 11:33pm:



Another speculation : DB servers iseems to be MS-SQL...
Since I've spent years tinkering with Sybase ASE ( and Replication Server ), I suspect I have a clue or two on how to merge two databases into a single one.

It all depends on the datamodel used... and honestly, I don't think the DDO datamodel is merge friendly... Because I don't think the DDO datamodel was created by a real DBA.

They picked up the guy that had Knows SQL on his resume and named him DBA. They might have had a real DBA for the GLS server, but this server is global for the company, so he just gave the queries/stored procedures entry points and results to the DDO team.

I wasn't interested in it at that time ( and since I came from Europe, it was already on it's way out when I was dumped in G-Land ) but the API could have given me a clue about the datamodel. now, since the API server is dead, I can't really get the information anymore.

Anyway : TL;DR : the ease of merging two databases together is tied to the datamodel and if the datamodel sucks, merging databases will be a nightmare.

Flav wrote on May 30^th, 2015 at 2:52am:

I do this for a living, and yeah, it can be fairly easy or a complete nightmare depending on how well the original designer did his job and how badly subsequent hacks corrupted his original vision.

Given the trouble they've had with simple tasks in the past, I'm betting on "complete nightmare".

5 Foot Step wrote on May 30^th, 2015 at 2:57am:

Oh great, they will make some significant change they won't announce or test, and the launcher will be broken for hundreds of users again 

5 Foot Step wrote on May 30^th, 2015 at 2:57am:

Annnnd they have to keep something working for months or years without breaking it? Every time they make some "minor tweak" in the database, the transfer routines are going to be out of synch and fail, possibly with drastic consequences.

They won't test it after every change, so every patch yet another batch of customers will have a terrible experience and turn to a clueless customer support who will demand they prove their level 28 characters weren't naked with empty banks before the server transfer.

They are setting themselves up for failure. As much as I get a laugh at the karma of Turdbin's self inflicted foot wounds, this one is just to painful to watch. I fervently hope they are a long way from trying this with DDO.

5 Foot Step wrote on Jun 2^nd, 2015 at 12:20am:


Yeah, I consider this an improvement.... it used to be : Beta in DDO and then Implementation in LoTRO.
( AH, Merge, Transfer from EU to US, ... )

(World Broadcast): World broadcast: 'The server is coming down for maintenance in 45 minutes. Please find a safe place to log out! Thanks for your patience during the downtime!'

2:20 pm Eastern.   

managed to squeeze two MoDs from our Friday Raidathon before shutdown...

I just hope they actually have a clue about the issue now that they have replaced all the hardware....

Flav wrote on Jun 5^th, 2015 at 3:30pm:


Hi Welcome

Ah Pook wrote on Jun 5^th, 2015 at 3:42pm:


It's not hardware, all the hardware has been replaced already... and you've got to be dreaming for the API server... they wanted to kill it when they killed MyDDO,
the power outage was just the right alibi for them to have it stay dead. I'm convinced that the API server never died... it was just kept down and removed once everybody forgot about it.

Who Cares wrote on Jun 5^th, 2015 at 7:53pm:


yes, it was a well earned one.