We have a WPMU install with Buddypress and a range of custom plug-ins.

WordPress – MU 2.9.2.
BuddyPress – Version 1.1.3

Production environment:

PHP – PHP Version 5.2.6-3ubuntu4.5
Apache – Apache/2.2.11
MySQL – mysql Ver 14.12 Distrib 5.0.75

Dev environment:
UBUNTU 2.6.31-14-server #48-Ubuntu
MySQL mysql Ver 14.14 Distrib 5.1.37
PHP Version 5.2.10
Apache/2.2.12 (Ubuntu)

We have a legacy user table which we have developed a data migration script to port user information from this legacy table into the WordPress and Buddypress tables. The script populates – wp_users, wp_usermeta and wp_bb_xprofile_data.

The problem we are experiencing seems specific to the environment of our live production system – UBUNTU – LAMP install as it is not reproducible on staging / dev environments – theses are different versions of UBUNTU and MYSQL.

The issue appears when the number of users in the database exceeds 3000+ :

1 – the performance of the dashboard area = specific to posts and pages areas is terrible.
2 – More worrying the ability to edit post content i.e. the visual editor tool bar disappears leaving us without the ability to update posts.
3 – The buddypress top menu disappears or takes an age to load

I have tried investigating whether this is specific to a plug-in on the site with limited success – disabling plug-ins does help but the performance issue still remains. I have also spent time turning on or off specific plug-ins or a small number – the performance issue still remains; the editing facility appears randomly. I am not convinced it’s a plug-in issue this issue doesn’t reproduce on our dev environment for example.

The wp_usermeta table has 16,000 rows
The wp_bb_xprofile_data table has around 18,000 rows

I am not sure this is relevant however.

Any help or advice would be appreciated for where to investigate or if someone has experienced this problem and was able to resolve it.

[@andrea_r Participant 14 years, 7 months ago]

How much RAM?

“BuddyPress – Version 1.1.3”

Also, you shoudl upgrade. I believe there’s been significant improvements since this version.

[@mccork91 Member 14 years, 7 months ago]

Checked the wp-settings.php file for memory limited and it was set to:

define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ’64M’);

Changing the memory limit to the setting below resolved the problem – though slightly concerned why this was necessary and the impact for the future.
define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘128M’);

We are intending to upgrade the BB version so thanks for that – its at 1.2.3 I believe

thanks

[@jeffsayre Participant 14 years, 7 months ago]

I assume you’re at least on a decent-sized VPS / slice of some sort, or perhaps a dedicated server. A healthy, growing WPMU + BuddyPress install is not something that will do well in a shared environment or a small VPS / slice–at least not when you’re talking about 3000+ active members. Both of these applications under heavy use can require higher allocated memory limit for PHP. That is not unusual. Here are some other steps you can take to improve performance: https://codex.buddypress.org/getting-started/improving-performance/

[@andrea_r Participant 14 years, 7 months ago]

I meant how much RAM do you have on the whole box? Or in your vps account?