How much is too much "Overhead"?
 

I currently run 3.8.1 on a shared server and we've run into some issues. the Forum is experiencing sporadic slow down in the AM hours. The slow downs can last a day, or two then be absent for several days or weeks then come back.

Our Hosting Provider seems to think it is our DB Overhead or external content, but I've optimized it 5 times in the last three months and they've done it twice. When I check it it is less than 300k. As well, any images that users post in their threads are coming from photobucket and other large sites. To boot, the slow down happens in the adminCP as well, where there is no external content.

My question is, how much is too much overhead, and when does it begin to impact database performance?

Also, if anyone has any ideas on what might be causing the slow down? Our hosted main site remains peppy and responsive during the forums slow downs and the SQL Db seems to be on another "shared" server. Our database is no bigger than 50megs so this has to be db server related right?


Thanks for your help!!!!
Spada