Im new to the server and i really like it but there is MASSIVE amounts of lag and block lag when mining is even worse is this normal for minetown?

Yes. It's very normal for minetown. lol jk. You have to remember that bukkit is still updating, and working on bugs. So yes, the server may be laggy until bukkit is stable with there builds.

Oh ok thanks i didnt know i thought it might have been something to do with 1.3 but that makes sense too.

It has everything to do with 1.3. Due to, as Mad said, Bukkit updating and fixing bugs for its 1.3 Version

We are aware of the issue and working on it as we can. It is bukkit & plugins related. Everything should get better within few days.

First, thanks so much for taking the time to answer the lowly newb's post. Second, Thats fine im not going anywere i can wait it out. it was just kinda bugging me and i didnt know if there was some loop i got left out of.

This happens every update, and the server always ends up better than before, but maybe thats just me

Yes.

Still though, I've never known this (nor any other large server) to be lag free. It's kinda unavoidable.

The lag got a lot worse since the magic server cluster. Dafuq?

... The lag is 100% related to plugin issues and update issues... it is just a coincidence if it happened around the same time as other stuff happened... the hardware of those servers is one of the best around the scene.

And the cluster software isn't completed yet.

I know the hardware is up to scratch, it should be perfectly capable of running the server.

Is there enough bandwidth allocation to handle all of Minetown's servers though? It never used to be as laggy when we had fewer servers to run.

What plugins are causing lag, if you don't mind me asking?