For each of my sites, I get the same Error a few times each day.
"MYSQL server has gone away"

I always assumed I was getting this error because I'm on shared webhosting. My webhost tells me its not their server causing the problems.

Anyone else get this issue occuring semi-frequently like myself?

According to MySQL, there are a number of reasons it could be occuring:
http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/gone-away.html

I wonder if SilverStripe could retry a query if it fails like this. Perhaps there could be a choosable number of times it retries.

Hi

I never had this issue, and I have been running websites with MySQL on dozens of different shared hosts. Maybe there's too much load on the server and MySQL times out... although that's unlikely.
Do you happen to have some huge DB tables your querying? Something outside of SilverStripe?

If not, I suggest you change to a different hosting provider.

Hi,

I'm also getting this on my shared webhosting.

FWIW,
Juan

That is why it is better to use good shared hosting like 1and1.com or webthosting.com which are cheap and best :D

Some more info, I don't know if it applies: http://bugs.mysql.com/bug.php?id=28359

mindreader: I do consider my webhost a good one.

If I knew why I was getting this error, I would inform them, and they'd likely take action.

banal: My tables aren't very big, at least not the ones I query. Nothing outside of SS.

Just to update on this thread, it turned out the particular web hosting server I was on had disk I/O issues, causing the MySql server has gone away error. I've now moved to more reliable hosting (from the same provider).