Apache HTTP Server Optimization: Part 1

When running your own dedicated server or even a VPS (virtual private server), it is important make sure your server is running at optimal performance. Apache, the web server of choice for many Linux system administrators, will not automatically make itself stable, secure, and fast. You must do that, and there are several optimization techniques you can use to accomplish it. This week, I will cover a few.

Apache configuration is stored in a file called httpd.conf or apache2.conf, and it most often stored in /etc/httpd or /etc/apache2. To edit the file, you can use “vi” or “nano”.

MaxClients

This setting defines the number of visitors you can have connected at once. You can calculate the visitor capacity your server can support by using this formula:

150 x number of GigaBytes of RAM

For example, a server with 2GB of RAM can have 300 MaxClients. 3GB can support 450. Make it high enough to prevent user timeouts but low enough to avoid causing the server to lockup. A high amount can also make your server an easy target for DoS (Denial of Service) attacks.

ServerLimit

Set this value to the same as MaxClients (i.e. SeverLimit = 150 x number of GB of RAM)

I will continue the series on Apache optimization throughout this week. You can also read your Linux distribution’s specific documentation on Apache to find out specifics, such as where the configuration file is stored.

Source: linuxstuffs.net