Speed Freaking on Computer Cops

Captain Joined: Feb 21, 2004 Posts: 421

hamesh wrote:

Perhaps a little, late, but I see that nukecops doesn't use compression. You could reduce server load and speed considerably by use mod_deflate (Apache 2.x) or mod_gzip (Apache 1.x) in combination with a php accelerator. I have a high volume site serving up around 3 million page views per month/500 GB in traffic and these and mod_expires reduce my server load considerably...

Can you explain how to do this slowly and carefully (for us PHP Newbies)?

Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 9:38 pm

Well if talking about mod_gzip or mod_deflate, you'll have to recompile Apache with one of these modules. I won't get into it here, as most people won't be in a position to do this unless you have root access on your web host.

But almost anyone should be able to enable gzip compression in nuke by doing the following:

Go to http://www.desilva.biz/gzip-test.php and enter your web address. Confirm that there is no compression on your pages (you'll see RED text confirming). If compression is detected (GREEN text and compression level), you've already got compression enabled so can skip to PHP acceleration/caching further down Smile

If compression is not detected, per the above, do:

1) in your .htaccess file add the following:

Code:

php_flag output_buffering 1

Go back to http://www.desilva.biz/gzip-test.php and re-test. If you still get a the message in RED that no compression was detected, do:

2) in your mainfile.php, add:

Code:

ob_start("ob_gzhandler");

directly below the comments at the top of the file. Return to http://www.desilva.biz/gzip-test.php and re-test. Your pages should now be compressed.

The second step should not be necessary as the compression functions are already in mainfile.php, but depending on your version of nuke, it may not detect your version of PHP so won't enable it.

PHP acceleration/caching falls into the same category as mod_gzip and mod_deflate. But, those without the ability to compile source or install software on their web host can look at jpcache. It works on almost any web host and can reduce page load times. Combine jpcache with compression and you've got a decently fast site and will have reduced server load considerably (by negating the need to compile PHP pages at every http request) and by then compressing the text/html content of your pages (all HTTP/1.1 compliant browsers understand gzip compression and decompress the data automatically).

Oh, an important note about enabling compression... If you have the Forums module enabled in nuke, ensure that you first DISABLED gzip compression in the Forum configuration. When you enable compression in the nuke mainfile, the forums will also be compressed. If you enable compression in both the nuke mainfile and in the Forum configuration, your Forums won't load (you'll have enabled compression twice).

Nuke Cops Founder Joined: Nov 14, 2002 Posts: 5939

hamesh wrote:

Perhaps a little, late, but I see that nukecops doesn't use compression. You could reduce server load and speed considerably by use mod_deflate (Apache 2.x) or mod_gzip (Apache 1.x) in combination with a php accelerator. I have a high volume site serving up around 3 million page views per month/500 GB in traffic and these and mod_expires reduce my server load considerably...

CCSP is pulling 7.5 million per month and it uses compression and a php op_code cacher. I notice that belchfire.net takes a good second for even the first byte to load. I'm having the same problem.

Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2004 3:08 pm

Ah, you hit me at a bad time. If you try now should be back to normal.

I'm using PHP Accelerator - I highly recommend it. What are you using?

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 6:41 am

There's a lot of caching systems to choose from - see my earlier post here.

PHP Accelerator is not an option for me... simply because it doesn't come with the source code Surprised

Nuke Cops Founder Joined: Nov 14, 2002 Posts: 5939

I'm trialing ZPS right now, and its adding almost a x2 boost without caching. First byte for CCSP has come down too thanks to this. Next up is caching of the files.

Nuke Cops Founder Joined: Nov 14, 2002 Posts: 5939

I notice right now belchfire.net is coming back with .4 seconds first byte, but overall it took 11 seconds. Your sedotracker php script took 1.6 seconds first byte but took a total of 2.2 seconds to load. It took .2 seconds for your DNS to resolve and almost .5 for the sedotracker.

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 6:14 pm

I've used the Zend Performance Suite and performance was impressive, but not $1875 US impressive. Have you tried TurckMMCache? Better performance than PHP Accelerator (second only to Zend) and is open source...

Nuke Cops Founder Joined: Nov 14, 2002 Posts: 5939

No I haven't tried the caching packages yet except for ZPS. What is the x performance?

Support Mod Joined: Jul 17, 2003 Posts: 12

For anyone interested in PHP-Nuke acceleration: read the PHP-Nuke HOWTO, especially the chapter on Accelerating PHP-Nuke. The subject is also treated in great detail in the thread How to accelerate PHP-Nuke, which AFAIK was the first one of its kind.

Note: You can download the PHP-Nuke HOWTO in the format of your choice from the Formats section. Notice that there is a module version of it too, i.e. you can install the PHP-Nuke HOWTO as a PHP-Nuke module on your site.

Nuke Cops Founder Joined: Nov 14, 2002 Posts: 5939

Yes I saw that, great work.

Nuke Cops Founder Joined: Nov 14, 2002 Posts: 5939

Chris/Hamesh: are you using Googletap? I'm finding it a bit challenging caching and wonder if its not due to ob_start.

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 9:54 am

I'm trying jpcache and all i'm getting is a blank page. :S I'm using obstart and googletap dunno if thats what is affecting it.

Support Mod Joined: Jul 17, 2003 Posts: 12

No, I don't use GoogleTap.

I think the question here is: with Googletap and caching both active, how is the caching program seing things? Does it get "rewritten" or "original" URLs to cache? Is mod_rewrite executed "before" the PHP extension that does the caching or is it the other way round? More technically, in which API phase does the caching occur?

I tend to think that the caching program "sees" only the original URLs, because that's also what PHP sees and executes. Thus it shouldn't make a difference whether one uses Googletap or not...

Nuke Cops Founder Joined: Nov 14, 2002 Posts: 5939

Well the problem I'm thinking is that the data gets buffered in order for GT to work right? How is the cache working in this piece?