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Web Server Performance Optimization

Article by Port80 Software
San Diego, California United States

Make Your Web Server a Faster, More Efficient Resource

Having explored these three techniques for web server performance optimization, how can you put this learning into practice? We have mentioned a few of the Port80 Software tools, but the following guidelines will help you find the right solutions for your own web server performance strategy.

Selecting a Code Optimization Tool

An effective source code optimizer should combine an awareness of web standards with the ability to undertake the aggressive optimizations that can only be done if the entire site is treated as a whole. The capability to fully parse the code is the key here. This is particularly true in the case of JavaScript and DHTML optimizations, in which external references can easily be broken if optimization is done file by file.

Selecting a Cache Control Tool

A cache control tool should provide the ability to implement cache control policies in a rule based approach so that each resource is cached and validated in the most appropriate and efficient manner. It should also include a mechanism that allows site and application developers to contribute to the generation of those rules without requiring intervention by server administrators.

Selecting a HTTP Compression Tool

An origin server compression solution should be, above all else, highly configurable. Although compression is widely supported by modern browsers, several known bugs remain. Such potential problems are best addressed on the server side by properly configuring exceptions for the MIME types problematic for each specific browser. Similar exceptions may be made for files that are very small or very large, or which, for other specialized reasons, should not be compressed. It is also helpful to be able to adjust the level of compression for different file types and to be able to monitor and log the results of compression.

Performance is the Foundation of Your Web Presence

In order to achieve maximum web site and application performance, it is vital to view the complete chain - from source code development, server side processes, and the connection between server and end user, all the way to the end user's web browser - and to examine each link in that chain for both potential pitfalls and opportunities for improvement. Implementing the three fold strategy of code optimization, cache control, and compression will dramatically reduce the amount of web site and application data transmitted and ensures that your data is sent in the most efficient manner possible.

Leverage the resources of your existing web infrastructure with the strategies presented here, none of which are particularly expensive. Implementing these unobtrusive changes in development and deployment practices will aid your web developers, site administrators, and users. The results will speak for themselves: a more efficient web server, lower bandwidth expenses, and a faster experience for your users, all helping to drive revenue growth, lower costs, and modernize your web systems.

Part 1 - Web Server Performance
Part 2 - Code Optimization
Part 3 - Cache Control
Part 4 - HTTP Compression
Part 5 - Performance Optimization