The presentation covers useful insights and benchmark tests on how the performance (and security) of PHP/MySQL based applications can be significantly improved through different tweaks done at server administration level (Linux/Apache). It also examines several different types of hosting platforms: dedicated, virtual/cloud and shared, and how they can influence the CMS application speed and security. A presentation delivered by SiteGround CEO at CMS Expo - Chicago, May 8-10 2012.

1. Squeeze Maximum Performance
from your Hosting Platform
Tenko Nikolov
CEO at SiteGround.com

2. Why I love this car?

3. What is behind server performance?

4. Let’s discuss the speed
• Invest in hardware
Test at least 3 different hardware
setups before proceeding.
Always benchmark performance and
reliability
Add more RAM and use it on
maximum capacity

5. Speed – Cont’d
• Install RAM caching mechanisms
 Memcache and APC/Eaccellerator
• Install reverse proxy
 NginX or Varnish
• Virtualization always makes things
slower
 Resources are shared and at the same time
are lost for the Virtual OS too!

6. Speed – Cont’d
• Tweak your software to run faster
 Use fast & secure PHP like FastCGI
 Move PHP binaries into RAM
 Move MySQL to a different hard drive. Use RAID
or SSD for lightning fast performance.
 If using just one app, tweak MySQL for it!
 Keep log files separate and small in size
 Move TMP to RAM
 Avoid creating unneeded I/O, use CDN if possible

7. Security & Speed?
• Security and Performance don’t come hand
in hand, but some things usually help both
sides:
 Latest OS
 Late version of the Linux Kernel
 Secure firewall, strong monitoring of access,
OS and system files

8. Performance needs Security
Isolate accounts!

9. 99.9% uptime is achievable!
• Invest in integrating a monitoring and
automated reaction system.
• Keep your server load level at
minimum at all times.
• If you start overloading your server, its
either time to upgrade or to tweak
further!

10. Why every second counts?
Features Zenoss Nagios Our monitoring
(1H Guardian)
Services check 10 sec 1 min 0.5 sec
interval
Automated Plugins Plugins Built-in
reaction
Automatic load NO NO Built-in
balancing*
Real time status Yes, updates Yes, updates YES, updates
& availability every 1 minute every 1 minute every 10 seconds
reports

11. Uptime – Cont’d
• Spread the server resources wisely
 Never allow a single user to use all of the
server resources at any given time. Limit
and throttle if limits are reached and
prevent overloads.
 Whenever there’s a resource problem,
react within seconds and not within
minutes or hours.

12. The big Question: which platform?
SHARED
DEDICATED VPS
CLOUD

13. The common understanding

14. The picture CAN be different!

15. Let’s prove this

16. But what if we add cache?

17. Some key takes
• Shared can be a good platform contrary to the
common belief, but not always the right one
• If you need custom setup/deep
customizations & have a big website -> go for
VPS/dedicated
• Dedicated/VPS & Cloud can perform better for
you if you KNOW how to tweak them

18. Your turn to ask 
Image courtesy to Flickr user WingedWolf: http://is.gd/4ycgJq

19. Thank you!
Tenko Nikolov
SiteGround.com
Email: tenko@siteground.com
Twitter: @tnikolov