Date: Fri, 10 Nov 1995 15:42:10 From: gcrutcher@datatrek.com (Gary Crutcher) To: hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Anyone else think it's about time to beat a WEB server to death? Message-ID: <10111995155314570.II26500@datatrek.com> In-Reply-To: <5587.816024955@time.cdrom.com>
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Hi Jordan, I have a WEB server on Free BSD v2.05. The configuration is as follows: 90 MHz PCI-based Pentiun (512K mem cache) 64MB 60 ns memory 2.1 GB FAST-CSI hard drive/controller OS -> FreeBSD v2.05 WEB Software -> Apache v.08.14 Currently dedicated 28.8 dial-in, but upgrading to a 56kb frame relay by end of month. I would be willing to participate, but the statistics program I am currently using for WEB site info is not very sophisticated. If someone could help with statistics side, I am willing to allow my site to be bombarded to gather statistics. Also, if another WEB server pkg is preferable, let me know. Gary Crutcher >I frequently get asked the question: "How many users can I run off a >FreeBSD WEB server?" and I'm naturally tempted to ask in response >"How long is a piece of string?" > >However, I check myself with the knowledge that it's not an entirely >unreasonable thing to want to know, and I merely wish that I had more >data on this subject to provide in response. It's obviously >impossible to come up with one number that fits all situations, but >various guesstimates can be derived from existing data so that given a >link speed of x, a PC of macho-factor y and the "average" user doing >z, you can come up with a performance projection of n users. > >The only problem is that I don't *have* any existing data worth >mentioning. > >I've really only two WEB servers that I can honestly say I have much >experience with, and that's www.cdrom.com and www.freebsd.org. >Unfortunately, www.cdrom.com gets so little WEB traffic in comparison >to FTP traffic (on which we have LOTS of data) that the numbers are >almost lost in the noise. www.freebsd.org is also a popular server as >servers go, but not so popular that we're getting dozens of hits per >second or anything as impressive sounding as that. > >What I'd most ideally like would be some numbers from a site that's to >WEB servers what ftp.cdrom.com is to FTP servers, but I'll take whatever >I can get! :-) > >Anyone got any stats they'd like to share? # of running daemons, >server used, hits-per-second, hardware used, that kind of thing. > >If we can't get any actual data from existing WEB service providers, >or even if we can, might I prevail on someone out there with a >well-connected box to possibly declare a "flag day", during which as >many people on this list as possible (and anyone else they can find) >aggressively attempts to beat the server to its knees while the server >maintainers busily collect stats on the event? > >Heck, if you need some additional incentive for signing up for such a >mad scheme then might I suggest also putting up some adverts for >whatever service you offer on the page as "live data" (grin) so all >those hundreds (thousands?) of users will also see your advertising in >the process of trying to see how much punishment a FreeBSD WEB server >can take.. We could even make it more widely publicised challenge by >posting details of the event in various non-FreeBSD newsgroups, like >Linux's or BSDI's. Given an open invite to see if they can bring a >FreeBSD WEB server to its knees, I'm sure many of the "competing OS" >advocates wouldn't be able to resist a challenge like that, especially >if the testing authority promised in advance to be relatively >impartial and post full results, be they good or bad. I'm confident >enough in this product that I think we'd come out looking pretty good! > >Either way, it would also generate a lot of publicity for all >concerned (us and the test machine providers) and furnish the FreeBSD >Project with some very valuable data that it doesn't have now. > >So how about it? Any takers? If you're really interested in helping >to further the cause of Spreading The Word, I can assure you that this >would be a significant step in the right direction. I'll also be more >than happy to work with whomever steps forward in drafting a >reasonably provocative-sounding announcement to ensure that people >take up the gauntlet. After all, how much trouble can whapping >"reload" for 5 or so minutes be? :-) > > Jordan > >P.S. Suggestions on how to make this an even more meaningful test from >those webmaniacs out there among you would also be sincerely >appreciated! >
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