Apache: How to improve performance on OpenVMS

[Carl Karcher]

After analyzing serious performance problems with Apache CSWS V2.2 on a fairly busy BL860C i2 OpenVMS 8.4 system, I've come to the following conclusions that might benefit others:

1. When file version numbers on log files in apache$specific:[000000] get to ;32767, the following entries will be seen in the system accounting file:

LOGIN FAILURE
-------------
Username:          APACHE$WWW 
...
Final status text: %RMS-E-CRE, ACP file create failed
...

When this occurs, there are significant delays when web clients load pages from the Apache server.

After using a utility to reset the version numbers on these log files, performance is restored. The difference was dramatic.

2. If there's the DCL command "SET DIRECTORY/VERSION_LIMIT=10" in apache$common:[000000]login.com, which may be there if you've upgraded from previous CSWS versions, the following entry is seen in the system accounting log:

LOGIN FAILURE
-------------
Username:          APACHE$WWW
...
Final status text: %RMS-E-FLK, file currently locked by another user
...

This also results in delays when loading pages and unnecessary disk I/O. While this condition is not as frequent as the first, the "SET DIRECTORY/VERSION_LIMIT=10" command should be removed from login.com. I suspect you'll only have this command if you've upgraded from previous versions of CSWS.

[Peter Barkas]

Yes, agree with this, we implemented these changes 3 or 4 years ago and have had no problems since.

Login does as little as possible:

$ ! Login.Com for Apache HTTP (WWW) Server

$ !

$ set proc/parse=extend

$ exit

Overnight during low/no web site usage time:

$ pu apache_disk:[apache.specific.*]

$ ren/exc=*.dir apache_disk:[apache.specific.*]*.* ;1

[Jeremy Begg]

Best way to improve webserver performance on OpenVMS is to run WASD instead of Apache! :-)

(Seriously, WASD is much more efficient and doesn't insist that every file being served is StreamLF. It also doesn't create thousands of log files unless you want it to.)

[Willem Grooters]

Doubled. I have found great impreovements on my (small-memory) VMS webserver by simply chnaging from Apache to WASD, Apart from that: WASD comes with a TREMENDOUSLY helpfool toolkit - buitlt-in.