Apache-settings / MaxClients

[kristian]

Hi,

I've been looking at the build-script, specifically the doApache-function that configures and compiles apache.

I've noticed that the HARD_SERVER_LIMIT is increased from 256 to 32768, and am curious to why this is done.

Also - in httpd.conf, the setting for MaxClients is pr default set to 450 - isn't it a little optimistic to think an average server would handle 450 simultaneous requests (of course, depending on the server and the type of request, but in any case, we don't want apache to break the entire server)?

Finally - if I change anything in httpd.conf, will this ever be overwritten by DA?

Thanks,

 

[jmstacey]

Your first question might be better answered by the apache community.

Also - in httpd.conf, the setting for MaxClients is pr default set to 450 - isn't it a little optimistic to think an average server would handle 450 simultaneous requests (of course, depending on the server and the type of request, but in any case, we don't want apache to break the entire server)?

It depends on what you mean by optimistic. You can change the settings to suit your needs better. You can recompile apache using settings that are better suited to your needs.

 

[ballyn]

The HARD_SERVER_LIMIT just sets the upper number of MaxClients... the default is 256 I believe, which is pretty low for a web hosting machine.

I haven't looked at apache1 in awhile, but the apache2 default for MaxClients is 150, I believe, which is probably more realistic--but my guess is that someone needed more than that at some point so the default was raised.

DA doesn't touch httpd.conf except when you do a customapache build, AFAIK.

 

[cwihost]

ballyn is right, the config script basically increased the default HARD_SERVER_LIMIT so that you dont crash apache trying to increase MaxClient above the HARD_SERVER_LIMIT. It gives people with busy servers the extra room to increase their MaxClients without having to worry about recompiling as that is really the only way to change it once it is built.

It is good to set your MaxClients above what you average as you will see a loss in serving time if you are always hitting MaxClients.

 

[kristian]

The reason for my question is since DA is limited to one server, I'd think there is no server that would actually handle 32768 clients, so the number just seemed way too high for any practical use.

Also, I'd guess problems with the number of open file-descriptors would appear sooner than you could fill, say, 500 maxclients on a server.

I'm running a non-DA server with MaxClients set to 150, and I wouldn't set it any higher to keep the load on the server from skyrocketing.

Just some thoughts.