Your virtual private server is critical for the success of your business or website. As you business scales up, you should always look out for ways and means to optimize the performance of your VPS. Even if your website is performing smoothly, there is always a scope for improving the working of your virtual private server. Read this article to learn more on VPS optimization.
Have a relook at your Apache settings
If you are new to VPS Hosting, then you should know that Apache is a free open source web server that drives nearly 46% of all the websites in the world. Since Apache serves content on the websites, it is also called as a web server. Apache has been around for more than 20 years now; its first update appeared in 1995.
If you are optimizing your VPS, then the first thing that you need to do is have a look at Apache. If it is not configured properly, Apache can eat up a lot of your resources. To set up Apache correctly, you can use several settings like KeepAlive, MaxClients, StartServers, and MaxRequestsPerChild. Alternately, you can consult the Apache Foundation website for optimizing this tool.
Update your MySQL
For peak performance and security of your VPS, you need to update your current version of MySQL. If you are using MySQL 4.0 or 4.1, then your site load times would not improve. The reason is that these two versions are End of Life (EOL) and are no longer accepting fresh security updates. Rather, if you continue working with these versions, then your site’s performance may be negatively impacted. Even MySQL 5.0 and 5.1 are EOL. For best results, you may use MySQL 5.5 or 5.6. Ask your VPS Hosting India provider to install either of these two versions to improve your site’s performance. Please note that updating MySQL is a delicate process so you would need expert help in this area.
Content Optimization
Your VPS optimization also depends upon your web content optimization.
You can optimize your content by referring to tools like Google’s Page Speed Test or sites like WebPageTest.org. By submitting your website to these tools, you will get to know which areas of your site need improvement. These tools also tell you about your website speed.
Content optimization may mean several things like:
- Image optimization
- Minify JS and CSS files
- Placing CSS files at the top and JS in the bottom of your web page
Consider using a CDN
A content delivery network shortens the delivery time of your content from your website to the end user. The farther your server is from the web browser of a user, longer will be the content delivery time. Installing a CDN improves content delivery time. A CDN essentially places static content on several nodes all around the world for faster content delivery.
Caching your Content
One way of optimizing your VPS is caching your content. This way your frequently accessed data is temporarily stored and speeds up your processes. If your website is hosted on WordPress, you may use some of these plugins to optimize your VPS:
- WP Super Cache
- W3 Total Cache
- WP Fastest Cache
To conclude, VPS optimization is essential even if your website is running perfectly smoothly. You can begin optimizing your website by look at your Apache and MySQL settings. Improve your VPS performance by caching your content, installing a CDN or by simply optimizing your content.
Great blog about vps hosting
Helpful for Begineers
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