PHP Scalability Tests

PHP is a widely used scripting language uniquely suited to creating dynamic Web based content. It is the most rapidly expanding scripting language in use on the Internet due to its simplicity, accessibility, wide number of available modules, and large number of easily available applications.

The scalability of Sun Java System Web Server combined with the versatility of the PHP engine provides a highly performant and versatile web deployment platform for dynamic content.

The PHP (version 4.3.2) tests were performed in two modes:

• Out-of-process "fastcgi-php" application invoked using the FastCGI plugin available for Sun Java System Web Server 6.1 (the download will be available from http://www.sun.com/download/index.jsp?tab=1).

• In-process PHP NSAPI plugin (available with PHP).

  The test executes the phpinfo() query. Mostly out-of-the-box settings were used, plus PHP-related settings in the obj.conf and magnus.conf files, as shown after the test graphs and data.

FastCGI

Figure 7–11 PHP Scalability Tests: FastCGI

Table 7–19 PHP Scalability Test: FastCGI

CPUs	Op/Sec	Latency (msec)
1	54	214
2	105	225
4	199	230

NSAPI

Figure 7–12 PHP Scalability Tests: NSAPI

Table 7–20 PHP Scalability Test: NSAPI

CPUs	Op/Sec	Latency
1	63	190
2	125	193
4	251	190

magnus.conf Settings

Init fn="load-modules"
shlib="/export0/ES61/install/bin/https/lib/libphp4.so"\
funcs="php4_init,php4_close,php4_execute,php4_auth_trans"
Init fn="php4_init"/
      errorString="PHP Totally Blowed Up!"

Init fn="load-modules"
shlib="/export0/ES61/install/bin/https/lib/libnsapi_fcgi.
so" funcs="FCGIRequestHandler,FCGIInit" shlib_flags="(global|now)"

Init fn="FCGIInit" errorString "Unable to start the FCGI NSAPI module"

obj.conf Settings

NameTrans fn="pfx2dir"
 from="/php-nsapi"dir="/export0/ES61/install/docs/php-nsapi" name="php-nsapi"
NameTrans fn="pfx2dir"
from="/php-fcgi"dir="/export0/ES61/install/docs/php-fcgi" name="fastcgi"

Service type="magnus-internal/fastcgi-php" fn="FCGIRequestHandler"
BindPath="localhost:8082" AppPath="/export0/php-fastcgi/bin/php"
StartServers="5" PHP_FCGI_CHILDREN="10" PHP_FCGI_MAX_REQUEST="2000"

<Object name="fastcgi">
ObjectType fn="force-type" type="magnus-internal/fastcgi-php"
Service type="magnus-internal/fastcgi-php"
         fn=FCGIRequestHandler
         BindPath="localhost:8082"
         AppPath="/export0/php-fastcgi/bin/php"
         StartServers="5"
         PHP_FCGI_CHILDREN="10"
         PHP_FCGI_MAX_REQUEST="2000"
</Object>

<Object name="php-nsapi">
# Set the MIME type
ObjectType fn="force-type" type="magnus-internal/x-httpd-php"
# Run the function
Service fn=php4_execute
</Object>