[Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Next]

Topic: mod_fastcgi better than mod_fcgid !?!

[1]

Topic: mod_fastcgi better than mod_fcgid !?!

[jimski]

I'm proposing a new discussion about mod_fastcgi because mod_fastcgi can accept multiple concurrent requests per process while mod_fcgid can't.

There is new binary for windows at https://www.apachehaus.net/modules/mod_fastcgi/

Mod_fastcgi can work with apache on windows and Microsoft selected mod_fastcgi after working closely with guys from php to give IIS competing edge.

[Smitty]

Does it work correctly with the opcache extension enabled?

Can you post the recommended configuration for php.ini?

[jimski]

I got it to work as apache module however I'm new to fastcgi myself so my setup is not recommended because is not fully debugged but I will post it tomorrow and maybe we can find a way to fix it.

I'm not sure how it will work with opcache.

[jimski]

Here is my setup which works but has a few glitches. The problem I have is that each php-cgi.exe processes exits after about 500 requests and then a new one is spawned again. This causes delays and failed requests while the new process is being spawn.

1. Set your environment path to point to php and apache bin folders
2. Copy the php-cgi.exe to the ScriptAlias Location that you specify below, in this case it is /Apache24/www
3. Add to httpd.conf the following

LoadModule fastcgi_module modules/mod_fastcgi.so

<IfModule mod_fastcgi.c>
ScriptAlias /www/ "C:/Server/Apache24/www/"
FastCgiConfig -initial-env PATH -autoUpdate -idle-timeout 120 -killInterval 3600 -maxClassProcesses 10 -maxProcesses 10 -startDelay 2
FastCgiServer "C:/Server/Apache24/www/php-cgi.exe" -initial-env PATH -processes 1

AddType application/x-httpd-php .php

<Files ~ "\.(php)$">
Options FollowSymLinks ExecCGI
AddHandler php-fastcgi .fcgi .php
</Files>

<Location /www/>
Options ExecCGI
SetHandler php-fastcgi
</Location>

Action php-fastcgi "/www/php-cgi.exe"

</IfModule>


I don't have anything added to my php.ini and I think this may be part of the problem

[gijs]

Sounds interesting, I would try it out but I don't want failed requests since that would result in people would leaving my website...

[jimski]

[Millennium]

Why make another topic about mod_fcgi? Now there are reactions in both, some admin should merge them.

[jimski]

TESTING METHODOLOGY for FASTCGI vs FCGID

When using the Fastcgi and Fcgid modules please use this testing method so we have somehow comparable results.
Many of you will be surprised how many failed requests you will get using your mod_Fcgid which you thought was running well.

FIRST test for FCGID

1. Disable any Caching in php disable opcache, APC, eAccellerator etc. and in Apache disable mod_cache.

2. Use this php file. Copy the line below and save it as phpinfo.php. It is just one line but gives apache and php good beating.

<?php phpinfo(); ?>

3. Set FcgidMaxProcesses 1
FcgidMaxProcessesPerClass 1
FcgidProcessLifeTime 0
FcgidMaxRequestsPerProcess 0

4. Run Apache Bench with these parameters and save results
ab -n 10000 -c 1 http://127.0.0.1:80/phpinfo.php

5. Then set FcgidMaxProcesses 10
FcgidMaxProcessesPerClass 10
FcgidMinProcessesPerClass 10

6. Restart Apache

7. Run Apache Bench with these parameters just to spawn the processes but ignore the results
ab -n 10000 -c 100 http://127.0.0.1:80/phpinfo.php

8. Run Apache Bench again with these parameters and save your results
ab -n 10000 -c 100 http://127.0.0.1:80/phpinfo.php

9. Post your results using these 4 lines only:
Time taken for tests: xxx
Complete requests: xxx
Failed requests: xxx
Requests per second: xxx




SECOND test for FASTCGI

1. Disable any Caching in php disable opcache, APC, eAccellerator etc. and in Apache disable mod_cache.

2. Use this php file.
<?php phpinfo(); ?>

3. First set -processes to 1 in FastCgiServer "C:/Server/Apache24/www/php-cgi.exe" -initial-env PATH -processes 1

4. Run Apache Bench with these parameters and save your results
ab -n 10000 -c 1 http://127.0.0.1:80/phpinfo.php

5. Then set -processes to 10 in FastCgiServer "C:/Server/Apache24/www/php-cgi.exe" -initial-env PATH -processes 10

6. Restart Apache

7. Wait 30 seconds or so to allow all processes to spawn (you may want to monitor the taskmanager to make sure all processes are up

8. Run Apache Bench with these parameters
ab -n 10000 -c 100 http://127.0.0.1:80/phpinfo.php

9. Post your results using those 4 lines only:
Time taken for tests: xxx
Complete requests: xxx
Failed requests: xxx
Requests per second: xxx


Any suggestions to improve this test are welcome.

[James Blond]

Well I think one of the adavanges I use on fcgid (aslo to use opcache) is running an instance infinit or till server restart.

[jimski]

Thank you James, great point. I will add it to test description above. Although I think that the FcgidMinProcessesPerClass should be 10 and not 0.
This will make it comparable with 10 Fastcgi processes which should be up and waiting for requests at all times.

[James Blond]

[jimski]

[jimski]

My test results using dual quad core Xeon X5660 2.8ghz.

Test file phpinfo.php
Test using mod_fcgid Apache 2.4
10 processes
Time taken for tests: 9.1 sec.
Completed requests: 10000
Failed requests: 1237
Requests per second: 1109

Test using mod_fastcgi Apache 2.4
10 processes
Time taken for tests: 3.1 sec.
Completed requests: 10000
Failed requests: 3757
Requests per second: 3084

Test using mod_php Apache 2.2
Time taken for tests: 3.35 sec.
Completed requests: 10000
Failed requests: 0
Requests per second: 2975


Don't ask me what's going on because I don't understand myself. Either I missconfigured everything terribly or fcgid on Windows ain't so fast. Funny thing is that I'm not alone.

The author of this article also found that mod_php on Apache is faster than fastCGI on nginx. Don't be fooled by the title, the conclusion of the article is that mod-php is faster.
http://www.eschrade.com/page/why-is-fastcgi-w-nginx-so-much-faster-than-apache-w-mod_php/

[Millennium]

Lots of failed requests. Which version of php are you using? NTS or TS?

[James Blond]

[jimski]

Millennium and James
I'm using NTS version for fcgid and fastcgi.
I will switch to TS today and I will post results.

So far I see a great promise in the mod_fastcgi if we can figure out why the processes are exiting after 400 requests and are re-spawned again.

I will try some of these parameters today:
-listen-queue-depth, multiThreshold, singleThreshold

I will also dig in the Microsoft papers to see if there is anything that we could try with Apache.

[jimski]

Test results using php TS.

Test file phpinfo.php
Test using mod_fcgid Apache 2.4
10 processes
Time taken for tests: 10.3 sec.
Completed requests: 10000
Failed requests: 1276
Requests per second: 9001

Test using mod_fastcgi Apache 2.4
FastCGI WON'T START AT ALL with TS.
It complains about missing php5.dll and when I try to trick it by renaming php5ts.dll to php5.dll then complains about missing SAPI entry point.



IT GETS MORE INTERESTING
When I test FCGID and FastCGI with a php file that I wrote:
<?php for ($x=0; $x<=10; $x++){ Print "Hello World"; }?>

Test file mytest.php
Test using mod_fcgid Apache 2.4 php nts
10 processes
Time taken for tests: 1.41 sec.
Completed requests: 10000
Failed requests: 0
Requests per second: 6881

Test using mod_fastcgi Apache 2.4 php nts
10 processes
FastCGI stalls randomly to respawn processes but when works the results are as follow:
Time taken for tests: 1.35 sec.
Completed requests: 10000
Failed requests: 0
Requests per second: 6921

Test using mod_php Apache 2.2 php ts
Time taken for tests: 1.1 sec.
Completed requests: 10000
Failed requests: 0
Requests per second: 8648

[jimski]

'
Guys, can someone send me a link to these binaries

(Win32) mod_fastcgi-SNAP-0811090952 binary

(Win32) mod_fastcgi-SNAP-0910052141 binary

I can't find them anywhere on the net and I have looked far and wide.
I would like to complete the tests of FastCGI on windows against those older binaries.

[C0nw0nk]

As james blond said in another post.

[jimski]