WinInsider

Performance Starts at the Web Server By Port80 Software Abstract This paper outlines a common sense, cost-effective approach to lowering total cost of ownership and improving Web site and Web application performance according to two simple principles: - Send as little data as possible - Send it as infrequently as possible We will explore "best practice" strategies that can be systematically employed in Web front-end source code and at the origin server in order to achieve performance improvements. These basic strategies, which all avoid expensive hardware solutions in favor of software and business process enhancements, include: - Code optimization - Cache control - HTTP compression We assume that our typical reader is responsible in some way for development and/or management of a Web site or application running on one or more Windows servers with Internet Information Services (IIS) and that he or she has an interest in improving its performance as much as possible without deploying additional hardware (such as dedicated acceleration appliances) or services (such as Content Distribution Networks). As we examine each strategy, we will explore the potential benefits to a variety of different Web sites and applications in terms of three vital metrics: - Faster Web page loads and an improved user experience, translating into higher revenue and increased efficiencies - Reduction of bandwidth utilization and increased, ongoing savings - Consolidation of the number of server resources required to deliver existing sites and applications We will suggest relatively inexpensive software tools that will leverage common Web standards in order to maximize hardware and network resources, thus improving Web site and application performance while lowering the total cost of ownership of Web infrastructure.