From: Andre Malo Caching frequently requested files that change very
infrequently is a technique for reducing server load.
- mod_file_cache provides two techniques for caching frequently
- requested static files. Through configuration
- directives, you can direct mod_file_cache to either open then
- mmap()a file, or to pre-open a file and save the file's open
- file handle. Both techniques reduce server load when
- processing requests for these files by doing part of the work
+ file_cache_module SourceĀ File:
mod_file_cache.c Summary
-mod_file_cache, so read this document
+ carefully.
+ mod_file_cache provides two techniques for caching
+ frequently requested static files. Through configuration
+ directives, you can direct mod_file_cache to either
+ open then mmap() a file, or to pre-open a file and save
+ the file's open file handle. Both techniques reduce server
+ load when processing requests for these files by doing part of the work
(specifically, the file I/O) for serving the file when the
server is started rather than during each request.
This module is an extension of and borrows heavily from the - mod_mmap_static module in Apache 1.3.
+mod_mmap_static module in Apache 1.3.
mod_file_cache caches a list of statically
- configured files via MMapFile or CacheFile directives in the
- main server configuration.
MMapFile or CacheFile directives in the main server configuration.
Not all platforms support both directives. For example, Apache
on Windows does not currently support the MMapStatic directive, while
@@ -51,70 +50,69 @@ This module should be used with care. You can easily
that support both directives, you should experiment with both to
see which works best for you.
The MmapFile
- directive of mod_file_cache maps a list of
- statically configured files into memory through the system call
- mmap(). This system call is available on most modern
- Unix derivates, but not on all. There are sometimes
- system-specific limits on the size and number of files that can be
- mmap()d, experimentation is probably the easiest way to find
- out.
This mmap()ing is done once at server start or restart,
- only. So whenever one of the mapped files changes on the
- filesystem you have to restart the server (see the Stopping and Restarting
- documentation). To reiterate that point: if the files are
- modified in place without restarting the server you
- may end up serving requests that are completely bogus. You
- should update files by unlinking the old copy and putting a new
- copy in place. Most tools such as rdist and
- mv do this. The reason why this modules doesn't
- take care of changes to the files is that this check would need
- an extra stat() every time which is a waste and
- against the intent of I/O reduction.
The CacheFile
- directive of mod_file_cache opens an active
- handle or file descriptor to the file (or files)
- listed in the configuration directive and places these open file
- handles in the cache. When the file is requested, the server
- retrieves the handle from the cache and passes it to the
- sendfile() (or TransmitFile() on Windows), socket API.
Insert more details about sendfile API...
- -This file handle caching is done once at server start or
- restart, only. So whenever one of the cached files changes on
- the filesystem you have to restart the server (see the
- Stopping and Restarting
- documentation). To reiterate that point: if the files are
- modified in place without restarting the server you
- may end up serving requests that are completely bogus. You
- should update files by unlinking the old copy and putting a new
- copy in place. Most tools such as rdist and
- mv do this.
Include directive, and consider
- this command:
-
- find /www/htdocs -type f -print \
- | sed -e 's/.*/mmapfile &/' > /www/conf/mmap.conf
-
The MMapFile
+ directive of mod_file_cache maps a list of
+ statically configured files into memory through the system call
+ mmap(). This system call is available on most modern
+ Unix derivates, but not on all. There are sometimes system-specific
+ limits on the size and number of files that can be
+ mmap()ed, experimentation is probably the easiest way
+ to find out.
This mmap()ing is done once at server start or
+ restart, only. So whenever one of the mapped files changes on the
+ filesystem you have to restart the server (see the Stopping and Restarting documentation).
+ To reiterate that point: if the files are modified in place
+ without restarting the server you may end up serving requests that
+ are completely bogus. You should update files by unlinking the old
+ copy and putting a new copy in place. Most tools such as
+ rdist and mv do this. The reason why this
+ modules doesn't take care of changes to the files is that this check
+ would need an extra stat() every time which is a waste
+ and against the intent of I/O reduction.
The CacheFile
+ directive of mod_file_cache opens an active
+ handle or file descriptor to the file (or files)
+ listed in the configuration directive and places these open file
+ handles in the cache. When the file is requested, the server
+ retrieves the handle from the cache and passes it to the
+ sendfile() (or TransmitFile() on Windows),
+ socket API.
This file handle caching is done once at server start or
+ restart, only. So whenever one of the cached files changes on
+ the filesystem you have to restart the server (see the
+ Stopping and Restarting
+ documentation). To reiterate that point: if the files are
+ modified in place without restarting the server you
+ may end up serving requests that are completely bogus. You
+ should update files by unlinking the old copy and putting a new
+ copy in place. Most tools such as rdist and
+ mv do this.
Don't bother asking for a for a directive which recursively
+ caches all the files in a directory. Try this instead... See the
+ Include directive, and consider
+ this command:
+ find /www/htdocs -type f -print \
+ | sed -e 's/.*/mmapfile &/' > /www/conf/mmap.conf
+
| Description: - | |
|---|---|
| Syntax: - | CacheFile
- file-path [file-path] ... |
| Context: + | Cache a list of file handles at startup time |
| Syntax: + | CacheFile file-path [file-path] ... |
| Context: | server config |
| Status: | Experimental |
| Module: | mod_file_cache |
Be careful with the file-path arguments: They have +
Be careful with the file-path arguments: They have
to literally match the filesystem path Apache's URL-to-filename
translation handlers create. We cannot compare inodes or other
stuff to match paths through symbolic links etc.
@@ -134,12 +132,12 @@ This module should be used with care. You can easily
with filenames rewritten by mod_alias or
mod_rewrite.
- CacheFile /usr/local/apache/htdocs/index.html
-
+ CacheFile /usr/local/apache/htdocs/index.html
+
| Description: - | |
|---|---|
| Syntax: - | MMapFile file-path [file-path] ... |
| Context: + | Map a list of files into memory at startup time |
| Syntax: + | MMapFile file-path [file-path] ... |
| Context: | server config |
| Status: | Experimental |
| Module: | mod_file_cache |
HUP or USR1 signal should be send to
+ the server to re-mmap() them.
- Be careful with the file-path arguments: They have +
Be careful with the file-path arguments: They have
to literally match the filesystem path Apache's URL-to-filename
translation handlers create. We cannot compare inodes or other
stuff to match paths through symbolic links etc.
@@ -159,7 +157,7 @@ This module should be used with care. You can easily
with filenames rewritten by mod_alias or
mod_rewrite.
- MMapFile /usr/local/apache/htdocs/index.html
-
+ MMapFile /usr/local/apache/htdocs/index.html
+