cPanel / Apache / xenForo Server Configuration

[mjda]

I'm looking for someone knowledgeable enough with cPanel, Apache, and xenForo who would give me some tips as to how to configure my server.

I have a VPS with 1Gb RAM and equal share CPU. It is a managed server, but I prefer to do things myself if possible. The only site that will be running on it will be my lone forum.

What I would like to do is set up the server in such a way that it is balanced between security and performance (maybe even with a slight edge towards performance). I'd also like to just be able to do everything necessary via EasyApache because I don't have a lot of experience working with the command line at this time.

I'd also like to take advantage of xenForo's caching abilities as much as possible with the amount of RAM that I have to maybe decrease the page loading times (right now the page loads are already under 2 secs).

Right now I'm using Apache 2.2, PHP 5.4, fcgi, and SuExec.

If any of you would care to help me, please drop me a PM if there is any more information that you need.

 

[Slavik]

How many posts / users / active users do you have?

Easy changes:
Drop mysql for percona server
Set up Nginx as a reverse proxy
Install APC for opcode caching
Basic caching in the config.php file.

 

[mjda]

How many posts / users / active users do you have?

Easy changes:
Drop mysql for percona server
Set up Nginx as a reverse proxy
Install APC for opcode caching
Basic caching in the config.php file.

The site is new right now. There are 7500 posts, 130 members, and usually always under 10 active users. Nonetheless, I'm thinking about what's best going forward. So let's assume it's well more than that for these purposes.

Also, it doesn't look like I have the option of using Percona or Nginx. I don't see either of them as options in the EasyApache setup. As for APC, that would require me going back to PHP 5.2. Would it be worth it to downgrade PHP to be able to use APC?

 

[Slavik]

Oh if your entirely reliant on easyapache, then its probably best just to leave things as is.

 

[mjda]

Oh if your entirely reliant on easyapache, then its probably best just to leave things as is.

I did mention that in the first post. I guess you missed it.

I'd also like to just be able to do everything necessary via EasyApache because I don't have a lot of experience working with the command line at this time.

 

[Slavik]

I did mention that in the first post. I guess you missed it.

I assumed you just ment recompiling apache / php, rather than complete lack of cli experience

 

[mjda]

I assumed you just ment recompiling apache / php, rather than complete lack of cli experience

Ahh, ok. I do have "some" experience, but I certainly don't trust it enough to do any of this stuff.

 

[MattW]

You can compile Xcache through easyapache, so give that a try rather than APC

 

[mjda]

You can compile Xcache through easyapache, so give that a try rather than APC

Thanks for your reply. I actually ended up installing eAccelerator. I've set up caching for the frontdend and back end. My Timing has been reduced by quite a bit, now down to .09 seconds (on average), my memory usage (per page view) has almost been cut in half, and the DB queries went from 11 to 8 on the front page.

My FireBug page load times are now down to 1.01 seconds too, which is almost a full second faster than before.

I'd say my current setup will be good, at least for now.