Performance Profiling
# Performance Profiling
This article details methods for performance profiling your MediaWiki 1.40 installation. Understanding your server’s performance bottlenecks is crucial for maintaining a fast and responsive wiki, especially as content and user base grow. This guide will cover tools and techniques for identifying these bottlenecks.
Understanding Performance Bottlenecks
Before diving into tools, it’s important to understand common areas where performance issues arise. These can be broadly categorized into:
- Database Performance: Slow queries, insufficient indexing, database server resource constraints.
- PHP Performance: Slow code execution, memory limits, inefficient extensions.
- Web Server Performance: Slow response times, connection limits, caching issues.
- Caching Performance: Ineffective or improperly configured caching layers.
- Hardware Limitations: CPU, memory, disk I/O, and network bandwidth constraints.
- Installation: Install the Xdebug extension for your PHP version using your system’s package manager (e.g., `apt-get install php-xdebug` on Debian/Ubuntu).
- Configuration: Configure Xdebug in your `php.ini` file. Key settings include: * `xdebug.mode = profile` * `xdebug.output_dir = /tmp` (or a suitable directory) * `xdebug.start_with_request = yes`
- Usage: After enabling Xdebug, run the problematic wiki page. Xdebug will generate a cachegrind-compatible profile file in the specified output directory.
- Analysis: Use a tool like KCachegrind or Webgrind to analyze the profile file and identify slow functions.
- Configuration: Enable the slow query log in your MySQL configuration file (`my.cnf` or `my.ini`). Key settings include: * `slow_query_log = 1` * `slow_query_log_file = /var/log/mysql/mysql-slow.log` (or a suitable location) * `long_query_time = 2` (queries taking longer than 2 seconds are logged) * `log_output = FILE`
- Analysis: Analyze the slow query log using tools like `mysqldumpslow` or phpMyAdmin. Focus on queries that appear frequently or take exceptionally long to execute. Consider adding indexes or rewriting the queries.
- Apache: Examine the `access.log` and `error.log` files. Look for requests with high `time_taken` values.
- Nginx: Examine the `access.log` and `error.log` files. Use tools like `goaccess` to analyze the logs and identify slow requests.
- `$wgShowExceptionDetails = true;` in `LocalSettings.php` will display detailed error information, which can sometimes reveal performance issues. *Note: Do not use this in production.*
- Special:Statistics provides some basic performance metrics.
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Tools for Performance Profiling
Several tools can help pinpoint performance bottlenecks. Each offers different levels of detail and complexity.
Xdebug
Xdebug is a powerful PHP extension that allows for detailed code profiling. It can record call stacks, memory usage, and execution times for each function call.
MySQL Slow Query Log
The MySQL slow query log records queries that take longer than a specified time to execute. This is invaluable for identifying problematic database queries.
Web Server Logs (Apache/Nginx)
Analyzing your web server logs (Apache or Nginx) can reveal slow response times and potential bottlenecks.
MediaWiki Profiling Tools
MediaWiki has some built-in profiling tools, though they are less detailed than Xdebug.
Hardware Specifications and Expected Performance
The following table outlines expected performance based on different hardware configurations. These are rough estimates and will vary based on wiki size, traffic, and content complexity.
| CPU | RAM | Disk Type | Expected Concurrent Users | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quad-Core 2.4 GHz | 8 GB | SSD | 50-100 | Suitable for small to medium-sized wikis. |
| Hexa-Core 3.0 GHz | 16 GB | SSD | 100-250 | Good for medium-sized wikis with moderate traffic. |
| Octa-Core 3.5 GHz | 32 GB | NVMe SSD | 250+ | Recommended for large wikis and high traffic. |
Database Server Specifications
| CPU | RAM | Disk Type | Database Engine | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quad-Core 2.0 GHz | 8 GB | SSD | MySQL/MariaDB | Minimum for small wikis. |
| Hexa-Core 2.8 GHz | 16 GB | SSD | MySQL/MariaDB | Recommended for medium-sized wikis. |
| Octa-Core 3.2 GHz | 32 GB | NVMe SSD | MySQL/MariaDB | Essential for large wikis and high performance. |
Caching Configuration
Proper caching is vital for performance. Here's a table outlining recommended caching configurations:
| Caching Layer | Configuration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Memcached | 128 MB - 512 MB | Very effective for caching database queries and API results. |
| Redis | 256 MB - 1 GB | Similar to Memcached, considered more feature-rich. |
| Varnish | Configure caching rules based on wiki content. | Reverse proxy cache that can significantly reduce server load. |
| MediaWiki Caching | Enable all available caching options in `LocalSettings.php`. | Essential for caching parsed pages and other frequently accessed data. |
Conclusion
Performance profiling is an ongoing process. Regularly monitor your wiki’s performance and adjust your configuration as needed. By using the tools and techniques described in this article, you can identify and resolve bottlenecks, ensuring a fast and responsive experience for your users. Remember to consult the MediaWiki documentation for more detailed information on configuring and optimizing your wiki installation. Also review Database Optimization and PHP Configuration for additional details. Don't forget to check Server Security as well.
Intel-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Core i7-6700K/7700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 512 GB | CPU Benchmark: 8046 |
| Core i7-8700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2x1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 13124 |
| Core i9-9900K Server | 128 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 49969 |
| Core i9-13900 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i9-13900 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Workstation | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2 NVMe SSD, NVIDIA RTX 4000 |
AMD-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 5 3600 Server | 64 GB RAM, 2x480 GB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 17849 |
| Ryzen 7 7700 Server | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2x1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 35224 |
| Ryzen 9 5950X Server | 128 GB RAM, 2x4 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 46045 |
| Ryzen 9 7950X Server | 128 GB DDR5 ECC, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 63561 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/1TB) | 128 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/2TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/4TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/1TB) | 256 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/4TB) | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 9454P Server | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe |
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⚠️ *Note: All benchmark scores are approximate and may vary based on configuration. Server availability subject to stock.* ⚠️