Network Optimization

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  1. Network Optimization for MediaWiki 1.40

This article details network optimization strategies for a MediaWiki 1.40 installation. A well-configured network is crucial for delivering a fast and responsive wiki experience, especially under heavy load. This guide will cover key areas like caching, load balancing, and network hardware considerations. It's intended for system administrators and server engineers responsible for maintaining a MediaWiki instance.

1. Understanding Network Bottlenecks

Before implementing optimizations, it's important to identify potential bottlenecks. Common areas include:

  • **Bandwidth:** Insufficient bandwidth to handle concurrent users.
  • **Latency:** High latency between the web server and the database server, or between the user and the web server.
  • **DNS Resolution:** Slow DNS lookups can delay initial connection times.
  • **Firewall/Security Devices:** Overly aggressive firewall rules or slow processing by security devices.
  • **Network Congestion:** General network congestion impacting all services.

Tools like `ping`, `traceroute`, `tcpdump`, and network monitoring systems (e.g., Nagios, Zabbix) are invaluable for diagnosing these issues. See Special:MyPreferences for adjusting your wiki display settings to aid in debugging.

2. Caching Strategies

Caching is arguably the most impactful network optimization technique. MediaWiki offers several caching layers:

  • **Browser Caching:** Leverage browser caching by setting appropriate `Cache-Control` headers. This reduces the number of requests to the server for static assets like CSS, JavaScript, and images.
  • **Object Caching (Memcached/Redis):** Utilize an object caching system like Memcached or Redis to store frequently accessed data, such as parsed page content and database query results. This significantly reduces database load and improves response times. See Help:Extensions for installation instructions.
  • **Opcode Caching (PHP):** Enable an opcode cache (e.g., APCu, OPcache) to store pre-compiled PHP code. This reduces the overhead of parsing PHP scripts on each request. This is a PHP configuration setting, separate from MediaWiki itself.
  • **Reverse Proxy Caching (Varnish/Nginx):** Implement a reverse proxy server like Varnish or Nginx to cache entire pages or parts of pages. This reduces the load on the MediaWiki web server and delivers content more quickly to users. Using a reverse proxy is explained in Manual:Configuration form.

The following table details recommended cache configurations.

Cache Type Technology Configuration Notes
Object Cache Memcached Install Memcached, configure `$wgMemCachedServers` in `LocalSettings.php`. Monitor cache hit ratio.
Object Cache Redis Install Redis, configure `$wgRedisServers` in `LocalSettings.php`. Redis offers more advanced features.
Opcode Cache OPcache Enable OPcache in `php.ini`. Configure memory size and enabled features.
Reverse Proxy Varnish Configure Varnish to cache static and dynamic content. Requires more complex configuration.
Reverse Proxy Nginx Configure Nginx as a reverse proxy with caching enabled. Simpler configuration than Varnish.

3. Load Balancing

For high-traffic wikis, load balancing is essential to distribute traffic across multiple web servers. This ensures high availability and responsiveness.

  • **Hardware Load Balancers:** Dedicated hardware load balancers offer high performance and advanced features.
  • **Software Load Balancers:** Software load balancers like HAProxy or Nginx can be used to distribute traffic. Nginx can also serve as a reverse proxy.

When using load balancing, ensure that all web servers share the same database and file storage. Session stickiness (ensuring a user is consistently routed to the same server) may be necessary depending on your application's requirements. See Manual:Load balancer for more information.

4. Network Hardware Considerations

The underlying network hardware plays a vital role in performance.

  • **Network Interface Cards (NICs):** Use high-speed NICs (Gigabit Ethernet or 10 Gigabit Ethernet) on all servers.
  • **Switches:** Employ high-performance network switches with sufficient bandwidth and low latency.
  • **Firewalls:** Configure firewalls to allow necessary traffic without introducing excessive latency.
  • **DNS Servers:** Use fast and reliable DNS servers. Consider using a local DNS cache.

The following table summarizes recommended hardware specifications.

Component Specification Notes
Web Servers 8+ Cores, 16+ GB RAM, SSD Storage Scale based on traffic volume.
Database Server 16+ Cores, 32+ GB RAM, SSD Storage Database performance is critical.
Network Switches Gigabit Ethernet or 10 Gigabit Ethernet Ensure sufficient bandwidth for all servers.
NICs Gigabit Ethernet or 10 Gigabit Ethernet Match switch and server capabilities.

5. Database Optimization

While this article focuses on *network* optimization, database performance significantly impacts perceived network speed. Optimize database queries, use appropriate indexes, and consider using a database read replica to offload read traffic. See Help:Database for more information on database configuration.

6. Monitoring and Tuning

Continuously monitor network performance and adjust configurations as needed. Use network monitoring tools to identify bottlenecks and track the effectiveness of your optimizations. Regularly review logs for errors and performance issues. Use Special:Statistics to monitor wiki usage.

The following table lists essential monitoring metrics.

Metric Description Tool
Network Bandwidth Measure the amount of data being transmitted. `iftop`, `nload`
Latency Measure the delay in network communication. `ping`, `traceroute`
CPU Usage Monitor CPU utilization on all servers. `top`, `htop`
Memory Usage Monitor memory utilization on all servers. `free`, `vmstat`
Disk I/O Monitor disk read/write activity. `iostat`

7. Further Resources


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.* ⚠️

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