Optimizing Server Performance for Grass Browser Farming
Optimizing Server Performance for Grass Browser Farming
This article details the server configuration best practices for running a MediaWiki instance dedicated to supporting a high volume of "Grass Browser Farming" activity – a scenario demanding significant read performance and moderate write performance. This guide assumes a basic understanding of MediaWiki installation and Linux server administration. We’ll cover hardware recommendations, software configuration, and specific optimization techniques.
Understanding the Grass Browser Farming Load
Grass Browser Farming generates a unique load pattern. Many concurrent users (bots, generally) are rapidly requesting pages, primarily for read operations. Write operations, such as page edits and history tracking, are relatively infrequent compared to the read load. This necessitates a configuration geared towards maximizing read throughput and minimizing latency. Caching becomes paramount, and database optimization is critical. We will focus on configurations supporting 1000+ concurrent "browsers".
Hardware Recommendations
The following table outlines recommended hardware specifications. Note that these are *minimums*, and scaling up is highly recommended for larger farms.
| Component | Minimum Specification | Recommended Specification |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Xeon E3-1225 v3 (4 cores) | Intel Xeon Gold 6248R (24 cores) |
| RAM | 16 GB DDR4 ECC | 64 GB DDR4 ECC |
| Storage (OS & MW) | 256 GB SSD | 1 TB NVMe SSD |
| Storage (Media) | 500 GB HDD | 2 TB HDD (RAID 1) |
| Network | 1 Gbps Ethernet | 10 Gbps Ethernet |
It’s crucial to use SSDs (or NVMe drives) for the operating system, MediaWiki installation, and database files. HDDs can be used for storing uploaded media files. RAID configurations for storage are highly recommended for redundancy.
Software Configuration
Operating System
We recommend a stable Linux distribution such as Ubuntu Server LTS or CentOS. Ensure the OS is fully updated with the latest security patches. Disable any unnecessary services to free up resources. Use a lightweight desktop environment if remote administration is required; otherwise, operate in a headless configuration.
Web Server
Apache or Nginx are suitable web servers. Nginx generally performs better under high concurrency, making it preferable for Grass Browser Farming. Configure the web server to handle a large number of concurrent connections. Adjust the `worker_processes` and `worker_connections` directives in Nginx accordingly.
Database Server
MySQL or MariaDB are the recommended database systems. MariaDB is often preferred due to its performance enhancements and open-source nature. The following table details critical database configuration parameters.
| Parameter | Recommended Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `innodb_buffer_pool_size` | 60-80% of RAM | The amount of memory allocated to InnoDB for caching data and indexes. |
| `innodb_log_file_size` | 256MB - 1GB | Size of the InnoDB transaction log files. Larger values can improve write performance. |
| `query_cache_size` | 0 (Disable) | The query cache is generally detrimental to performance in high-write environments. |
| `max_connections` | 500-1000 | Maximum number of concurrent connections to the database. |
| `table_open_cache` | 4000 | Number of table definitions that can be cached. |
Regular database backups are essential. Implement a robust backup strategy to protect against data loss. See Database maintenance for further details.
PHP Configuration
Configure PHP to optimize memory usage and execution time. The following are key settings to adjust in `php.ini`:
| Parameter | Recommended Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `memory_limit` | 256M - 512M | Maximum amount of memory a script may consume. |
| `max_execution_time` | 60 | Maximum time in seconds a script is allowed to run. |
| `opcache.enable` | 1 | Enable the PHP opcode cache to improve performance. |
| `opcache.memory_consumption` | 128 - 256 | Memory used by opcode cache. |
Consider using a PHP accelerator like OPcache to cache compiled PHP code and reduce execution time.
Specific Optimization Techniques
- **Caching:** Implement aggressive caching strategies. Utilize Varnish or Nginx's built-in caching mechanisms to cache frequently accessed pages.
- **Database Indexing:** Ensure appropriate indexes are created on database tables. Analyze slow queries using `EXPLAIN` and add indexes accordingly. See Database indexing for more information.
- **Page Pre-Rendering:** For static content frequently requested by the farm, consider pre-rendering pages and serving them directly from the web server.
- **Connection Pooling:** Implement database connection pooling to reduce the overhead of establishing new connections.
- **Monitor Performance:** Regularly monitor server resource usage (CPU, RAM, disk I/O, network) using tools like top, htop, and Nagios. Identify bottlenecks and adjust the configuration accordingly.
- **Disable Unused Extensions:** Disable any PHP or MediaWiki extensions that are not required.
- **Regular Maintenance:** Perform regular MediaWiki maintenance tasks such as rebuilding indexes and running cron jobs.
- **Consider a Read Replica:** Implement a read replica database server to offload read traffic from the primary database.
Further Reading
- MediaWiki Performance
- Scaling MediaWiki
- Configuring Apache for MediaWiki
- Configuring Nginx for MediaWiki
- MediaWiki Caching
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.* ⚠️