FW: [cobalt-developers] Web Cache Server

["Matthew Nuzum" <cobalt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I disagree...

 
> Now, if your just running a WebServer, and do not have any users on your
> LAN,
> a webcache would be pretty much useless.  As, you being the content server
> would
> rather have the requests hit your Cobalt.
> 
> If the company who has the RaQ web hosting network, also is a medium
> business
> that it would be beneficial to have one of these devices.  Other then
> that,
> why
> bother?
> 

If you have a single database server and a moderate traffic website with
dynamic content you can use one or more cache servers between your routers
and your website to take load off of your web server and database server.

Some organizations have several web caches load balanced for every one
webserver.

DB Server    <------->  Web Server(s)
                       /     |     \
                      /      |      \
                 cache     cache    cache
                      \      |      /
                       \     |     /
                       load balancer

The cool thing about this setup is that it decreases the complexity of your
network and saves a lot of money.  Web cache servers can be built for 500 -
1000 (a little more if you add in SSL accelerators) but once set up require
very little management.

Application servers typically cost twice as much as a webcache and require
much more administration.

I don't think they'd provide much use for your typical raq though, as I've
never seen one cache more than a single site (although I'm sure they could).
Additionally, if your site is primarily static content (html and images not
php/cgi/java) your typical Raq3 could saturate a T3 line without a problem.

Brian was right though, Squid is a great web-cache and can run on a variety
of hardware.  I think you can also take a raq3/4 and use the cache raq os
restore cd on it to get the same functionality.

--
Matthew Nuzum
www.bearfruit.org
cobalt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx