What is the smallest, fastest web server to run PHP and SSL (on a soekris box)

[Jeff Quast]

On 10/18/06, Matt Westervelt <mattw at seattlewireless.net> wrote:
> Try lighttpd
>
> Daevid Vincent wrote:
> > I need to run a httpd server that can serve up PHP, SQL Lite, and SSL on a
> > little Soekris box (ie. a 486 with 64MB RAM and 32MB CF storage).
> >
> > Can anyone recommend something?
> >
> > What about lighthttpd?
> > http://www.lighttpd.net

I like thttpd

Here's an article[1] that is openbsd specific, but outlines the
problem and solution, see chapter 7: Real-Life Examples. It discusses
an apache that was dying from resources exaustion, and how they
handled it by tuning the kernel, and subdividing the http requests
between a slim and a fat apache. You could further subdivide between a
fat apache (php,ssl,mysql) and a lean thttpd[2] (plaintext pages,
images, files).

This is very common practice on high-volume sites. Apache is a blubourous goon.

[1] http://www.bsdforums.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=6640
[2] http://www.acme.com/software/thttpd/

I would also not use apache 2.x, but thats just a preferance of legal
binding licenses, not of performance -- though I have a feeling the
1.3.x tree is much more conservative than your latest apache 2.x.