last edited 2009/04/15 18:12 (
*)
Also known as "Goodbye Apache & Bind, Welcome Lighttpd & NSD" (GABWLN) 
I started to develop webpages at the time when Gopher was available, and Mosaic as first graphical browser was released.
At the time the NCSA web-server was 'patched' and so the Apache.org 
took off. I developed most of
my sites either using perl CGIs or mod_perl via handler() and some sophisticated converters to deliver
HTML pages at the end. In other words, I was hoocked up to Apache early and I used it intensively for
almost everything done for the web, no other options considered - but there is always a first time so to speak,
this is happening now.
The memory usage has been a concern for me the last years - in a nutshell: I kept using a 1GHz Celeron with 1GB RAM for the last 4 years,
and noticed with every upgrade doing the same tasks, like browsing the web and programming, required up-to-date programs which themselves
became more bloated, used memory and became slower . . . and nobody complained. How so? Most people upgrade to faster machine to do the same
tasks with more bloated software having the same user experience in regards of responsiveness - the programs aren't faster, they are actually
getting slower, just the machines we use get faster - not a good development. Anywyay.
I had a bit outdated Linux/Debian based web-server with Apache 1.3.x and finally had to upgrade to Apache 2.x and
so the memory footprint was increased significantly, over 190MB for the first process, yet, the subprocesses much less, but still.
Anyway, I was looking for an alternative, and I found Lighttpd.net , and now I'm dropping Apache.org . . . goodbye.
Lighttpd is a single process application, using 5MB memory - it supports CGI, even FastCGI (which I will look at again),
virtual hosts, URL rewrite, and other "must-have" features I require - and I made a few tests, and most features I do need are
there. So, I give it a try on my main server and see how it behaves.
Further, I noticed named (bind9) and nscd, its dns cache, using up 80-90MB alone - incredible, just being a primary for a couple of
domains I run? This is inacceptable - so I was looking for an alternative, and I found NSD .
I was able to use most zone-files from bind, so the switch was roughly done quickly - the nsd uses 7MB memory . . .
Update 2009/03/11: under Debian/(K)Ubuntu, package 'nsd' is version 2, in order to use up-to-date nsd version 3, install package nsd3 - in case you wonder why
certain settings aren't possible
Real progress for me is: do more with less.
As said, unfortunately people do not realize the majority of programs, like web-browsers or text-processors,
are using more memory, and are slower - and just due the upgrade to new hardware with faster CPUs and more memory this isn't
noticed. A good example for such backwardness in software development is Microsoft with Vista, and it deserved to fail so miserable on the
market - it was a good sign people didn't buy into advertising but paid close attention to the unbiased reviews.
Update: If require to have recursive name resolving, e.g. serving a local domain plus resolving public domains, you may choose MaraDNS.org as NSD doesn't resolve recursively (yet).
2010: India
2009: France: Two Tours
2008: Tour de Romandie
2008: Zug - Bern - Zug
2008: Strasbourg
2008: Europe
2007: France
2005: France & Italy
2004: USA: Denver - Sedona
2004: Lenzburg - Marseille
2004: La Gomera
2003: Sardinien
2003: La Gomera
2002: Korsika
2002: Bordeaux - Hendaye
