Re: Max clients 1.1 can support efficiently

On Thu, 6 Feb 1997, Adrian Havill wrote:

> Netscape's FAQ regarding their proxy server recommends one proxy server
> for every 100-500 clients, or, for an ISP, one proxy server for every
> POP (Point-Of-Presence).
[...]
> I realize Squid is (supposably) faster than Netscape's Proxy (and orders
> of magnitude faster than CERN's), but does anybody have a figure as to
> what the upper limit (in clients) is for Squid for acceptable
> performance?

The other day someone asked me, "Could a 128Kbps ISDN line support 250
users?" The answer of course is, "It depends" - if the users are hitting
the line simultaneously, they're all running at a full 33.6Kbps and there
is zero delay between them and the entrance to the pipe, then of course
the pipe couldn't support them all.

Same holds true for Squid, IMHO; for example, we have well over 500
"clients" (includes child/peer proxies) configured to use our main Squid
server, and it has absolutely no problems supporting them. Why? They're
not all simultaneously hitting the proxy, there are network bottlenecks
and delays elsewhere before requests get to (or responses arrive from) the
proxy, &c. (size of requests, &c., &c.).

I guess what I'm saying is that you're not going to get a 100% accurate
figure - you're not going to get a figure that necessarily works for you,
just because it works for someone else.

Basically, watch all the "usual signs" (delays in DNS, IP cache, I/O
bottlenecks, network congestion, &c.) and when you can't "tweak" things
any further, then split Squid servers. :-)

Just IMHO.

dave
Received on Wed Feb 05 1997 - 20:54:12 MST