Board Optimization - vB Accelerator

ported & significantly improved vb 3.8 branch.

This mod is suited for medium and big boards. It reduces server load, caused by thumnails and big attachments. Includes significant recommendations for server tuning, to speedup pages loading.

what's the problem with?

1. In original vB all thumbnails a downloaded via php. So, if you page contains 10-20 attached images, then each page php request will be followed by 10-20 thumbnails php requests. That's very bad.
2. When attachments body transfered via php, that's much more waisteful, than direct transfer of static file. Especially for big files.
3. Browser does lots of additional requests to static file, to check if modified
4. JS/CSS not compressed

what this mod does:

1. All thumbnails will have DIRECT links (served as static files). Much lower reply latency and server load.
2. If you have nginx webserver, you php-fcgi will not participate in file transfer any more. It will reply with X-Accel-Redirect header. Then nginx will proceed attachment as static file.
   • No more problems with multiple downloads of 10-mb files.
   • No needs to restrict attachments and full-size images for guests and search bots.
3. Static files are properly cached/compressed after tuning

how to install:

1. Make sure, attachments are stored on disk, NOT in database.
2. Make sure, that thumbnails are in web-accessible area. If not - reconfigure your web-server first.
3. Check manually, that you can download any .thumb file via browser.
4. !!! Tune cache/compression settings for static files (see example from next post)
5. Import product XML & tune settings.
6. Enjoy

This mod is developped here: http://github.com/rcdesign/vb-accelerator . Patches are welcome.

history:

0.9
- fixed path for duplicated attachments

0.8
- fixed back timestamp parameter & substitutions for XML output
- added conversion for assets.php thumbnails (in attachments manager)

0.7
- ported to vb4
- added basic CDN support for thumbnails

[Xencored]

Originally Posted by Vitaly

You also have to tune apache config. Remove ETAG headers, and add Expires (in next 7 days) headers instead for all static files.

Oh but it seems to have speeded it up with out that
so if i work out how to do above it will be even faster?

[doraj]

Hello Vitaly,

in the AdminCP Options, at "Path to attachments", need to insert the patch of the thumb right?

But it is the same of the attachments? If not, How can I find the correct path? I remember to have setup the attachments stored on disk, but I don't rememeber a specific path where are store my thumb.

All my attachments are in : "forum/attachments"

Thank you

[Vitaly]

Try /forum/attachments or /attachments

It's easy to check:
- open page source
- check generated thumbnal paths
- if not correct - play with setting to fix difference.

Of cause, you should check, that thumbnails can be downloaded via www (that's mentioned in installetion steps).

[Vitaly]

Originally Posted by Animemike

Oh but it seems to have speeded it up with out that
so if i work out how to do above it will be even faster?

Sorry to disappoint, but I have no apache. So, I can say WHAT should be done, but not HOW. Try to ask your admin or google this question . Don't forget to share result, if you have some.

[ImmortalForums]

Hmm have an odd issue. I have attachments on a subdomain along with all the url rewrites working. The attachment thumbnails show however when you click on the attachment image they do not load in the lightbox. Any advice?

I do run imagemagick of that has any effect.

[Vitaly]

Do those work:

- if you switch off lightbox
- if you switch off this mod

?

The other way to check is to install firebug addon for firefox, and check what happens in network tab when image fails to load.

[ImmortalForums]

Turns out I am getting 404 errors on the lightbox and if I load the attachment directly. If I disable this mod the attachments work fine and the thumbs still work.

So it seems something from this mod is breaking the attachments themselves.

[Vitaly]

Can you check with firebug, which URL failed for lightbox?

[ImmortalForums]

Played with it some more it turns out its the X-Accel-Redirect. Updated my NGINX just to make sure it wasnt a bug.


Failing URL is
http://immortal-guild.net/attachment...1&d=1271597314

[Vitaly]

This mod doesn't affect fullsize attachments, if you turn off "nginx acceleration" option.

If problem caused by this option, then absolute disk path can be wrong, or some rare nginx limitation for X-Accel-Redirect (see docs).