Nginx and apache

Doug Easterbrook doug at artsman.com
Thu Dec 19 14:37:42 EST 2013


hi Clifford et al.

the short answer to your question is that w've put nginx as the front facing web server/load balancer and, yes, we've proxied it through to apache.   We still use an apache module to talk to a number of omnis web client front ends.  

We have found nginx faster, simpler to configure and, while apache is good, it has hurt us a little bit on high volume servers where it can crumble a bit.   I need to clarify this in that 99% of our customers are using only apache and they never see an issue.  the odd one has -- and thats when we put in nginx.    If/when we work on a way to replace our apache load balancer for omnis -- then I surmise that we'll only use nginx.

More specifically to the point, there is a lot of open source web servers out there and we are striving to get to the place of leveraging what others have already done in the open source world.


I remember years ago when you told me -- go postgres.   how happy I am to carry that banner.   Can't believe just how great that open source project is as a repository for omnis data.

Linux -- wasn't too much of an adherent in the past, but I can see where we have to pay attention to it for our server processes.  Sure beats the pants off windows.  OSX, not nearly as much (and I'll get in trouble for this one - so everybody please take it purely in the tongue in cheek vein....)    OSX is the every-day-man's unix.  it lets customers see and touch and get close to it ... and we are having great success using mac mini's with SSD's as high volume servers for a lot of clients.... and they don't break.  and my support team who are not IT professionals are certainly able to help our customers.


whats the point of all that...   cloud.    I do not have the same affinity for cloud and do not see it as a panacea to end all.  It scares the bejeebers out of me.  Target got hacked this week (not necessarily cloud).  NSA sure likes it.   and even some of our competitors have been badly bitten because they got exposed on cloud.

that doesn't mean cloud is bad.   Cloud technology is actually really sound and is worth paying attention to it.      I think that is part of the message that Clifford is saying..      there is good stuff out there and I agree with that.    We use a some of what the cloud technologists use within our application.  and I'm sure glad we have.



Lou is a big proponent of cloud computing.    Clifford is too.    I love the technology -- just not where amazon can touch my data.



Doug Easterbrook
Arts Management Systems Ltd.
mailto:doug at artsman.com
http://www.artsman.com
Phone (403) 536-1205    Fax (403) 536-1210

On Dec 19, 2013, at 10:00 AM, omnisdev-en-request at lists.omnis-dev.com wrote:

> You mentioned you've used nginx. I'm wondering how you used it. Have you
> ever used nginx to proxy requests to Apache?



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