Topic: When to use mod_suphp and/or mod_fcgid

[MJ]

I've just created two server builds on one server to host a backup of the old site we are rebuilding and the new site that will be built.

They each have the same base apache build, just different versions of PHP.

old site:
Apache/2.4.4 (Win32 - Windows Server 2008 R2) OpenSSL/0.9.8y PHP/5.4.16

New site:
Apache/2.4.4 (Win32 - Windows Server 2008 R2) OpenSSL/0.9.8y PHP/5.3.26

Question:
On of our developers has requested I install mod_suphp or mod_fcgid.

I'm hoping someone can help me out here. I would like to understand how these modules work.

For example - I thought mod_fcgid works with IIS only when running PHP as CGI. If I'm not running IIS, I don't need fcgid, right? Also, we are not using Perl or CGI scripts...

mod_suphp deals with user accounts, correct? Is this necessary in a WAMP environment? I assumed this was something used in Linux environments only...

if these modules are used in a WAMP environment, what are the benefits of using either of these. I've researched the modules, but I'm not finding anything that translates to something I understand.

[Steffen]

mod_suphp deals with user permission. First time I heard of it, looks like a *nix only thingy.

PHP can run in two ways: as module or with mod_fcgid which uses the PHP NTS version.

Module is standard in the PHP TS download from php.net. The module runs within the Apache httpd process, and can be a hog depending on extensions you use.

When you go for stability choose Fastcgi mod_fcgid.

It's a well known issue that PHP as module is mostly bloating the server and eating memory in time.

Running with mod_fcgid memory usage of Apache is far less en the Speed is on par when running as module. There are advantages to running PHP with mod_fcgid. Separating the PHP code from the web server removes 'bloat' from the main server, and improves the performance of non-PHP requests. Secondly, having one permanent PHP process as opposed to one per apache process means that shared resources like persistent MySQL connections are used more efficiently. And maybe even more important is stability, running mod-fcgid a server itself never crashes caused by php (extensions) errors and out of PHP memory errors.

Steffen

[MJ]

Okay, so it sounds like I should seriously consider installing mod_fcgid.

I've often wondered about running PHP as a mod for apache.

I'll get the mod_fcgid from Apache Lounge and get it installed.

Thank you for this quick response.