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Serving static content faster with Fast Response Cache Accelerator

The fast response cache accelerator (FRCA) can improve the performance of the IBM HTTP Server when serving static content, such as text and image files. Support for FRCA is on AIX and Windows systems only.

The use of FRCA is discouraged, as it has been deprecated. FRCA might be removed in a future release. This release has no AFPA directives in the default configuration file.

Windows: The afpa.sys file is no longer copied during the installation to the C:\Windows\system32\drivers\ The afpa.sys file is still supplied in the installation directory for those who have used it in prior versions and want to continue using it.

Windows: No support for Vista, Windows 2008, or any 64-bit operating systems exists.

Read about deprecated features in the topic about deprecated features.

Read about Fast Response Cache Accelerator operational restrictions for information on restrictions and limitations.

When FRCA is enabled, the default configuration setting allows all static files to be cached. The cache automatically loads during server operation so that individual files do not need to be listed. Use the AfpaCache directive to turn caching on or off for specific directories.

FRCA will remove files from the cache when they change to avoid serving stale content.

• Configure FRCA.

  1. Windows: Copy the afpa.sys file from the IHS installation to the existing C:\Wndows\system32\drivers if it is not already present. The afpa.sys file might already be in the if an earlier version of IHS has been previously installed on the system.

  2. Edit the httpd.conf configuration file by commenting out the Listen directive, and adding the following statements:

     ##
       LoadModule ibm_afpa_module modules/mod_afpa_cache.so
       
         AfpaEnable
         AfpaCache on
         AfpaPort  80
         AfpaLogFile "/logs/afpalog" V-ECLF

• Enable IHS for dynamic page caching. You can use FRCA with WAS to cache certain dynamically-generated servlet and JavaServer Pages (JSP) files. This feature is only available on Windows versions of IBM HTTP Server.

  The afpaplugin_22.dll component that is compatible with IBM HTTP Server V7.0 must be configured by WAS.

  For details on how to enable this capability, see the external caching description in the WebSphere Application Server documentation.

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Subtopics

AIX: Windows: Customizing Fast Response Cache Accelerator logging

AIX: Windows: Restrictions on cached content

AIX: Windows: Fast Response Cache Accelerator operational restrictions

Windows: Servlets and JavaServer Pages files caching

AIX: AIX considerations for Fast Response Cache Accelerator (FRCA)

AIX: Windows: AFPA directives

 

Related reference

AIX: Windows: Deprecated features