I. Preliminary Considerations

1. The Blunt Instruments
Improving Performance from the Browser Side
Improving Performance from the Server Side
Key Recommendations

2. Capacity Planning
Capacity Planning Is Preemptive Performance Tuning
Methodology
Questions to Ask
How Much Bandwidth Do You Need?
How Fast a Server Do You Need?
How Much Memory Do You Need?
Architecture Scaling Options
Key Recommendations

3. Web Performance Measurement
Parameters of Performance
Benchmark Specifications and Benchmark Tests
Web Performance Measuring Tools and Services
Key Recommendations

4. Case Studies
Example Performance Problems, Diagnoses,and Solutions
Methodology for Performance Consulting
Sample Configurations
Key Recommendation

5. Principles and Patterns
Principles of Performance Tuning
Patterns of Performance Improvement
Key Recommendations

II. Tuning in Depth

6. Client Software
Brief History of the Web Browser
How Browsers Work
Popular Browsers
Browser Speed
Browser Tuning Tips
Figuring Out Why the Browser Is Hanging
Key Recommendations

7. Client Operating System
Macintosh
Microsoft Windows
Unix
Key Recommendations

8. Client Hardware
PC Hardware
Key Recommendations

9. Network Hardware
Lines and Terminators
Intranets
Network Modeling Tools
The Internet
PTTs
Key Recommendations

10. Network Protocols
Power and Protocols
The Protocols of the Web
Key Recommendations

11. Server Hardware
How Server Hardware Is Different
Network Interface Card
Bus
Memory
CPU
Disk
Key Recommendations

12. Server Operating System
Unix and the Origin of the Web
Unix Flavors
Processes and the Kernel
The Filesystem
The Windowing System
Versions and Patches
Configurable OS Parameters
Unix OS Monitoring Tools
Unix Versus NT as the Web Server OS
Key Recommendations

13. Server Software
Inside Web Server Software
Common Server Parameters
Servers
Proxy Servers
Firewalls
Key Recommendations

14. Content
Size Matters
HTML
Graphics
Audio
Video
Key Recommendations

15. CGI Programs
CGI Internals and Performance Problems
General CGI Tips
CGI Language-Specific Optimization Tips
Daemonize It
CGI Database Access Performance
Key Recommendations

16. Java
What Java Does for You
Java Compared to Native Code
Why It's Getting Better
Performance Tips: What You Can Do
Key Recommendations

17. Databases
Do You Really Need a Relational Database?
Performance Tips
Key Recommendations

III. Appendixes

A. Netscape Enterprise Server 3.0 Tuning
B. Apache Performance Notes
C. Solaris 2.x-Tuning Your TCP/IP Stack and More