If you use GrabPERF on a regular basis, the somewhat flaky navigation method has become second nature to you. In fact, to circumvent some of the idiosyncrasies, you have probably bookmarked your favourite pages.

Yesterday, I broke your links.

When I redesigned GrabPERF in February 2006, I had just discover the require function in PHP, and decided to build the entire the structure using a single container page as the framework, and individual functions called using URL parameters.

As time went on, my own “brilliance” started to get in the way of maintaining and updating the code. It took me 10-15 minutes to figure out how I constructed pages, and then find the right code to fix or update.

Yesterday, I got completely fed up with this structure.

Now, all functions have their own unique pages, making maintenance a snap. And as an added benefit, I can now effectively track the usage of individual pages, so I know where to through development efforts.

Some of the changes.

http://grabperf.org/homepage.php?page=compare&test=2&tests%5B%5D=276&tests%5B%5D=277&tests%5B%5D=279&tests%5B%5D=280

becomes

http://grabperf.org/compare.php?test=2&tests%5B%5D=276&tests%5B%5D=277&tests%5B%5D=279&tests%5B%5D=280

http://grabperf.org/homepage.php?page=scatter&test=277&hours=2

becomes

http://grabperf.org/scatter.php?test=277&hours=2

I apologize for the confusion that this may cause, but in the long run, this will help me make the code better, and more robust.

Tags: book, content, design, GrabPERF, GrabPERF.org, HTTP, IE, IM, improvement, ISP, it, maintain, maintenance, Om, optimize, Pages, performance, PHP, pr, run, Technorati, update, web, Web Performance

My side project, GrabPERF, is looking for a few good measurement locations.

Right now, there are only five measurement locations, two of which are in my basement, on my personal Internet connection. I am hoping, through this pledge drive, to find a number of additional locations. Areas desperately needed include:

• East Coast, USA
• West Coast, USA
• Midwest, USA
• UK
• Asia-Pac
• Southeast Asia
• Australia / New Zealand

Yeah, I know. I am asking for the world. Can’t hurt to try though.

Basic requirements are a Linux box with a static IP address. Additional requirements are documented here.

You can express your interest in hosting a measurement site by filling in the GrabPERF Contact Form or contacting me directly.

Thank you for your continuing support.

Tags: GrabPERF, measurement locations, Web performance

Tags: Asia, Australia, contact form, GrabPERF, GrabPERF.org, HTTP, IE, Internet, IP, ip address, it, LAN, Linux, measurement, New Zealand, Om, performance, personal, PHP, pr, Technorati, web, Web Performance, Web+performance

One of the performance hits that the GrabPERF system has is the dynamic generation of the main page. The nature of the SQL calls and the underlying PHP makes it scale exponentially past a certain number of measurements.

Last night, Kevin Burton made a grand suggestion: generate a static page on a regular schedule.

Duh!

Today, I wrote the script that does this. The performance of the main page has adjusted accordingly.

Yikes!

UPDATE: Ian Holsman reminded that if I use cURL, I can use the exiting PHP to build the pages without a PERL script.

I. AM. AN. IDIOT.

Now, bedtime.

Technorati Tags: GrabPERF, Web+performance, PHP, MySQL, Dynamic+pages, Static+pages, HTML

Tags: ARIN, bbc, blog, GrabPERF, hits, HTML, HTTP, IE, IM, improvement, IP, it, LAN, measurement, mysql, Om, One, Pages, performance, performance improvement, Perl, PHP, pr, Technorati, update, web, Web+performance

I took the big leap today and upgraded the base Web server to Apache 2.2.3. This required some finagling with httpd.conf file, and a re-build of PHP, but once that was done, the app bounced up happy as a clam.

As usual, let me know if you see anything unusual — with the server, not with the author.

Technorati Tags: Apache, Apache 2.2.3, PHP

Tags: apache, app, HTTP, it, Om, One, PHP, server, Technorati, web, Web server

In order to reduce personal costs for both connectivity and electricity, this Web server and all associated applications will no longer be available as of 14:00 EST (19:00 GMT) November 22, 2005.

I am deeply saddened to have to take this step, but the cost of operating them is becoming a burden to my family.

Thank you all for your support over the years.

I hope to have this blog back up at another location sometime in early December.

Tags: app, application, blog, connectivity, IM, it, Om, personal, server, web, Web server