Skip to content

Application Server NG

Description

We offer standard servers for the most common application hosting requirements; their sizes and configurations are based on our experience and customer requests. They represent our best practices:

  • Application server A+ for Apache and PHP,
  • Application server P+ for Nginx and PHP, and
  • Application server J+ for Java

Multiple application servers can be combined—using appropriate load balancing—to achieve higher performance and availability. In addition the popular programming languages ​​PHP and Java, we naturally support others such as Python and Ruby.

Our goals for this service

  • Enable horizontal scaling of your setup by adding application servers
  • Rapid, cost-effective deployment of standard servers and setups
  • Simplified ordering process

What you can expect from our service

  • Scalability
  • Robustness
  • High availability
  • Configurations tested against our best practices

Optional service features

  • Load balancing
  • Redundancy
  • SSL
  • Performance tuning
  • Custom additional modules and configurations
  • Zero-downtime deployment

Service requests

  • Service restart
  • Cache clearing
  • Compression configuration
  • Simple configuration changes
  • Performance scaling

Standard Configurations

We offer two distinct standard solutions for application servers; these differ in the technology used and depend on the programming language to be supported. If these options do not meet your requirements, or if you would like assistance with setup, please contact our consulting team to develop a solution tailored to your specific needs.

Application Server A+

This server is based on an Apache web server with integrated mod_php, where the PHP interpreter is embedded directly into the Apache process. This variant offers superior performance compared to CGI implementation and represents the industry best practice.

Modules

The following modules are always installed by us and are available immediately at no extra cost:

  • Bcmath
  • Bz2
  • Dba
  • Mbstring
  • Soap
  • XML
  • ZIP

We are also happy to provide the standard php.ini configuration file upon request.

Extensions

The following extensions are available as standard and can be installed upon request:

  • Ioncube
  • Memcache
  • Newrelic
  • Opcache
  • Redis
  • Tideways
  • zendguardloader

Application Server P+

Similar to Application Server A, but using nginx instead of Apache and PHP-FPM instead of mod_php.

Application Server J+

We use Tomcat as the servlet container for Java-based web applications; in the standard configuration, Tomcat operates as a standalone web server.

Our trending tool gives you access to service-specific historical data—such as the following for Apache:

  • Hits per second
  • Active workers

Tomcat

  • Java Heap Space (max available)
  • Java Heap Space (current)
  • Java PermGen (max available)
  • Java PermGen (current)

...allowing you to analyze and optimize the services.

Optional Features/Configurations

Application Server P+

Settings

If our standard configuration is not optimal for your application, we would be happy to customize it.

Application Server J+

SSL

By default, data exchange with Tomcat is unencrypted. As a best practice, we offer a setup combining Tomcat with Nginx as a reverse proxy; this allows Nginx to handle SSL encryption and enables the use of Let’s Encrypt.

Load Balancing Round-robin load balancing can also be implemented using Nginx. If you use our hardware load balancer for your setup, additional load-balancing algorithms are available. Please contact our consulting team for details.

Zero-Downtime Deployments

Rapidly adapting applications to meet customer needs and quickly fixing errors are just two of the demands your customers make. Yet, at the same time, they will not tolerate any interruption in service usage. What previously seemed possible only in the container world is now achievable with our fully managed hosting. We work with you to develop a strategy for the uninterrupted rollout of new software versions to your application servers. This process is based on our new deployment module, which enables automated updates. A key feature is the inclusion of custom pre- and post-deployment tasks, which also run fully automatically. You place your software on a transfer server (usually the admin server in your setup), from which the new version of your application is deployed to your application servers. Crucially, the application servers are never updated all at once, ensuring the service remains accessible to customers.

Application Server Sizes

Our application servers are specialized versions of our Managed Cloud Instances (see "Elastic Cloud Instance PVC NG"). Their CPU, RAM, and disk specifications are based on typical customer requirements. However, since your needs may differ, we also offer other sizes. You can also find these details in our "Elastic Cloud Instance PVC" document. Please feel free to contact us if you are unsure about the best size for your requirements. Upon request, we would be happy to provide a quote for larger or smaller Managed Cloud Instances tailored to your performance needs.

FAQ

Can I get more detailed information on the parameters and configurations?

Yes, please feel free to contact your project manager or service manager. If you are already a customer, you can also submit your request via a ticket in our support.

Can I use Let's Encrypt certificates?

Yes, you can do so when using Nginx as a load balancer. Your certificates will then be renewed automatically.

I'm not sure what the right configuration is for my setup. How can I find out?

Contact your agency—or our consulting team, if you are not working with an agency—to determine the right configuration for your setup.

Why are the standard application servers size L+?

We consider two factors to be particularly important for user satisfaction: your application's response time during page loads and the speed at which page content is delivered. Thanks to its additional CPU power and memory, an L+ server offers configuration options that allow for more concurrent requests while also accelerating each individual request. This boosts user satisfaction.

Important Notes

  • We offer the services on the application servers as a managed service. You can find further information and details about our managed services on our website
  • We host your application but does not operate it. You are responsible for the application's lifecycle management and operation. We would be happy to assist you with this if you wish. Please contact our Service Management Team to learn more.