1) The most important component is the I/O subsystem. Web activities are I/O
intensive. having a top-of-the line I/O subsystem is critical to performance. A high-performance web server should use ultra-wide SCI I/O cards and hard drives.
2) The network card is the gateway for data in and out of the web server. This card should allow for the fastest possible speed of data in and out of the box with a minimum of CPU intervention. A network interface card (NIC) capable of running at 10/100 Mbps may seem like overkill, but it is ideal for intranets and even for internet connectivity.
3) The specific amount of memory required will vary depending on what services and operating systems you choose. However, RAM is inexpensive. Considering that home systems now regularly run 16 GB of RAM, you should consider no less than 2 GB of RAM for your production server.
4) The processor is the least important hardware variable because it is least-used component in most web servers. Modern CPUs can process millions of instructions per second. You have the choice of RISC-based systems, such as IB AS 400 and Sun Sparc Stations , or intern-based systems, such as Intel's Pentium family of processors.
5) You can use systems that have more than one CPU. Many sites, for example, run boxes that hour or more CPUs.
6) Server software is a key factor in site performance.
You will learn more about this in the next lesson.
