Should I use FastCGI or SuPHP for my VPS?

Question

I have a VPS running Centos and a Cpanel installation. 2 GB RAM.

It currently runs Apache 1.3.42. I could also use 2.0.64 or 2.2.22, should I upgrade?

PHP (5.3) runs as SuPHP.

I'm wondering if I should stick with the current setup? Or should I implement FastCGI and use a PHP opcode cache (APC, XCache, etc)?

I'd like to use an opcode cache if possible to speed up my page generation time, however I've read that running FastCGI on a VPS can increase the server load.

What are the security implications of SuPHP versus FastCGI?

Answer 1

I will recommend FastCGI PHP handler as FastCGI a faster way to serve PHP requests than using suPHP.FastCGI is good at reducing CPU usage by leveraging your server's available RAM to keep PHP scripts in memory instead of having to start up a separate PHP process for each and every PHP request, It's major benefits are CPU performance and the ability to use opcode caching.

Answer 2

Usually, FastCGI PHP handler serves the PHP requests more faster than suPHP. FastCGI is typically good when you want to reduce the CPU usage. It utilizes the server's FREE RAM storing PHP scripts in memory instead of starting a separate PHP process for each incoming PHP requests. In other words, unlike suPHP, FastCGI do not need single PHP process execution per PHP request. However, there are certain disadvantages of this approach, usually, FastCGI is memory intensive as it keeps PHP sessions opened in the background in RAM for quicker access. FastCGI PHP handler is ideal when you have good amount of free available RAM and you have experienced excessive PHP executions requests due to suPHP handlers.