Sun Java System Web Server

Performance Benchmarks

Sun Java System Web Server

KeyLabs recently benchmarked the Java System Web Server 6.0 and 6.1 against Apache 2.0, Tomcat, and OpenSSL. The ratio of static to dynamic (e.g., JSPs) content was 70/30. The test results are summarized below. The full report is available online.

Metric: Concurrent Users per Server
Rationale: This metric measures connection handling efficiency. The more concurrent users per server, the better the return-on-investment on the hardware and software.
Results: The Java System Web Server can handle 50% more concurrent users per server, 200% more when using SSL. In effect, the Java System Web Server requires 50% less hardware to handle an identical workload as compared to Apache and Tomcat.

Metric: Page Load Times
Rationale: This metric measures raw performance. Defined, it measures the time it takes to load all elements of a page, and is an aggregation of connect, send, response, and process times.
Results: The Java System Web Server is 8x faster, 24x faster when using SSL.

Metric: Error Rates
Rationale: This metric measures error rates (e.g., 404 errors) under heavy load. Supporting peak/flash crowds are critical, especially in e-commerce or customer service environments.
Results: On average, the Java System Web Server had 24x fewer errors than Apache and Tomcat. KeyLab notes, "The Apache/ Tomcat configuration did not respond as well to rapidly increasing load level."