Nginx Cache Config with Multiple Disk Drives

Server NGINX
1

Hi,

I am looking for guidance on how best to configure Nginx Proxy Cache in
a multi-disk drive environment. Our typical server setup is such that
each drive is its own partition, for example, if we have a 10 drive
server we may setup drives 4-10 for storage such as:

/dev/sdd1 /nginx/cached
/dev/sde1 /nginx/cachee
/dev/sdf1 /nginx/cachef
/dev/sdg1 /nginx/cacheg
/dev/sdh1 /nginx/cacheh
/dev/sdi1 /nginx/cachei
/dev/sdj1 /nginx/cachej

I see that in the Nginx Proxy config, you can have multiple
proxy_cache_path directives, each of which can point to the various disk
drives. The proxy_cache directive is then used to determine which zone
is used for a given configuration block (http, server, location).
However, I am unable to determine how to spread the cache across the
multiple drives as essentially a shared resource. Having to define which
disk to use for each server or location block is undesirable as we don’t
want to leave some disks underutilized and others over utilized.

Any guidance as to how best configure Nginx for this situation would be
greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Kevin

2

Hello!

On Fri, Jul 19, 2013 at 04:33:56PM +0000, Johns, Kevin wrote:

/dev/sdf1 /nginx/cachef
to spread the cache across the multiple drives as essentially a
shared resource. Having to define which disk to use for each
server or location block is undesirable as we don’t want to
leave some disks underutilized and others over utilized.

Any guidance as to how best configure Nginx for this situation
would be greatly appreciated.

There are two basic options:

  • create one filesystem over multiple disks, using software RAID
    or something like

  • use symlinks to spread nginx’s proxy cache path hierarchy over
    multiple filesystems, see levels= description at
    Module ngx_http_proxy_module

–
Maxim D.
http://nginx.org/en/donation.html

3

On 7/20/13 2:58 AM, “Maxim D.” [email protected] wrote:

storage such as:
proxy_cache_path directives, each of which can point to the

There are two basic options:

  • create one filesystem over multiple disks, using software RAID
    or something like

Yes this is something we are looking at as well.

  • use symlinks to spread nginx’s proxy cache path hierarchy over
    multiple filesystems, see levels= description at
    Module ngx_http_proxy_module

I read over the configuration and am not sure I understand what you
suggest. Can you elaborate?

4

Hello!

On Sat, Jul 20, 2013 at 05:21:27PM +0000, Johns, Kevin wrote:

I am looking for guidance on how best to configure Nginx Proxy
/dev/sdi1 /nginx/cachei
leave some disks underutilized and others over utilized.

  • use symlinks to spread nginx’s proxy cache path hierarchy over
    multiple filesystems, see levels= description at
    Module ngx_http_proxy_module

I read over the configuration and am not sure I understand what you
suggest. Can you elaborate?

Assuming levels=1 and two disks:

proxy_cache_path /path/to/cache levels=1 ...

$ cd /path/to/cache
$ for i in 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7; do mkdir /disk1/$i; ln -s /disk1/$i .; done;
$ for i in 8 9 a b c d e f; do mkdir /disk2/$i; ln -s /disk2/$i .; done;

–
Maxim D.
http://nginx.org/en/donation.html