“More than half of all Web servers are based on Apache freeware.
But despite the software’s low price (it’s free), you can make a
buck tuning Apache to run at its full potential.”
“Start by sizing up the machine. RAM is all-important for Web
servers. If the server hits the disk a lot (beyond normal
housekeeping work), you need more RAM.”
“Apache’s foundation is the underlying operating system, so make
sure that it’s tuned for the task. You can begin by making sure you
have the latest OS version. We recommend the BSD Unixes. You
also should eliminate all services that don’t absolutely have to be
running, such as e-mail (you can receive mail via a separate mail
server). And don’t run a GUI; it consumes resources that are best
used for Web service.“