caching (nginx) and/or Redis for WP speed optimisation

[Peter Downes]

Server operating system version

CloudLinux 7.9 (Boris Yegorov)

Plesk version and microupdate number

Version 18.0.47 Update #5

Hi

I'd like to understand how best to speed up the performance of our hosted WordPress sites.

I've read that these is no need to run WP Toolkit caching (nginx) alongside a WP performance plugin.

Does Redis work run alongside WP Toolkit caching (nginx) or a WP performance plugin or should I configure one of these?

Thanks

 

[Kaspar]

Redis can be used independent of the WPT (and Nginx caching). Both (Redis and Nginx caching) can be used alongside each other. They are completely different caching mechanisms.

Plesk has no specific support for managing Redis. But it should not be an issue to install and use Redis on a server running Plesk.

FWIW, I found little performance gain in using Redis on WordPress sites. In my experience Nginx caching yielded beter results, although I find it tricky to setup in Plesk. (Like listing all cookies in order to get Nginx to cache content).

 

[Peter Downes]

Thanks Kasper, that’s very helpful.
I’ll enable Redis but keep my expectations low.
Will update this thread with my experience.

In the meantime I found this Plesk article on nginx caching and, given the profile of my sites, I’m wary of using it.

Enabling nginx caching

Enabling nginx caching allows the nginx proxy server to cache certain website dynamic content. The cached data is sto...

docs.plesk.com

Enabling nginx caching can be useless or even harmful for websites with the following profile:

• Moderate or low traffic.
• The content is updated less often than every few seconds.

 

[IgorG]

I’ll enable Redis but keep my expectations low.

I hope this Plesk blog article will be helpful: How to Optimize WordPress with Redis and Docker

 

[Peter Downes]

Thanks. Discovered I need to pay for licence in order to use it. Just wondering if, unlike nginx caching, Redis is always a ‘neutral’ or positive asset, never harmful….

 

[Peter Downes]

Found this,

“If your WordPress site is static and all it needs to load are a stylesheet and some images, for example, you’re not going to see any difference in you use object caching. So, if your site gets a lot of traffic or you’re expecting it will soon, and it’s dynamic, you should consider using object caching..”

What is Redis Object Caching and How to Use It for Your WordPress Site

Redis object caching can vastly speed up your WordPress page load times. It’s an incredibly popular option: here’s how to use it and set it up.

wp-rocket.me

 

[IgorG]

Discovered I need to pay for licence in order to use it.

Do you mean a license for the Docker extension?
Anyway, you always instal Redis directly on your server. Some time ago, I wrote this instruction: Instruction - How to install latest Redis server

 

[Peter Downes]

Thanks Igor

I get the following warning when I launch Docker in my Plesk dashboard:

“Warning: Local Docker nodes cannot be deployed in this environment. Only remote Docker nodes are available. Refer to this document for more information about the environment suitable for local Docker nodes.
You can use remote Docker nodes only if you have the paid version of the Docker extension. You can buy the extension here.”

I checked with my SysAdmin and they replied

“Please be informed that you need to purchase the paid version of the Docker extension in order to install Redis on the server. This is due to the fact that only the remote Docker is supported by the CloudLinux server.”

If I understood you correctly your suggesting I could ask them to install Redis directly, bypassing Docker?

(BTW fyi it looks like the Simple Cache plugin you link to in your tutorial hasn’t been updated for a while.)

 

[IgorG]

@Peter Downes Yes, Local Docker is supported in Plesk for the following operating systems: CentOS 7, RedHat 7, Debian 9, Ubuntu 18.04, AlmaLinux 8.x, and Rocky Linux 8.x. If I correctly understood, you have CloudLinux.
So, to save you the hassle of Docker, you can install Redis directly on your server with mentioned instructions.

 

[Peter Downes]

Thanks @IgorG

I'll raise this with my SysAdmin.

 

[thinkjarvis]

I too noticed little performance difference using REDIS in a Docker Container. I use the Bitnami implementation because it comes with a few extra variables that make setup easier.

I have disabled it for now but may re-visit in the future.
This will benefit WooCommerce sites more than others. I could tell it was working because when changes were made in Wordpress and WP-Rocket Caches cleared - There were still items that were not updating - Dynamic stylesheet info is stored in the DB for instance with my theme.