max concurrent db users = RAM (GB) * 50
max browsing users = max concurrent db users * 5.
http://docs.moodle.org/en/Installing_Moodle
Secondly, if you are using Apache 2, then you should turn on the AcceptPathInfo variable, which allows scripts to be passed arguments like http://server/file.php/arg1/arg2. This is essential to allow relative links between your resources, and also provides a performance boost for people using your Moodle web site. You can turn this on by adding these lines to your httpd.conf file. AcceptPathInfo on
Check out Cron jobs for things like RSS heartbeat
http://docs.moodle.org/en/Cron
Check out backup scheme
http://docs.moodle.org/en/Backup_settings
Use netstat -a to review open network ports
Security
Use a rootkit detector on a regular basis
Linux/MacOSX - http://www.chkrootkit.org/
System monitoring
Before attempting any optimization, you should obtain a baseline benchmark of the component of the system you are trying to improve. For Linux try LBS and for Windows use the Performance Monitor
For Linux look at the Linux Performance Team site.
For Linux investigate the hdparm command, e.g. hdparm -m16 -d1 can be used to enable read/write on multiple sectors and DMA. Mount disks with the async and noatime options.
Web server performance
Installing Firefox and the firebug extension will allow you to watch the time it takes for each page component to load. Also, the Yslow extension will evaluate your page against Yahoo's 14 rules (video) for fast loading websites.
blocks to add
- Activities Podcast
- Contact Form Block: email the instructor
- Birthday block
- Bulk user deletion
- Content Management system
- DF Wiki
- Drag-and-drop series (3 of them)
- Flash series (3 of them)
- Image Slideshow
- mail?
- media player - many out there
- Journal
- Learning Resources block
- Manual -or- Tutorial: HTML book
- Message System Restrictions Settings
- newsfeed
- Planning block
- scheduler: schedule time with teacher
- stamp collection
- webquest
