Site resources: PHP threads, memory, and CPU

Every site runs in its own isolated container on an Avaloi server. Your plan sets how much work the container can do at once. This page explains the numbers you see on a site's Info tab.

PHP threads

A PHP thread handles one uncached request at a time. Pages served from the cache do not use a thread, so most visits never reach PHP. Threads matter for logged-in users, carts and checkouts, the admin area, and pages that are not cached yet.

Plan	PHP threads	PHP memory pool
Starter	2	512 MB
Pro	4	1 GB
Business 1	6	1.5 GB
Business 2	8	2 GB
Business 3	12	3 GB
Agency	12	3 GB
Enterprise 1	16	4 GB

Each thread gets 256 MB of memory, so the pool is the threads times 256 MB. A PHP memory add-on raises the pool.

When all threads are busy, new uncached requests wait in line. If your site often waits, a larger plan or caching more pages helps more than anything else.

Database and other memory

Your site's database gets its own memory on top of the PHP pool: a quarter of the pool, at least 128 MB. The container also keeps memory for its PHP code cache, the web server, and SSH. The container's memory is reserved for your site. Avaloi does not hand the same memory to two sites.

CPU

A live site has no fixed CPU limit. It can use every core of its server when they are free. When several sites are busy at once, each gets a share in line with its plan, so a busy neighbor cannot take your share.

Staging

Staging and multidev environments use a single CPU core and 2 PHP threads. Premium staging gets half of live's PHP threads and also uses one core. That keeps staging cheap; it is not meant for load tests.

Page cache

Pages for visitors who are not logged in are cached on the server. The cache skips logged-in users, carts and checkouts, the admin area, login, and form posts, so those always see fresh content. Avaloi clears the cache when you publish or update content.