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Application Server Performance

Gzip Compression

Gzip (GNU zip) is a data compression routine similar to the common zip format. Most popular web browsers support gzip compression because it provides excellent compression and is unencumbered by patents, so almost all applications and users will benefit from this addition.

 

If the Application Server detects that a client (web browser) supports gzip, it will compress data that it sends to the client if the data is not already in a compressed format (e.g. JPEG images). In the case of a typical HTML or A5W page, the compression is often greater than 70%, so the response is received by the client much quicker. For example, pipeboost.com provides an online tool to measure the impact that compression has on a specific web page. Using that tool to test Example 1.23 in the Application Server Sample Pages shows a download speed improvement of over 570%.

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