{"id":1352,"date":"2013-12-20T08:51:38","date_gmt":"2013-12-20T08:51:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/iserversupport.com\/?p=1352"},"modified":"2025-11-12T16:02:51","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T16:02:51","slug":"install-nginx-varnish-with-apache-in-plesk-server","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iserversupport.com\/blog\/install-nginx-varnish-with-apache-in-plesk-server\/","title":{"rendered":"Install Nginx and Varnish with Apache in Plesk Server \u2013 Speed Up Websites Instantly"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/h2>\n

Introduction<\/b><\/h3>\n

If your Plesk server feels sluggish under load, it\u2019s probably because Apache alone can\u2019t handle hundreds of concurrent requests efficiently. That\u2019s where Nginx<\/b><\/span> and Varnish Cache<\/b><\/span> come in. Together, they form a powerful reverse-proxy layer that accelerates websites, reduces CPU load, and improves response times dramatically.<\/p>\n

In this guide, you\u2019ll learn how to install and configure Nginx and Varnish alongside Apache<\/b><\/span> on a Plesk-based server. We\u2019ll cover architecture, installation, configuration, and best practices for stability and cache optimization.<\/p>\n

\n

1. Why Combine Nginx, Varnish, and Apache?<\/b><\/h3>\n

A default Plesk setup uses Apache<\/b><\/span> as the main web server and Nginx<\/b><\/span> as a reverse proxy. Apache handles PHP execution (through PHP-FPM or mod_php), while Nginx serves static files and buffers requests.<\/p>\n

But when your site starts receiving heavy traffic or dynamic pages (like WordPress, Joomla, or WooCommerce), even that combination can get overwhelmed.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where Varnish Cache<\/b><\/span> makes a massive difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Component<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Role<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Performance Impact<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

\n

Varnish<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Full-page caching layer that serves pre-generated responses directly from memory<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u26a1 Extreme speed improvement<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Nginx<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Reverse proxy in front of Apache; handles static files and manages concurrency<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\ud83d\ude80 Low latency, better scalability<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Apache<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Backend web server; executes PHP and dynamic logic<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\ud83e\udde0 Core application processing<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The request flow becomes:<\/p>\n

Client \u2192 Varnish \u2192 Nginx \u2192 Apache \u2192 PHP-FPM \u2192 MySQL<\/code><\/pre>\n
This chain ensures that repeat requests rarely hit Apache or PHP, saving CPU and memory.<\/p>\n
\n
2. Prerequisites<\/b><\/h3>\n
Before starting:<\/p>\n
    \n
  • \n
    A VPS or dedicated server running Plesk Obsidian (18.x+)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n
  • \n
    Root SSH access<\/b><\/p>\n<\/li>\n
  • \n
    Ensure ports 80<\/span>, 443<\/span>, and 6081<\/span> (Varnish default) are open<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
  • \n
    Installed modules: <\/span>mod_proxy, <\/span>mod_headers, <\/span>php-fpm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    \n
    3. Step-by-Step Installation<\/b><\/h3>\n
    Step 1: Install Varnish<\/b><\/h4>\n
    # For Ubuntu \/ Debian\r\napt update\r\napt install varnish -y\r\n\r\n# For CentOS \/ AlmaLinux \/ Rocky\r\ndnf install varnish -y<\/code><\/pre>\n
    Check version:<\/p>\n
    varnishd -V<\/code><\/pre>\n
    By default, Varnish listens on port 6081<\/b><\/span>.<\/p>\n
    \n
    Step 2: Stop Apache from using Port 80<\/b><\/h4>\n
    Edit Plesk\u2019s Apache configuration to move Apache to port 8080<\/b><\/span> (since Varnish will take over port 80).<\/p>\n
    nano \/etc\/httpd\/conf\/httpd.conf\r\n# or \/etc\/apache2\/ports.conf\r\n\r\nListen 8080<\/code><\/pre>\n
    Restart Apache:<\/p>\n
    systemctl restart httpd\r\n# or\r\nsystemctl restart apache2<\/code><\/pre>\n
    \n
    Step 3: Configure Varnish to Listen on Port 80<\/b><\/h4>\n
    Edit \/etc\/varnish\/default.vcl<\/span> and define your backend (Apache):<\/p>\n
    backend default {\r\n    .host = \"127.0.0.1\";\r\n    .port = \"8080\";\r\n}<\/code><\/pre>\n
    Then update Varnish\u2019s systemd config:<\/p>\n
    nano \/etc\/systemd\/system\/multi-user.target.wants\/varnish.service<\/code><\/pre>\n
    Find:<\/p>\n
    ExecStart=\/usr\/sbin\/varnishd -a :6081<\/code><\/pre>\n
    Replace with:<\/p>\n
    ExecStart=\/usr\/sbin\/varnishd -a :80 -b 127.0.0.1:8080 -s malloc,256m<\/code><\/pre>\n
    Reload systemd and restart Varnish:<\/p>\n
    systemctl daemon-reload\r\nsystemctl restart varnish<\/code><\/pre>\n
    \n
    Step 4: Adjust Nginx Reverse Proxy in Plesk<\/b><\/h4>\n
    Plesk\u2019s Nginx should proxy requests to Varnish<\/b><\/span>, not directly to Apache.<\/p>\n
    Edit:<\/p>\n
    \/etc\/nginx\/plesk.conf.d\/server.conf<\/code><\/pre>\n
    Replace backend:<\/p>\n
    proxy_pass http:\/\/127.0.0.1:8080;<\/code><\/pre>\n
    with<\/p>\n
    proxy_pass http:\/\/127.0.0.1:80;<\/code><\/pre>\n
    Then reload services:<\/p>\n
    systemctl restart nginx\r\nsystemctl restart varnish<\/code><\/pre>\n
    \n
    4. Verify the Setup<\/b><\/h3>\n
    Run:<\/p>\n
    curl -I http:\/\/yourdomain.com<\/code><\/pre>\n
    You should see a header like:<\/p>\n
    Via: 1.1 varnish\r\nX-Cache: HIT<\/code><\/pre>\n
    If it says \u201cMISS\u201d initially, reload the page again \u2014 a \u201cHIT\u201d means caching works.<\/p>\n
    You can also monitor Varnish live:<\/p>\n
    varnishstat<\/code><\/pre>\n
    \n
    5. Fine-Tuning Varnish Cache for WordPress (Optional)<\/b><\/h3>\n
    For WordPress or dynamic CMSs, use a VCL configuration to exclude logged-in users and admin pages:<\/p>\n
    sub vcl_recv {\r\n    if (req.url ~ \"wp-admin\" || req.url ~ \"wp-login\") {\r\n        return (pass);\r\n    }\r\n    if (req.http.Cookie ~ \"wordpress_logged_in\") {\r\n        return (pass);\r\n    }\r\n}<\/code><\/pre>\n
    This prevents caching for admins and logged-in users but keeps it active for visitors.<\/p>\n
    \n
    6. Performance Tips<\/b><\/h3>\n
      \n
    • \n
      Enable HTTP\/2<\/b><\/span> and Brotli compression<\/b><\/span> in Plesk \u2192 Tools & Settings \u2192 Apache & Nginx Settings.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
    • \n
      Use Redis Object Cache<\/b><\/span> for dynamic data.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
    • \n
      Keep Varnish memory (malloc<\/span>) sized correctly \u2014 256 MB minimum for small sites, 1\u20132 GB for heavy traffic.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
    • \n
      Use a monitoring script<\/b><\/span> (like your cpumon.sh<\/span>) to track real CPU\/IO usage.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
    • \n
      If SSL is terminated at Nginx, make sure Varnish handles only HTTP (port 80).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
      \n
      7. Conclusion<\/b><\/h3>\n
      By combining Nginx<\/b><\/span>, Varnish<\/b><\/span>, and Apache<\/b><\/span> inside your Plesk environment, you achieve a near-CDN level of performance without relying on external caching layers.<\/p>\n
      Static requests fly through Nginx, cached pages load instantly from Varnish, and Apache only handles what\u2019s truly dynamic \u2014 resulting in a faster, more efficient, and more scalable hosting stack.<\/p>\n
      If you manage multiple client servers or WordPress-heavy workloads, this setup is one of the best low-cost performance boosts you can implement today.<\/p>\n
      \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
      Introduction If your Plesk server feels sluggish under load, it\u2019s probably because Apache alone can\u2019t handle hundreds of concurrent requests efficiently. That\u2019s where Nginx and Varnish Cache come in. Together, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nInstall Nginx and Varnish with Apache in Plesk server<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Step-by-step guide to install Nginx and Varnish with Apache in a Plesk server. 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