Performance analysis and optimization

[Rastadisasta]

Greetings people from the Mapserver list!

I am a geo-informatics student from Austria. In the next half year i 
will write my degree thesis about UMN Mapserver systems. The topic will 
likely be called as “Performance analysis and optimization of UMN 
Mapserver systems”. In this study i will try to check many different 
adjustments in a network lab without any influences which could 
sophisticate the result.
I will analyze:
• Vector data in different formats:
postgres, shape, dxf;
• Data access
spatial indices,
query optimization,…
• Mapserver with different operating systems
Linux Debian,
Windows Server 2003
• Mapfile adjustments
Anti-aliasing, outputformat,…
• Mapserver access (maybe)
mapscript, cgi,
• Mapserver with different Hardware (maybe)

The tests will be
• normal measurements of time and
• stress- tests where I generate many requests in a fixed time.

After testing the systems I will analyze the results and develop some 
optimization strategies.

And now my Questions:
• Are there somewhere existing any publications or contributions about 
this theme?
• What is your opinion about these things? Have you tips or suggestions?

I will be very delighted if you can help me.

Best regards,
Hansi