Abyss Web Server 2.16 adds HTTP/2 support

admin · 2021-09-14T08:53:39+00:00

Dear all, We're very happy today to announce the immediate availability of a new major milestone in Abyss Web Server's history: Version 2.16 has been release...

jxxaxxy

I also noticed since this version on windwows. It doesn't shut down all the php scripts running when stopping the service. Hopefully they can fix that too.

tfh

jxxaxxy wrote
I also noticed since this version on windwows. It doesn't shut down all the php scripts running when stopping the service. Hopefully they can fix that too.

Correct.. There are a few problems on Windows with 2.16.02.
* a build up of CGI/Fast CGI PHP.exe files that don't get closed after being used.
* After a certain time, abbyssws.exe stopt closing used threads, causing more and more threads to be opened and eventually causing abyssws to stop accepting connections or even crash.
This does seem to depend on the server load. A light website with only a few visitors will probable not suffer from this issue or only very limited.
A page with a lost of resources and more visitors wil display these problems a lot more. I wasn't able to keep 2.16.xx running for 24 hours before causing problems.
I've already tested quite some other versions sent to me by the support team. These guys are working very very hard to solve the probems. But I couldn't accept the downtime anymore, so last week I've returned to 2.14.02 and all is stable now... But the lack of http2 does make my site a lot slower.
I really hope the programmers are able to fix these issue soon.
but right now, i'd recommend downgrading to 2.14.02 if you're running Abyss Webserver on Windows (10??).

pkSML

tfh wrote

jxxaxxy wrote
I also noticed since this version on windwows. It doesn't shut down all the php scripts running when stopping the service. Hopefully they can fix that too.
Correct.. There are a few problems on Windows with 2.16.02.
* a build up of CGI/Fast CGI PHP.exe files that don't get closed after being used.
* After a certain time, abbyssws.exe stopt closing used threads, causing more and more threads to be opened and eventually causing abyssws to stop accepting connections or even crash.
This does seem to depend on the server load. A light website with only a few visitors will probable not suffer from this issue or only very limited.
A page with a lost of resources and more visitors wil display these problems a lot more. I wasn't able to keep 2.16.xx running for 24 hours before causing problems.
I've already tested quite some other versions sent to me by the support team. These guys are working very very hard to solve the probems. But I couldn't accept the downtime anymore, so last week I've returned to 2.14.02 and all is stable now... But the lack of http2 does make my site a lot slower.
I really hope the programmers are able to fix these issue soon.
but right now, i'd recommend downgrading to 2.14.02 if you're running Abyss Webserver on Windows (10??).

I'm running Abyss on Linux primarily, but I had the same issue. Many PHP processes were spawned, but they never terminated. It ate up my RAM and crashed my server. They resolved the issue for Linux back in April of 2019.
It does seem strange that the Windows problem is popping up with the release of Abyss that supports HTTP/2 though.

MarcoAmara

Thanks for the version release.

admin

Hi all,
Thanks mainly to tfh's help as well as others who have send us reports, we were able to fix the issues you have described.
First of all, please note that the issue is not about HTTP/2: It is rather specific to the Windows version of Abyss Web Server and occurs only under some conditions. A deadlock inside Windows' NTDLL.DLL triggers a massive thread leak and misbehavior which causes a lot of damage to the process.
Some dangling Windows handles were also causing trouble after a long process lifetime.
All these issues affect only the Windows version.
The good news is that we have fixed them all. tfh has already a version that works fine (except for a minor unrelated issue that we're fixing right now.)
So we can confidently say that the problem is over and that a new revision is imminent.

tfh

I'm happy to have helped with the testing. I also want to note that I am positively impressed about your support and how much effort you guys have put in solving these issues.
I see 123 e-mails back and forth in my e-mail box and 8 or 9 test-versions. But... we're there and the current version runs nicely.
It was a pleasure working with you guys!

admin

tfh,
123 emails! We were not aware that it took much exchanges to get solved.
All the credits goes to your legendary patience and very detailed reports. Without your help, it would have taken a lot of time to detect the origin of this awkward bug.

jxxaxxy

Any idea on when the new Windows version will be released?

admin

jxxaxxy wrote
Any idea on when the new Windows version will be released?

We're polishing it and integrating some extra improvements. But you can get the latest "test" revision which is confirmed to work fine by contacting us.

tfh

Extra improvements? Hmmm... tfh is curious :)

admin

tfh wrote
Extra improvements? Hmmm... tfh is curious :)

This is a revision release so the improvements are mostly invisible on the surface.
They are mostly about speed ups for some operations and minor reverse-proxy enhancements in some use cases.
By the way, since HTTP/2 is now stable and working fine, the path is clear for working on adding new features in the next minor release.
Your suggestions for features are welcome.

tfh

Well, I do have some "wishes" :)
I'd like a "server start/stop/restart" button in the webinterface :) It would have been quite hepfull in te recent period.
Something I would also like to see: Serverwide settings for headers/expires/compression/et... with the option per host to make alternative settings.
I have some 15 hosts set up, and if I would like to add a setting later on, I have to do it 15 times.
option for realtime minification for .html/js/css
A auto-generated page giving some historical & realtime data/graphics (serverwide or per host) showing info like number of visitors, connection, data, compression, threads, restarts, uptime, hits on certain file-types, etc...

tfh

tfh wrote

A auto-generated page giving some historical & realtime data/graphics (serverwide or per host) showing info like number of visitors, connection, data, compression, threads, restarts, uptime, hits on certain file-types, etc...

And this selectable by day/week/month/year ;)

admin

tfh,
Thank you for the brainstorming. Please keep the ideas flowing.

JohnEDee

Oh please, Santa, I've been good! Automation of DNS-based LetsEncrypt Challenges. :-)

JohnEDee

Oh also everything that tfh said, especially "Serverwide settings for headers/expires/compression/etc", as I've had the same issue with having to change those settings on a bunch of sites to the exact same thing, to comply with what the cyber-insurance people want to see on even tiny little redirection websites.

admin

JohnEDee,
Thank you for the suggestions.

rayleech

admin wrote
It is rather specific to the Windows version of Abyss Web Server and occurs only under some conditions. A deadlock inside Windows' NTDLL.DLL triggers a massive thread leak and misbehavior which causes a lot of damage to the process.
Some dangling Windows handles were also causing trouble after a long process lifetime.
So we can confidently say that the problem is over and that a new revision is imminent.

I've been having trouble with my security scan vendor being able to complete scans against my website since I upgraded to 2.16.0.2. They make hundreds of requests for files that do not exist on the server, and even at the slowest rate, the scans fail and usually take down Abyss.
Happy to report that the 2.16.1.9 version is working well, and has resolved all my security scan problems.

admin

rayleech wrote
Happy to report that the 2.16.1.9 version is working well, and has resolved all my security scan problems.

Thank you for the great feedback.

devastator82

HTTP/2 has make my decision to return back to the Abyss web server (after more thank year).
Repurchased license again. Works properly.
I hope maybe one day we will see a HTTP/3 :D

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