Research Group of Web Servers and Databases
Our research group investigates the performance, scalability, and reliability of modern web server architectures and database management systems. We focus on empirical benchmarking, distributed systems design, and optimization strategies for large-scale web infrastructure serving millions of concurrent requests.
As web infrastructure continues to evolve, understanding the trade-offs between server technologies and data storage engines is critical for building resilient, high-throughput systems. Our group bridges academic research with real-world production deployment challenges faced by system administrators and backend engineers.
Current Web Server Landscape
As of mid-2026, the web server market continues to be dominated by a small number of mature technologies, though the balance of power has shifted notably over the past decade. According to Netcraft's January 2026 survey, responses were collected from over 1.37 billion sites across nearly 295 million domains, providing one of the most comprehensive datasets available for infrastructure research.
| Web Server | Approx. Market Share (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nginx | 31.5% – 39% | Leading server, favored for reverse proxying and static content |
| Apache HTTP Server | 23.1% – 36% | Still widely deployed, especially in shared hosting environments |
| LiteSpeed | ~12% | Growing rapidly, popular in managed WordPress hosting |
| Microsoft IIS | ~4–5% | Dominant in Windows-based enterprise deployments |
Data compiled from W3Techs and Netcraft surveys, July 2026.
Core Research Areas
1. Web Server Performance Benchmarking
We conduct controlled load-testing experiments comparing Nginx, Apache, and LiteSpeed under varying concurrency levels, TLS termination overhead, and reverse-proxy configurations. Our findings inform best practices for multi-domain server setups handling high-traffic content platforms.
2. Database Engine Selection and Optimization
Our group evaluates relational engines such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite alongside NoSQL alternatives like MongoDB and Redis, focusing on query optimization, indexing strategies, and migration patterns for datasets exceeding hundreds of thousands of records.
Research Focus: A recurring theme in our lab is optimizing write-heavy workloads in SQLite-based applications originally designed for low-traffic use cases but scaled unexpectedly.
3. Distributed Caching and Static Site Generation
We study how static site generation (SSG) pipelines reduce database load for read-heavy content platforms, and how edge caching layers interact with origin servers to minimize latency at scale.
4. Infrastructure Security and TLS Management
This research thread covers automated certificate renewal, multi-domain SSL configuration, and hardening strategies for VPS-based deployments against common attack vectors.
Why This Research Matters
System administrators and backend engineers face recurring architectural decisions. Our findings help answer practical questions relevant to production environments.
✓ Nginx is Often Preferred When:
- Serving static assets or acting as a reverse proxy at high concurrency.
- Running multi-domain configurations with minimal memory footprint.
- Load balancing across multiple application servers.
✗ Apache May Still Be Preferred When:
- Legacy applications rely on
.htaccess-based configuration. - Shared hosting environments require per-directory overrides.
- Existing modules (e.g. mod_php) are deeply embedded in the stack.
Meet the Research Team
Dr. Prasetyo W.
Principal InvestigatorRina A.
Database Systems ResearcherFajar H.
Infrastructure & SecurityOur group continues to publish empirical findings on web server and database performance, aiming to bridge the gap between academic research and the operational realities faced by developers managing production infrastructure at scale.