iisnode performance is very slow

iisnode, node.js

Solution

Here is a hint to integrate Node.js with IIS7 on a Windows 64-bit Server. The following hint also solves some poor performance issues with iisnode and demonstrates how to use Node.js Native Extensions as well.

Summary:

Create a new Unmanaged Integrated 32-bit Application Pool dedicated for node.js. No other applications should use this pool.

This works for 64-bit as well but some node.js Native Extensions such as Coconut2D require 32-bit because of SQLite wrapping. If you are not using Native Extensions then you can go 64-bit all the way!

Download: `iisnode-core-iis7-v0.1.19.0-x64.msi`.

Install it using this command: `msiexec /i iisnode-core-iis7-v0.1.19.0-x64.msi WOW=1`. This will install the 32-bit version of iisnode on a 64-bit machine. Note that `iisnode.dll` will be installed in `C:\Program Files (x86)\iisnode\iisnode.dll`.

Download the 32-bit version of node.js (eg. `node-v0.12.0-x86.msi`) and install it in `C:\nodejs`

Create a new Application Pool

Name: node.js
Managed pipeline mode: Integrated 

.NET Framework Version: No Managed Code
Enable 32-Bit Applications: True
Identity: administrator

Assuming your Node.js Server Script file is `server.js`. Go the the web folder and create file `node_start.cmd`. In the command file you should change the current path to your `wwwroot` and start node.js with your `server.js` file. You should use double quoted paths.

C:
cd "C:\HostingSpaces\...\wwwroot"
"C:\nodejs\node.exe" "C:\HostingSpaces\...\wwwroot\server.js"

In your `server.js` make sure you have `process.env.PORT`

var http = require('http');
http.createServer(function (req, res) {
    ... your code here ...
}).listen(process.env.PORT);

(Optional) If you are using any node.js Native Extensions such as Coconut2D, SQLite, Cairo or WebKit modules, you must copy the `*.node` files and DLLs in your `wwwroot\node_modules` folder. Make sure you also set NTFS security to allow execution of those files or elevate the Application Pool to impersonate the Administrator. To load the native extensions use `require()` as shown below.

var http = require('http');
var Coconut2D = require("Coconut2D.node");
http.createServer(function (req, res) {
    ... your code here ...
}).listen(process.env.PORT);

Place the following `web.config` in your web root (eg. `C:\HostingSpaces\...\wwwroot`). This will enable IIS7 to process any non-node files such as images, static html files and xml files, and let node.js handle only its own server-side scripts.

Having IIS handling static files and running server-side scripts on node.js side-by-side is a highly recommended practice and really boosts the performance of your web sites.

In this example I am handling `.asp` files with `iisnode` by using a Rewrite Rule. Replace `*.asp*` with your node.js server script extension (eg. `*.njs*`). Note that there is not a root slash in the wildcard pattern; this is important as well as the last `*` at the end of the pattern.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
  <system.webServer>
    <handlers>
      <add name="iisnode" path="node.js" verb="*" modules="iisnode" />
    </handlers> 
    <iisnode nodeProcessCommandLine="&quot;C:\...\start_node.cmd&quot;" />
    <defaultDocument>
      <files>
        <remove value="index.php" />
        <remove value="default.aspx" />
        <remove value="iisstart.htm" />
        <remove value="index.html" />
        <remove value="index.htm" />
        <remove value="Default.htm" />
      </files>
    </defaultDocument>
    <httpProtocol>
      <customHeaders>
        <remove name="X-Powered-By" />
      </customHeaders>
    </httpProtocol>
    <rewrite>
      <rules>
        <rule name="CavoBoutique" patternSyntax="Wildcard">
          <match url="*.asp*" />
          <action type="Rewrite" url="node.js" logRewrittenUrl="true" />
        </rule>
      </rules>
    </rewrite>
  </system.webServer>
</configuration>

Problem

Original source