A crucial point to properly configure optimal performance is the GeoServer container, Tomcat, and its JVM setting. Tomcat's default startup script is configured for booting quickly, but, of course, it can't match all applications' requirements. Tuning your Java runtime parameters can greatly increase performance. There are many runtime parameters you can set at the JVM startup. In this recipe, you will set the most effective one on GeoServer performances. Note that values may vary according to the hardware configuration on your site.
Note
Unfortunately, there is no way to cut corners on the path of tuning parameters for a Java application. While the options presented in this chapter have been widely tested on GeoServer and are recommended by core developers, you should note that best options may vary depending on your scenario. A value resource to understand how each parameter works is http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/tech/vmoptions-jsp-140102.html.