Php – How to switch from CGI/FastCGI Server API to DSO

ps aux | egrep '(apache|httpd)' typically will show what apache is running as.

Usually you do not need to change the default user, "nobody" or "apache" are typically fine users. As long as its not "root" ;)

edit: more accurate command for catching apache binaries too

You have yourself in an intresting spot. CGI(not FastCGI) has been known the be very slow everyone and there sister has made a cgi module or pluin backin the day. So your choice to move over to fastcgi is a good one. I am also a big fan of nginx It is a great tool I think the issue is adding nginx on top of an apache laywer still means apache has to do some work and its still a known fact that it is rather slow. If you require alot of the statical data that it asks for you may want to find a method of compling logs when the server is idel but in your case I would recommend that you use nginx on its own. You can use php-fpm which allows php to work with fast cgi. It should give u a much better boast in perfomance being able to skip the apche side this way nginx runs the web server and rendering apache pages.