Setting Media Servers for Performance in PrestaShop 1.5

PrestaShop allows you to use separate servers for your installation to help with performance.  This option is available under Advanced Parameters and should only be used when the CCC optimization methods are also active (see Understanding Combine, Compress, and Cache in PrestaShop 1.5).  The following tutorial explains how to setup the Media Servers in PrestaShop 1.5.

Defining the Media Servers for PrestaShop 1.5

1. To get to the Performance section of the Advanced Parameters for Prestashop, first login to the Administrator as an Administrator
2. Hover over menu bar where it says ADVANCED PARAMETERS - click on PERFORMANCE when it appears in the drop-down menu.
3. Scroll down until you see the following screen:
   
   
   
   Note that the title emphasizes that Media servers should only be used with CCC. 
   
   Your content will need to have been loaded to these servers before you can use them.  Basically, this option allows you to direct your web traffic to the servers after you provided a domain or subdomain in the fields above. 
   
   Prestashop supports up to 3 separate media servers. 
4. Add the URLs for the domain or subdomain that you will be using for the media servers.
5. Select SAVE in the top right hand corner to save your entries.

Media servers are basically servers that are dedicated for delivering content based on domains or subdomains that you specify in the Advanced Parameters section.  The media servers divide the load and will definitely help lighten the load on your server since you are delivering the website using more than server.  Performance is improved, but remember that this involves higher cost to have multiple servers, higher maintenance costs, more time in required for initial setup. Take caution in using this option but consider it if you have the budget and a large site(s) high in graphic, video or audio content.