TLS Performance Optimization

TLS adds overhead to connections, but proper optimization can minimize performance impact while maintaining security.

Performance Factors

**Handshake latency**: Time to establish connection

**CPU usage**: Encryption/decryption overhead

**Bandwidth**: Encrypted data size

**Session resumption**: Reusing previous sessions

Optimization Techniques

1. TLS Session Resumption

Reuse previous TLS sessions to skip full handshake:

**Session IDs**: Server-side session cache

**Session Tickets**: Stateless resumption

2. OCSP Stapling

Include certificate status in handshake:

Reduces OCSP lookup time

Improves connection speed

Maintains security

3. HTTP/2

Use HTTP/2 over TLS:

Multiplexing reduces connections

Header compression saves bandwidth

Better performance overall

4. Certificate Optimization

Use ECDSA certificates (smaller, faster)

Keep certificate chains short

Use appropriate key sizes

Configuration Examples

Nginx - Session resumption

ssl_session_cache shared:SSL:10m;

ssl_session_timeout 10m;

ssl_session_tickets on;

OCSP stapling

ssl_stapling on;

ssl_stapling_verify on;

Key Points

•TLS adds latency and CPU overhead
•Session resumption reduces handshake time
•OCSP stapling improves performance
•HTTP/2 helps with multiplexing
•ECDSA certificates are faster

Best Practices

✓Enable session resumption
✓Use OCSP stapling
✓Enable HTTP/2
✓Optimize certificate chains
✓Monitor TLS performance

Common Issues

✗Not enabling session resumption
✗Missing OCSP stapling
✗Long certificate chains
✗Not using HTTP/2
✗Inefficient cipher suites

Test Your TLS Configuration

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TLS Performance Optimization