<module>prefork</module></modulelist>
<usage>
- <p>The <directive>ScoreBoardFile</directive> directive is required
- on some architectures to place a file that the server will use to
- communicate between its children and the parent. The easiest way
- to find out if your architecture requires a scoreboard file is to
- run Apache and see if it creates the file named by the
- directive. If your architecture requires it then you must ensure
- that this file is not used at the same time by more than one
- invocation of Apache.</p>
-
- <p>If you have to use a <directive>ScoreBoardFile</directive> then
+ <p>Apache uses a scoreboard to communicate between its children
+ and the parent. Some architectures require a file to facilitate
+ this communication. If left unspecified, Apache first attempts to
+ create the scoreboard entirely in memory (using anonymous shared
+ memory), and failing that will attempt to create the file on disk
+ (using file-based shared memory). Specifying this directive causes
+ Apache to always create the file on the disk.</p>
+
+ <p>File-based shared memory is useful for third-party applications
+ that require direct access to the scoreboard.</p>
+
+ <p>If you use a <directive>ScoreBoardFile</directive> then
you may see improved speed by placing it on a RAM disk. But be
careful that you heed the same warnings about log file placement
and <a href="../misc/security_tips.html">security</a>.</p>
</usage>
</directivesynopsis>
-</modulesynopsis>
\ No newline at end of file
+</modulesynopsis>