Optimize Content Guard Pro for your hosting environment. Proper tuning ensures reliable scans without impacting site performance.
Performance Settings #
Accessing Settings #
1. Go to Content Guard Pro → Settings
2. Scroll to Performance section
Available Settings #
| Setting | Default | Range | Description |
| ——— | ——— | ——- | ————- |
| Batch Size | 100 | 10-500 | Items processed per batch |
| Batch Delay | 2 | 1-60 | Seconds between batches |
| Safe Mode | Auto | Auto/On/Off | Resource-conservative mode |
| Finding Retention | 90 | 30-365 | Days to keep finding records |
Batch Size #
What It Controls #
Number of posts/meta/options processed in each batch before the scan pauses and reschedules.
Tuning Guidelines #
| Environment | Recommended Batch Size |
| ————- | ———————— |
| Dedicated server | 200-500 |
| VPS (2GB+ RAM) | 100-200 |
| Shared hosting (good) | 50-100 |
| Shared hosting (basic) | 25-50 |
| Very limited hosting | 10-25 |
Signs Batch Size is Too High #
- Scans timeout frequently
- PHP memory errors
- 500 errors during scans
- Server becomes slow
Signs Batch Size is Too Low #
- Scans take very long
- Many “batches” in logs
- Excessive scheduled actions
Batch Delay #
What It Controls #
Wait time between batch processing to allow server resources to recover.
Tuning Guidelines #
| Situation | Recommended Delay |
| ———– | ——————- |
| Fast dedicated server | 1-2 seconds |
| Good VPS | 2-3 seconds |
| Shared hosting | 3-5 seconds |
| Resource-constrained | 5-10 seconds |
| Safe Mode | 5-10 seconds (auto) |
When to Increase Delay #
- Other processes on server affected during scans
- Database queries slow down
- Site becomes sluggish during scans
Safe Mode #
What Safe Mode Does #
- Reduces batch size to 25
- Increases delay to 5-10 seconds
- More frequent progress saves
- Gentler on server resources
Safe Mode Options #
| Setting | Behavior |
| ——— | ———- |
| Auto | Enables automatically on large sites or when issues detected |
| Always On | Permanently enabled regardless of site size |
| Always Off | Never enables (use with caution) |
When Safe Mode Auto-Enables #
- Site has >2 million content rows
- Database size >2-5 GB
- Average query time >300ms
- Memory usage approaches limit
Recommended Setting #
Leave on Auto unless you have specific reasons to change.
Auto-Throttling #
How It Works #
Content Guard Pro automatically adjusts during scans:
1. Monitors metrics: Query time, memory, batch duration
2. Detects stress: When thresholds exceeded
3. Adjusts: Reduces batch size, increases delay
4. Recovers: Returns to normal when resources available
Throttling Triggers #
| Metric | Threshold | Action |
| ——– | ———– | ——– |
| Query time | >300ms average | Reduce batch size |
| Memory | >50% of limit | Reduce batch size |
| Batch time | >5 seconds | Increase delay |
Viewing Throttle Status #
During scans, the progress display shows:
- “Throttling active” message
- Current adjusted values
- Reason for throttling
Hosting-Specific Recommendations #
Shared Hosting (Bluehost, HostGator, GoDaddy) #
Batch Size: 50
Batch Delay: 5 seconds
Safe Mode: On
Schedule: 3 AM
Mode: Quick (Standard for weekly)
Managed WordPress (WP Engine, Kinsta, Flywheel) #
Batch Size: 150
Batch Delay: 2 seconds
Safe Mode: Auto
Schedule: 2 AM
Mode: Standard
VPS (DigitalOcean, Linode, Vultr) #
Batch Size: 100-200
Batch Delay: 2-3 seconds
Safe Mode: Auto
Schedule: Any off-peak time
Mode: Standard
Dedicated Server #
Batch Size: 200-500
Batch Delay: 1-2 seconds
Safe Mode: Off
Schedule: Flexible
Mode: Standard
Database Optimization #
For Better Scan Performance #
1. Optimize tables:
wp db optimize
2. Check table health:
wp db check
3. Review slow queries:
– Use Query Monitor plugin
– Check for missing indexes
Finding Retention #
Set appropriate retention to manage database size:
| Site Activity | Recommended Retention |
| ————– | ———————- |
| Low (few posts/month) | 365 days |
| Medium | 90 days |
| High (many posts/day) | 30 days |
Monitoring Performance #
During Scans #
Watch the progress panel for:
- Memory usage percentage
- Average query time
- Batch processing rate
In Diagnostics #
Go to Content Guard Pro → Diagnostics for:
- Historical scan performance
- Resource usage trends
- Throttling events
Troubleshooting Performance #
Scans Always Timeout #
1. Reduce batch size to 25
2. Enable Safe Mode
3. Increase batch delay to 10 seconds
4. Schedule during lowest traffic
5. Contact host about execution limits
Scans Very Slow #
1. Increase batch size (if resources allow)
2. Reduce batch delay
3. Ensure database is optimized
4. Check for plugin conflicts
Site Slow During Scans #
1. Reduce batch size
2. Increase batch delay
3. Schedule during off-hours
4. Enable Safe Mode
Memory Errors #
1. Reduce batch size significantly
2. Enable Safe Mode
3. Increase PHP memory limit (if possible):
// wp-config.php
define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');