squid-cache.org

	The maximum number of processes spawn to service DNS name lookups.
	If you limit it too few Squid will have to wait for them to process
	a backlog of requests, slowing it down. If you allow too many they
	will use RAM and other system resources noticably.
	The maximum this may be safely set to is 32.
	
	The startup= and idle= options allow some measure of skew in your
	tuning.
	
		startup=
	
	Sets a minimum of how many processes are to be spawned when Squid
	starts or reconfigures. When set to zero the first request will
	cause spawning of the first child process to handle it.
	
	Starting too few will cause an initial slowdown in traffic as Squid
	attempts to simultaneously spawn enough processes to cope.
	
		idle=
	
	Sets a minimum of how many processes Squid is to try and keep available
	at all times. When traffic begins to rise above what the existing
	processes can handle this many more will be spawned up to the maximum
	configured. A minimum setting of 1 is required.