[_ck_]

If you are running xcache, the plugins are not slowing you down, they get cached.

So “dedicated virtual” = VPS ? Interesting way to put it.

If so, you are at the mercy of the disk load on the rest of the node.

Your own average load rates have nothing to do with the rest of the server node, the VPS software tricks you.

(the big myth about VPS is that you are you are isolated from your neighbors, you’re not – any high disk use by them will slow you down)

However if you have 1gb guaranteed, then you have quite a huge VPS. If that’s 1gb burst, then it’s another story.

But if you have your own vps you can be using an opcode cache (xcache is very good) and then make sure you are using mysql cache.

Not much else can be done. You could in theory replace apache with LiteSpeed unless you are savvy enough to setup Lighttpd (which I myself won’t bother with)