---
title: "Drupal 8 Akamai Module Purge status can degrade database performance"
date: "2026-02-03T08:51:04+00:00"
summary:
image:
type: "page"
url: "/acquia-cloud-platform/add-ons/edge/drupal-8-akamai-module-purge-status-can-degrade-database-performance"
id: "2d383ba2-87cb-44b4-9d59-6b5d0ec27cb1"
---

The Akamai module for Drupal 8 stores the Purge status in a `key_value` pair. On a busy site with many content updates, this can create performance problems. Avoid single table rows when you need to keep track of a large amount of data.

The table below provides an example of how the `key_value` size compares with other tables on the same site:

**name**

**Size in MiB**

akamai.purge\_status

10.04

media.field\_storage\_definitions

0.04

node.field\_storage\_definitions

0.04

paragraph.field\_storage\_definitions

0.03

For an alternate design, visit the [Drupal Migration Center](https://www.drupal.org/project/akamai/issues/3001392https://www.drupal.org/project/akamai/issues/3001392 "https://www.drupal.org/project/akamai/issues/3001392https://www.drupal.org/project/akamai/issues/3001392").

Acquia recommends the following:

1.  Deactivate the Akamai module.
    
2.  Use the [Purge](https://www.drupal.org/project/purge) and [Acquia Purge](https://www.drupal.org/project/acquia_purge) module.
    
3.  When you use the Purge and Acquia Purge modules, _Cache tag-based content purging_ is enabled on your Content Management System (CMS).
    
4.  These work well with Content Delivery Networks (CDN) like Akamai.
    
5.  Set the _Edge Cache Time To Live_ (TTL) **low** and set the time between 1 minute and 5 minutes, depending on your application requirements.
    
6.  Set the _Browser Cache TTL_ to **1 minute**, or the same value as _Edge Cache TTL_.
    

Occasionally, an application can require a shorter Edge Cache TTL lifetime. If you reduce the amount of your Edge Cache TTL, ensure that you change the Browser Cache TTL to the same value.

After you configure the module properly, the Acquia Purge module causes content updates to purge selected portions of Varnish cache. The next time Acquia Cloud Edge CDN requests the content from Varnish, it receives the updated content.

If you must have the Akamai module installed, set the _Purge Status expiry_ to **0** in the purge settings at **admin** > **config** \> **akamai** > **config**.

![Acquia-DAM_content](https://acquia.widen.net/content/b11d70a8-3ec8-4069-a2cd-926d65af3db4/original/95190_rtaImage.png?itok=VZiI17KG)

This issue may have been resolved recently. Visit [Akamai Drupal Module issue resolution](https://www.drupal.org/project/akamai/issues/3160840 "https://www.drupal.org/project/akamai/issues/3160840") for details.