LAMP tuned up

dear all

i'm using openSuse 10.3 in my linode 360 and using apache+php+mysql to run my site which is based on joomla and fireboard (joomla based forum)

this is my first time dealing with real server. for the first time using default configuration, my linode get crash when going into busy hour.

my forum ussualy had 30 - 60 online user at same time on busy hour

i tried to my apache tunned up by using folloing configuration

 <ifmodule prefork.c="">StartServers         1
        MinSpareServers      1
        MaxSpareServers     5
        ServerLimit        60
        MaxClients         60
        MaxRequestsPerChild  500</ifmodule> 

and mysql with following configuration

# The MySQL server
[mysqld]
skip-locking
key_buffer = 64M
max_allowed_packet = 1M
table_cache = 128
sort_buffer_size = 4M
read_buffer_size = 1M
query_cache_size = 16M

but sometimes i need to restart apache and mysql to get fresh condition. actually it's better than Suse's default configuration, i can't even login to sshd to restart service

i want to ask, is there any better configuration for my LAMP ?

is there any ways to simulated multiple connections/users to access my web ? i found article about 'ab' (maybe is stand for 'Apache benchmark') but i didn't found it in yast (suse CP)

and where i can found articles to make my linode more secure ? i've installed Suse firewall (installed and activeted on yast)

thanks for your help,

arie