running a c++ service on WinXP combined with PHP

Hi,

Hope I am in the right place with this, but I am looking all over for the following:

I work with PHP mainly (only language I know actually) and have worked out a script but have trouble with the performance.

Now to overcome these problems I'd like to read some data into RAM memory when the server is first booted and use the memorydata in the scripts.

PHP has little possibilities for caching or similar stuff. The data is stored in a MySQL db and in plain txt files.

I know it is possible to let PHP and C++ interact and thought of the following:

write a c++ program which runs as a service on WinXP (the OS used). This program reads the data into memory and PHP interacts with the C++ program to get the data.

Main issues with this solution for me are:
- I haven't got a clue on how to write the C++ program
- I don't know how to let PHP and C++ interact

So my questions are obvious i guess:
- Does anyone know where I can get the c++ code (it must be out there) as a template for the thing I need?
- How do I let PHP and C++ interact?

Help on this is (very) much appreciated.....it is the last bit of coding/tuning I need done before I can get my app online

would the mysql HEAP table type solve your problem?

http://www.mysql.com/doc/en/HEAP.html

Nope...since it is not only data from MySQL...

I've managed the first part, writing a C++ program en load the data into memory...

...now for the second part...how do I reach this data with PHP?

Thx for any help