There are various mechanisms that are built into TLS that you can use to speed it up. However, there are also things that will slow it down if you don't do them correctly. Some great free online tools to assess your TLS configuration are available from Qualys SSL Labs at https://www.ssllabs.com/. The server test at https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/ is very useful. You enter a URL, and they give you a grade along with lots of other information.
For example, if we analyze the https://www.packtpub.com/ site, we can see that on the date of the test it got a B grade. This is due to its support for weak Diffie-Hellman parameters and the obsolete and insecure RC4 cipher. However, it is not always as simple as removing old ciphers. ...
