Nortel Web OS 10.0, Application Manual

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Web OS 10.0 Application Guide
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Chapter 8: Application Redirection
212777-A, February 2002
Overview
Most of the information downloaded from the Internet is not unique, as clients will often
access the Web page many times for additional information or to explore other links. Duplicate
information also gets requested as the components that make up Internet data at a particular
Web site (pictures, buttons, frames, text, and so on) are reloaded from page to page. When you
consider this scenario in the context of many clients, it becomes apparent that redundant
requests can consume a considerable amount of your available bandwidth to the Internet.
Application redirection can help reduce the traffic congestion during peak loads. When Appli-
cation redirection filters are properly configured for the Web OS-powered switch, outbound
client requests for Internet data are intercepted and redirected to a group of application or Web
cache servers on your network. The servers duplicate and store inbound Internet data that has
been requested by your clients. If the servers recognize a client’s outbound request as one that
can be filled with cached information, the servers supply the information rather than send the
request across the Internet.
In addition to increasing the efficiency of your network, accessing locally cached information
can be much faster than requesting the same information across the Internet.
Web Cache Redirection Environment
Consider a network where client HTTP requests begin to regularly overload the Internet router.
Figure 8-1 Traditional Network Without Web Cache Redirection
Clients
Internet
Router
Client Switch
Client Switch
Congestion
Targets Router