Case Study: Application Redirection


To increase network performance, Foocorp, Inc. has decided to deploy caches to accelerate their Web site for external users and to minimize bandwidth costs for outgoing connectivity. They also want to deploy streaming media caching so remote branches can participate in product updates via Webcasts.

The benefits of using content switches for this function allow the caches to sit out of the data path and allows for truly scalable Layer 7 cache redirection. In addition, they have also increased network resilience by connecting to a second ISP, but now would like to maximize the connectivity by load balancing outbound connections. What Foocorp is hoping to achieve by doing this is:

  • Increase network and site performance

  • Reduce the capital expenditure by using fewer servers to provide network availability

  • Defer bandwidth upgrades by using caches

  • Provide streaming media functionality for remote branches to receive training, product updates, and company addresses

  • Maximize network bandwidth by load balancing both in and outbound connections

Deploying Application Redirection

WCR is very straightforward to deploy and will be added to the existing configuration deployed in the previous chapter. When using WCR, it is important that these following steps are covered:

  1. Confirm which mode of caching you want to usereverse, transparent or proxyand determine if your cache can perform simultaneous modes.

  2. If streaming media is required make sure you use the correct server and install any licenses required.

  3. Set up WCR for URL parsing based on the criteria you need; for example, URL, Host header, and so forth.

  4. Ensure that you configure the content switch to not send any noncacheable content to the caches. You can add additional content types to the defaults already configured.

  5. If using Layer 4 WCR, ensure that you use a persistent type of load balancing metric, as a round robin type will duplicate content across caches, will not maximize the caches, and most importantly, could increase bandwidth usage.

  6. When using Layer 7, ensure that you have a cache that will handle any requests that do not fall into the configured strings.

  7. With WAN link load balancing, make sure you have two public IP addresses (one from each ISP) that you can NAT the source IP to for outbound connections.

  8. Set up the correct DNS entries for inbound WAN link load balancing.

We can see how this has been achieved by Foocorp in Figure 8-15.

Figure 8-15. Foocorp Inc. using WCR.

graphics/08fig15.gif

By deploying Layer 4 and Layer 7 WCR, Foocorp has been able to achieve the following:

  • Increased network and site performance.

  • Decreased server hits, allowing them to process more of the important online and business transactions.

  • Streaming media allows for e-learning, e-conferencing, and so forth for remote branches.

  • Minimizes and defers bandwidth costs.

With WAN link load balancing, outbound connections can be sent over different or selected links based on polices such as protocol type, network address, and so forth.

Foocorp has now deployed a comprehensive network that allows for a very scalable, flexible, and resilient network.



Optimizing Network Performance with Content Switching
Optimizing Network Performance with Content Switching: Server, Firewall and Cache Load Balancing
ISBN: 0131014684
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 85

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