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Catalyst 3560 Switch Software Configuration Guide
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Configuring Web Cache Services By Using WCCP
This chapter describes how to configure your Catalyst 3560 switch to redirect traffic to wide-area
application engines (such as the Cisco Cache Engine 550) by using the Web Cache Communication
Protocol (WCCP). This software release supports only WCCP version 2 (WCCPv2).
WCCP is a Cisco-developed content-routing technology that you can use to integrate wide-area
application engines—referred to as application engines—into your network infrastructure. The
application engines transparently store frequently accessed content and then fulfill successive requests
for the same content, eliminating repetitive transmissions of identical content from web servers.
Application engines accelerate content delivery and ensure maximum scalability and availability of
content. In a service-provider network, you can deploy the WCCP and application engine solution at the
points of presence (POPs). In an enterprise network, you can deploy the WCCP and application engine
solution at the regional site and the small branch office.
To use this feature, the switch must be running the IP services image (formerly known as the enhanced
multilayer image [EMI]).
Note For complete syntax and usage information for the commands used in this chapter, see the “WCCP
Router Configuration Commands” section in the “System Management Commands” part of the Cisco
IOS Configuration Fundamentals Command Reference, Release 12.2. Access this document from the
Cisco.com page under Documentation > Cisco IOS Software > 12.2 Mainline > Command
References.
This chapter consists of these sections:
Understanding WCCP, page 43-1
Configuring WCCP, page 43-5
Monitoring and Maintaining WCCP, page 43-9

Understanding WCCP

The WCCP and Cisco cache engines (or other application engines running WCCP) localize traffic
patterns in the network, enabling content requests to be fulfilled locally.