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Cisco Content Engine 511 and 566 Hardware Installation Guide
OL-5756-01
Chapter1 Introducing the Content Engine
Functional Description
The CE-566 supports device mode configuration and can be configured through
ACNS 5.x software to operate as a Content Engine, a Content Router, a Content
Distribution Manager, or an IP/TV Program Manager. The CE-511, however, does
not support device mode configuration.
Content Delivery Network Component
Cisco Content Engines with Cisco ACNS software installed are the content
delivery components of a larger Cisco ACNS network solution, which includes
content routing and content distribution and management. Content Engines with
Cisco ACNS 5.x software are deployed in conjunction with a Content Distribution
Manager to create a centrally managed ACNS network.
The ACNS solution offers accelerated content delivery, hosting, content
replication, video streaming, and other content-based services. The ACNS
solution addresses the need to distribute and receive high-bandwidth, media-rich
content across the Internet or an intranet without performance losses or content
delivery delays.
Content Caching Device
Cisco Content Engines with Cisco ACNS software installed accelerate content
delivery and optimize bandwidth usage by transparently caching frequently
accessed content and fulfilling content requests locally rather than traversing the
Internet or intranet to a distant server farm each time a request is made. The
Content Engine works in tandem with a router to handle web traffic, including
user requests to view pages and graphics (objects) on World Wide Web
servers—whether internal or external to your network.
To deploy Cisco Content Engines with Cisco ACNS software within your existing
network, your network must support CiscoIOS software and the Web Cache
Communication Protocol (WCCP). WCCP transparently redirects HTTP requests
to a Content Engine, and the ContentEngine responds to those requests.
For example, when a user requests an object from a web server, the router first
sends the request to a Content Engine. If the Content Engine has a copy of the
requested object in storage, the Content Engine sends the user the object.