Extreme Networks Px Series manual 4More Complicated URL switching example

Client

www.buystuff.com

Server Group 1

/ebooks/ ISBNxxxxxxxx

Server Group 2

/ebooks/

ISBNxxxxxxxy WS_008

Figure 7-4:More Complicated URL switching example

In Figure 7-4, buystuff.com decides to start selling electronic books online and they need to store an entire publisher’s catalog on the site. Terabytes of storage are needed, along with a flexible way of addressing all of the information. By using URL switching, a highly scalable approach can be used. Expanding the website is as simple as loading content onto servers and adding URL rules to the switch. In Figure 7-4, user requests are directed as follows:

•www.buystuff.com/ebooks/ISBNXXXXXXX is directed to server group 1.

•www.buystuff.com/ebooks/ISBNXXXXXXX is directed to server group 2.

In fact, a unique rule could be used for each book in the catalog, with little danger of exhausting the rules list. This approach simplifies the design of the website in many ways:

•The need to track the location of the data is eliminated.

•The choice of where to store a book can be completely arbitrary.

•Content can be moved from one server to another quickly, without updating the application server or any static web page links.

Alternatively, buystuff.com could use a more hierarchical approach to sorting content and creating pattern rules, as shown in Figure 7-5.

7-6 Px Series Application Switch Installation and Configuration Guide