Server acceleration

In Web proxy caching, the Intel NetStructure Cache Appliance handles arbitrary Web requests to distant Web servers on behalf of a set of users. Server acceleration (also known as reverse proxy caching or virtual Web hosting) is slightly different. In server acceleration, the appliance is the Web server to which the user is trying to connect. The Web server host name resolves to the appliance, which is acting as the real Web server.

Having a fast, scalable, fault-tolerant appliance absorb the main Web server request traffic can improve the speed and quality of service of Web serving, reducing load and hot spots on the backup Web servers, while still maintaining the publishing environment available on the backup Web servers.

If the appliance has the desired object in cache, it serves the document quickly. If the document is not in cache, the appliance requests the document from another backup Web server that has all the content. A configuration table specifies which backup Web server has the required content.

A Web host can maintain a scalable appliance serving engine and maintain a set of low-cost, low-performance, less reliable PC Web servers as the backup servers. A single appliance can act as the virtual Web server for multiple backup Web servers, as shown in Figure 6.

world wide web

requests for www.janes_books.com and jazz.flute.org resolve to virtual IP of Intel NetStructure Cache Appliance

webserver

real.janes_books.com

The Intel NetStructure

Intel

NetStructure

Cache Appliance serves

documents on behalf of

Cache

real.janes_books.com

Appliance

and big.server.net

 

webserver

big.server.net hosts jazz.flute.org

Figure 6 Intel NetStructure Cache Appliances as server accelerator (reverse proxy) for a pair of Web servers

128Intel NetStructure Cache Appliance Administrator’s Guide

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Intel 1520 manual Server acceleration