Special Edition Using TCP/IP, Second Edition

Caching

The primary goal of a cache implemented on a proxy server and a Web server is to ensure that a request is handled by a cache instead of being handled by a server. For example, the cache maintained on a proxy server handles a client request if a response for the request is available. Similarly, if the cache on the Web server contains a response for a request received from the client, it does not process the request. Instead, the Web server automatically sends the cached response, thereby saving time and processing effort. On the client end, by avoiding the need to send requests to the server, the client saves on opening a TCP connection. In addition, the client increases the speed of providing the required information to the user by ...