WCCP -Web Cache Communications Protocol

What is WCCP?

WCCP  is a Cisco-developed content-routing protocol that provides a mechanism to redirect traffic flows in real-time.

 It has built-in load balancing, scaling, fault tolerance, and service-assurance (failsafe) mechanisms.

 WCCP allows utilization of Cisco Cache Engines  to localize web traffic patterns in the network, enabling content requests to be fulfilled locally.

Traffic localization reduces transmission costs and download time. 

Two Versions

WCCPv1

WCCPv2

How WCCP works?

Let's see how WCCP works with an example:

•    Request made by web browser, goes to router.

•    Request is intercepted by router.

•   Request is redirected to Content Engine using generic routing encapsulation (GRE) frame so that    no changes could be made in original packet during  transit.

•   Content Engine can respond to the request as the real server or can forward it to worldwide content servers.

Benefits

•   Transparently routing traffic to Content Engine, so you don't have to configure a proxy server.

•   Lower response times for Web requests.

•   Bandwidth utilization is optimized.

•   Logs of web request are created.

•   Can easily filter requested content.

 

Products that implement WCCP

•    ASR 1000 Routers

•   Application & Content Networking System (ACNS)

•   Wide Area Application Services (WAAS)

•   ASA/PIX Firewalls

•   Some IOS versions

•   IronPort S-Series Web Security Appliance

•   Nexus 7000 Switches