Web Cache Communication Protocol (WCCP) is a Cisco-developed content-routing

protocol Protocol may refer to: Sociology and politics * Protocol (politics) Protocol originally (in Late Middle English, c. 15th century) meant the minutes or logbook taken at a meeting, upon which an agreement was based. The term now commonly refers to ...

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.

Cisco IOS The Internetworking Operating System (IOS) is a family of proprietary network operating systems used on several router and network switch models manufactured by Cisco Systems Cisco Systems, Inc. (using the trademark Cisco) is an American ...

Release 12.1 and later releases allow the use of either Version 1 (WCCPv1) or Version 2 (WCCPv2) of the protocol. WCCP allows utilization of Cisco Cache Engines (or other caches running WCCP) to localize web traffic patterns in the network, enabling content requests to be fulfilled locally. Traffic localization reduces transmission costs and download time.

Protocol Versions

WCCPv1 * Only a single router services a cluster of systems * Supports

HTTP HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is an application layer protocol in the Internet protocol suite model for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. HTTP is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web, wher ...

( TCP port 80) traffic flows only * Provides generic routing encapsulation ( GRE) to prevent packet modification * Routers and cache engines communicate to each other via a control channel based on UDP port 2048 WCCPv2 * Allows for use across up to 32 routers (WCCP servers) * Supports up to 32 engines/accelerators (WCCP clients) * Supports any IP protocol including any TCP or UDP * Supports up to 255 service groups (0-254) * Adds

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shared secret security

Primary WCCP functions

Registration

* Accelerator or Engine is a WCCP client ** Registers WCCP services (0-254) with “Here I Am” if application is operational ** Registration announces WCCP client on service group, provides availability notification, requests interesting traffic ** Transmits “Here I Am” every 10 seconds ** Lead WCCP client (lowest IP address) instructs routers on protocol/port, assignment, forwarding, and return methods * Router is a WCCP server ** Accepts service group registration (0-254) ** Acknowledges “Here I Am” with “I See You” ** Waits 30 (3x10) seconds before declaring engine failed ** Announce engines to other engines ** Router id is highest interface IP or highest loopback IP if one exists ** Redirects traffic to engine

Assignment

* Selects an engine in the cluster * Hash 256 buckets * Mask 128 buckets represented by 7 bit mask of the source or destination IP/Port

Redirect from Router to Cache Engine

* Redirect list allows router to permit/deny traffic to intercept * Two methods of redirection: ** WCCP L2: Local subnet only, little overhead. Rewrites packet

MAC address A MAC address (short for medium access control address or media access control address) is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) for use as a network address in communications within a network segment. This use i ...

to that of the local Engine ** WCCP GRE: Any IP-Subnet, more overhead. Creates tunnel from router to local or remote Engine.

Return from Cache Engine to Router

* WCCP GRE return. * WCCP L2 return. * Engine can optionally return traffic any other way including routing.

Products that implement WCCP

Whilst originally designed for

Cisco Cisco Systems, Inc. (using the trademark Cisco) is an American multinational digital communications technology conglomerate corporation headquartered in San Jose, California. Cisco develops, manufactures, and sells networking hardware, s ...

's Content Cache appliance they have since added support to other products, including: * 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 Other vendors have also implemented WCCP support into their products, as it allows clustering and transparent deployment on networks using Cisco routers/switches without additional hardware. WCCP is of particular use to vendors of web cache/proxy/security appliances for redirection of web traffic. Please note that some vendors did not follow the standards when implementing WCCP and this could result in intercompatibility problems. A list includes: {, class="wikitable sortable" ! Company ! Product , - ,

Array Networks Array Networks is an American networking hardware company. It sells network traffic encryption tools. Array Networks was founded in 2000 by Lawrence Lu and is based in Milpitas, California. Originally called ClickArray Networks, it was renamed A ...

, Accelera , - , EdgeWave , iPrism Web Gateway , - , A10 Networks , Transparent Cache Switching (TCS) , - , Aladdin/SafeNet , eSafe Web , - ,

ApplianSys ApplianSys, founded in 2000, is a privately held venture capital-backed technology company based in Coventry, United Kingdom. It designs, builds and markets Internet server appliances that are deployed in more than 150 countries. Forrester Rese ...

, CACHEbox , - , Arahe SiteCelerate , SiteCelerate , - ,

Barracuda Networks Barracuda Networks, Inc. provides security, networking and storage products based on network appliances and cloud services. History Barracuda Networks was founded in 2003 by CEO Dean Drako, Michael Perone, and Zach Levow, and the company int ...

, Barracuda Web Filter , - , Bloxx , Bloxx Secure Web Gateway , - , Blue Coat , ProxySG, CacheFlow , - , Citrix , CloudBridge (formerly known as "Branch Repeater & WANScaler") , - , CensorNet Ltd , CensorNet Professional web filter , - , Clearswift , Clearswift SECURE Web Gateway , - , CYAN Network Security , CYAN Secure Web , - , Cymphonix Corp. , Network Composer/Conductor , - , Exinda WCCPv2 support for Web Cache , , - , F5 Networks , BIG-IP , - ,

Fortinet Fortinet, Inc. is an American cybersecurity company with headquarters in Sunnyvale, California. The company develops and sells security solutions like firewalls, endpoint security and intrusion detection systems. Fortinet has offices located ...

, FortiGate (4.0 upwards), FortiCache (2.0 and upwards) and FortiProxy Appliances/VMs , - , iboss , iboss' Distributed Gateway Platform , - , Ideco , Ideco UTM , - ,

Alcatel-Lucent Alcatel-Lucent S.A. () was a multinational telecommunications equipment company, headquartered in Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris, France. The company focused on Fixed line telephone, fixed, Mobile phone, mobile and telecommunications convergence, ...

, OmniSwitch series with AOS version 6.4.4 , - , Trustwave , Secure Web Gateway ''Formerly M86 Security/Finjan'' , - , MARA Systems , CacheMARA , - ,

McAfee McAfee Corp. ( ), formerly known as McAfee Associates, Inc. from 1987 to 1997 and 2004 to 2014, Network Associates Inc. from 1997 to 2004, and Intel Security Group from 2014 to 2017, is an American proprietary software company focused on online ...

, McAfee Web Gateway ''Formerly Webwasher'' , - , Microdasys , SCIP SSL Content Proxy , - , NetApp ,

NetCache NetCache is a former web cache software product which was owned and developed by NetApp between 1997 and 2006, and a hardware product family incorporating the NetCache software. History The NetCache software started as a commercial fork of the H ...

(no longer available) , - , PerfTech, Inc. , Bulletin System , - , Replify , Accelerator , - ,

Riverbed Technology Riverbed Technology LLC is an American information technology company. Its products consist of software and hardware focused on Unified Observability, Network Visibility, End User Experience Management, Network monitoring, network performance mon ...

, Steelhead , - , Sangfor Technologies , WAN Optimization Appliance , - , Silver Peak , NX Series , - , Apache ,

Apache Traffic Server The Apache Traffic Server (ATS) is a modular, high-performance reverse proxy and forward proxy server, generally comparable to Nginx and Squid. It was created by Inktomi, and distributed as a commercial product called the Inktomi Traffic Se ...

{{cite web , url=http://www.serverwatch.com/news/article.php/3936061/Apache-Traffic-Server-30-Accelerates-Performance.htm , title=Apache Traffic Server 3.0 Accelerates Performance , date=18 June 2011 , - , SmoothWall Ltd , Guardian Web Content Filters , - ,

Sophos Sophos Limited is a British security software and hardware company. It develops and markets managed security services and cybersecurity software and hardware, such as managed detection and response, incident response and endpoint security s ...

, Web Appliance , - ,

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, Squid , - , Stampede Technologies , Stampede Application Acceleration Series , - , Taghos Tecnologia , Hyper Cache , - ,

Trend Micro is an American-Japanese cyber security software company. The company has globally dispersed R&D in 16 locations across every continent excluding Antarctica. The company develops enterprise security software for servers, containers, and cloud ...

, IWSVA 3.x/5.x and 6.x , - , Forcepoint , Web Security Gateway , - , WebTitan , WebTitan Web Filtering Appliance , - , Wedge Networks , BeSecure , - , XipLink , XA Optimizers

References

External links

* Cisco ** Sectio
WCCP Network Caching
in the Cisco DocWiki (formerly known as the "Internetworking Technology Handbook") ** Sectio

in the "Cisco IOS Configuration Fundamentals Configuration Guide, Release 12.2" ** Sectio

in the feature guide for "Cisco IOS Software Releases 12.0 S"
Configure WCCP on your Cisco IOS router
on TechRepublic
Web Cache Communication Protocol V2, revision 1
on IETF Web Site
How to set up WCCP on your Barracuda Web Filter
in Barracuda Networks Knowledgebase Cisco protocols Web caching protocol