Method and apparatus for enabling services in a cache-based network

#NONE

#Research and development of this invention and Application have not been federally sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program.

#NOT APPLICABLE

#FIGS. 1-3 are the prior art drawings previously referred to;

#FIG. 4 is a software architecture representation of the ICAP-enabled apparatus of the invention; and

#FIG. 5 illustrates a typical flow of messages helpful in an understanding of the architecture components of FIG. 4.

#The software architecture of the apparatus of the invention shown in FIG. 4 will be understood to support the following protocols: HTTP, RTSP, FTP, LDAP, SNMP and WAP in addition to supporting ICAP. The apparatus will also support web caching, media object caching, WAP caching and ICAP proxy caching. Thus, if an object is brought in using HTTP, RTSP or any other Streaming protocol (MMS, Real), WAP or ICAP, it will be stored locally for serving future requests.

#As shown, the apparatus of the invention includes an HTTP adapter 10, an RTSP adapter 12, a WAP adapter 14, a Rule engine 16, an ICAP engine 18, an ICAP proxy 20, the ICAP client 22, a Profiler 24 and a Database 26. In addition to these, the apparatus will have support for configuration, administration, monitoring, logging, billing and security.

#The HTTP adapter 10 is a software module that can take an HTTP request/response and transform that to an ICAP request/response. Thus a cache without ICAP support can be made ICAP-enabled.