Methods and systems for caching data communications over computer networks

A computer-implemented method of caching multi-session data communications in a computer network, comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving, intercepting, or monitoring one or more data sessions between a client executing a multi-session application for retrieving a desired content object and one or more metadata services, said client communicating with the one or more metadata services to discover metadata for the content object;
• (b) analyzing queries and responses exchanged between the client and the one of more metadata services to discover metadata for the content object;
• (c) receiving or intercepting subsequent data sessions between the client and content sources;
• (d) identifying a data protocol used by the client and identifying data queries within the data sessions;
• (e) identifying the content object or portions thereof requested by the client in the data queries;
• and
• (f) determining if the content object or portions thereof are stored in cache and, if so, sending the content object or portions thereof stored in cache to the client, and, if not, sending the data queries to the content sources, storing data responses from the content sources, and sending the data responses to the client.