Fastpath web sessions with http header modification by redirecting clients

An apparatus comprising:

• a network interface unit;
• and
• a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
• monitor a handshake procedure between a client and a server to establish a first connection between the client and the server;
• obtain, via the network interface unit, a first request message provided to the server from the client;
• modify parameters defining a manner in which the client receives information from the server to produce modified parameters;
• provide, via the network interface unit, a redirect message to the client to induce the client to establish a second connection with the server based upon the modified parameters;
• set a time period within which a second request message provided to the server from the client over the second connection may be passed to the server without inspection by the apparatus;
• obtain, via the network interface unit, the second request message sent to the server from the client over the second connection;
• determine whether or not the second request message is received within the time period;
• and
• pass the second request message to the server by applying security policies to the second request message in accordance with determining whether or not the second request message is received within the time period.

One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions and when the software is executed operable to:

• monitor, at an intermediate network device, a handshake procedure between a client and a server to establish a first connection between the client and the server;
• obtain, at the intermediate network device, a first request message provided to the server from the client;
• modify, at the intermediate network device, parameters defining a manner in which the client receives information from the server to produce modified parameters;
• provide a redirect message from the intermediate network device to the client to induce the client to establish a second connection with the server based upon the modified parameters;
• set a time period within which a second request message provided to the server from the client over the second connection may be passed to the server without inspection by the intermediate device;
• obtain, at the intermediate network device, the second request message provided to the server from the client over the second connection;
• determine whether or not the second request message is obtained within the time period;
• and
• pass the second request message to the server by applying security policies to the second request message in accordance with determining whether or not the second request message is received within the time period.