Method and apparatus to modify network identifiers at data servers

An apparatus comprising:

• a network interface that is coupled to a data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom;
• a processor;
• one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of:
• a gateway server receiving a first Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request that indicates a first URL of a file that is stored by a first HTTP server, wherein the file contains a second URL that cannot be resolved by domain name servers that are outside of a virtual private network (VPN) that contains the first HTTP server;
• the gateway server generating a second HTTP request to the first HTTP server, wherein the second HTTP request requests the file from the first HTTP server, wherein the second HTTP request contains a first directive that (a) indicates that the first HTTP server should modify URLs in the file, and (b) indicates a URL of a gateway server for the VPN;
• the gateway server sending the second HTTP request toward the first HTTP server;
• the gateway server receiving an HTTP response that contains the file, in which the second URL has been modified so that the URL of the gateway server precedes information that was previously contained in the second URL;
• the gateway server determining that the HTTP response contains a second directive that indicates that URLs in the file have been modified;
• in response to determining that the HTTP response contains the second directive, the gateway server removing the second directive from the HTTP response;
• and
• after removing the second directive from the HTTP response, the gateway server sending the HTTP response toward a client from which the first HTTP request originated.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

• a gateway server receiving a first Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request that indicates a first URL of a file that is stored by a first HTTP server, wherein the file contains a second URL that cannot be resolved by domain name servers that are outside of a virtual private network (VPN) that contains the first HTTP server;
• the gateway server generating a second HTTP request to the first HTTP server, wherein the second HTTP request requests the file from the first HTTP server, wherein the second HTTP request contains a first directive that (a) indicates that the first HTTP server should modify URLs in the file, and (b) indicates a URL of a gateway server for the VPN;
• the gateway server sending the second HTTP request toward the first HTTP server;
• the gateway server receiving an HTTP response that contains the file, in which the second URL has been modified so that the URL of the gateway server precedes information that was previously contained in the second URL;
• the gateway server determining that the HTTP response contains a second directive that indicates that URLs in the file have been modified;
• in response to determining that the HTTP response contains the second directive, the gateway server removing the second directive from the HTTP response;
• and
• after removing the second directive from the HTTP response, the gateway server sending the HTTP response toward a client from which the first HTTP request originated.

An apparatus, comprising:

• means for receiving a first Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request that indicates a first URL of a file that is stored by a first HTTP server, wherein the file contains a second URL that cannot be resolved by domain name servers that are outside of a virtual private network (VPN) that contains the first HTTP server;
• means for generating a second HTTP request to the first HTTP server, wherein the second HTTP request requests the file from the first HTTP server, wherein the second HTTP request contains a first directive that (a) indicates that the first HTTP server should modify URLs in the file, and (b) indicates a URL of a gateway server for the VPN;
• means for sending the second HTTP request toward the first HTTP server;
• means for receiving an HTTP response that contains the file, in which the second URL has been modified so that the URL of the gateway server precedes information that was previously contained in the second URL;
• means for determining that the HTTP response contains a second directive that indicates that URLs in the file have been modified;
• means for, in response to determining that the HTTP response contains the second directive, removing the second directive from the HTTP response;
• and
• means for, after removing the second directive from the HTTP response, sending the HTTP response toward a client from which the first HTTP request originated.