Redlines new OverDrive control environment brings adaptive content processing to Web architectures, allowing Wweb operators to fine tune the content delivered to various end users without rewriting web applications.
The software upgrade for Redline Networks E|X enterprise application processor and T|X Web I/O processor appliances lets administrators create simple rules that can be executed against content delivery to respond to a variety of performance and usage issues.
The English language rules are if/then statements that “determine what content should be acted on and what action to take,” described Sarah Stanwyck, co-founder of the Campbell, Calif. company. “It goes into performing complex conditional based action.
The new capability does not impact the performance of the appliances, which offload a range of functions, such as load balancing, SSL acceleration, compression, TCP connection setup and tear-down. “Regardless of the complexity of the rules the customer writes, we still have linear performance. They wont bring a Redline box to its knees,” Stanwyck added.
The OverDrive control environment provides a range of benefits, including greater customization of web sites, because it allows requests or response data to be transferred from any application without having to modify the application.
For example, if a request comes in for an old URL that doesnt exist on a site anymore, OverDrive rules can be written to modify the request to a new one to access the current home page.
It can also be used to supplement security, performance and availability management, as well as aid in root cause analysis of web applications faults.
OverDrive rules can be written to consistently block buffer overflow attempts, deny malicious browsers and prevent unapproved URLs. Other rules can be created to check and log each request and any accompanying error to help pinpoint the source of intermittent problems. Responses can also be inspected to insure that failed transactions are not sent to the user, but rather redirected to another server.
“There is a range of translation we do that provides a broad set of capabilities to handle things in whatever way customers want,” said Roy Johnson Redline Networks CEO.
Redline, which competes with vendors such as NetScaler Inc., plans to launch OverDrive on October 20, although the software is available now. It will be a free upgrade for existing and new users until the end of the year. In 2004 the software will be a $5,000 add-on.