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Redline Networks Inc. later this month will launch a new capability in its line of enterprise application processor and Web I/O processor appliances that gives network and server administrators greater control over Web applications without having to alter them.
Redlines OverDrive control environment brings adaptive content processing to Web architectures, allowing Web operators to fine-tune content without rewriting applications, company officials said.
The software upgrade for Redlines EX enterprise application processor and TX Web I/O processor appliances lets administrators create rules that can be executed against content delivery to respond to a variety of performance and usage issues.
The simple rules are If … then statements that determine what content should be acted on and what action to take, said a Redline spokeswoman, in Campbell, Calif.
The new capability does not affect the performance of the appliances, which offload a range of functions such as load balancing, Secure Sockets Layer acceleration, compression, and TCP connection setup and tear-down.
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 a URL that no longer exists on a site, OverDrive rules can be written to modify the request, directing the user to the current home page.
OverDrive can also be used to supplement security, performance and availability management and can aid in root-cause analysis of Web application faults.
OverDrive rules can be written to consistently block buffer overflow attempts, deny malicious access attempts and prevent access to unapproved URLs. Other rules can be created to check and log each request and any accompanying errors to help pinpoint the source of intermittent problems. Responses can also be inspected to ensure that failed transactions are not sent to the user but rather are 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 Redline CEO Roy Johnson.
Redline plans to launch OverDrive next week, although the software is available now. It is free for all users until the end of the year. Next year, the software will be a $5,000 add-on, company officials said.