Microsoft Application Request Routing (ARR) for IIS 7.0 is a proxy-based routing module that forwards HTTP requests to application servers based on HTTP headers, server variables, and load balance algorithms.
ARR Version 2 Beta 2 is an incremental release that includes all of the features from Version 1, and adds support for disk-based cache. More specifically, this feature allows IIS to compete as a cache proxy in a whole new market place:
- Enhance ARR Version 1 scenarios with disk cache.
- Use ARR as a cache proxy as a cache node in a CDN/ECN environment.
- Use ARR as an edge/child cache node.
- Use ARR as a parent cache node.
Download ARRv2 beta 2 from:
· Microsoft Application Request Routing Version 2 for IIS7 Beta 2 (x86)
· Microsoft Application Request Routing Version 2 for IIS7 Beta 2 (x64)
What’s new in ARRv2 beta 2:
- Disk-based caching (Improved in Beta 2)
In addition to the kernel memory cache in ARR Version 1, Version 2 Beta 2 adds support for disk-based cache. This feature is improved in Beta 2 with an introduction to secondary cache concept.
- Cache hierarchy management
Define and manage relationships between cache nodes, including support for the Cache Array Routing Protocol (CARP).
- Cache proxy node in CDN/ECN environment (Improved in Beta 2)
Because ARR is a proxy-based HTTP request routing module with support for disk cache and CARP, ARR can be used as a cache proxy in a CDN/ECN environment. This feature is improved in Beta 2 with support for more advanced routing rules, such as being able to set host headers to route requests accordingly.
- Caching compressed objects
Disk-based cache stores compressed objects so that the objects do not have to be compressed in real time for every request.
- Browse cached contents using IIS manager (New in Beta 2)
Browse through cached contents across multiple drives in one consolidated graphical view in IIS manager.
- Remove cached contents (Improved in Beta 2)
Delete cached contents by matching URL patterns.
- Override cache-control directives (New in Beta 2)
Manually override the cache-control directives in the response header to change the cache behavior.
- Warm up cache node (New in Beta 2)
Proactively warm up your cache node with contents that will be in demand before they are requested.
- Intelligent byte-range support
ARR converts the byte-range request into manageable segments to increase cache hit/miss ratio without sacrificing response time.
- Intelligent live request support (New in Beta 2)
ARR is designed to work with Live Smooth Streaming to support live content requests without over-loading the live streaming server.
- Caching while serving response
Caching large content, such as a movie clip, may take some time. ARR Version 2 Beta 2 is capable of caching the content while serving the response immediately.
Support:
· Support for the beta release is available only on the forum.
What are the expected performance levels of this? Why not use a network device such as a Server Load Balancer, configured to do the load balancing based on HTTP headers? This would be much faster (not to mention safer) to have this done on the network layer (even if that means the network devices will have to have DPI enabled in order to read the layer 7 payload which contains the HTTP headers), wouldn’t it?
I guess I don’t see the point of using IIS as a SLB/Proxy when dedicated devices can do this with dedicated FPGA and network processors.
RE: Application Request Routing (ARR) Version 2 for IIS7 Beta 2 released.
Daily tech links for .net and related technologies – July 18-21, 2009 Web Development A (less) simple