Web Cache Communication Protocol

Web Cache Communication Protocol (WCCP) allows an administrator to forward web traffic to a Cisco cache engine. The Cisco cache engine reduces transmission costs and downloading time for clients. When users request web pages, the WCCP-capable router sends the requests to a cache engine. If the cache engine has a copy of the requested page in storage, the cache engine sends the user that page. If there is no cached copy, the cache engine retrieves the requested page from the web server, stores a copy, and forwards the page to the user. The routers and the cache engine operate transparently from the perspective of end users. End users do not know that the page came from the cache engine rather than the web server.

The global configuration command used on the router to enable the protocol is this:

ip wccp {web-cache service-number}
[group-address groupaddress] [redirect-list access-list]
[group-list access-list] [password [0-7] password]

To actually redirect traffic on an interface to a cache engine, use the following interface configuration command:

ip wccp {web-cache service-number} redirect out