Caching
By using caching, we allow NetScaler to store frequently accessed objects in its cache area, which uses the RAM of the appliance as storage. Note that the MPX utilizes the SSD drive as the cache drive. This allows NetScaler to serve clients directly without requiring a trip to the backend servers. This offloads the backend servers and improves the overall performance of the services.
Now, caching is not something new; it is used everywhere. Most of the common web browsers have some sort of a local cache; many of the ISP vendors also have some sort of caching involved for frequently accessed services. Also, it is important to note that this feature requires a license to be in place, either a NetScaler Platinum license, or an add-on to Enterprise. Note that the caching feature is available only when using the HTTP protocol, and it can cache the following two types of data content:
- Static data: This includes CSS files, JavaScript files, images, static HTML pages, and so on. Static data...
