Applies To:
Show VersionsBIG-IP AAM
- 11.5.10, 11.5.9, 11.5.8, 11.5.7, 11.5.6, 11.5.5, 11.5.4, 11.5.3, 11.5.2, 11.5.1
Overview: Managing HTTP traffic with the SPDY profile
You can use the BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager SPDY (pronounced "speedy") profile to minimize latency of HTTP requests by multiplexing streams and compressing headers. When you assign a SPDY profile to an HTTP virtual server, the HTTP virtual server informs clients that a SPDY virtual server is available to respond to SPDY requests.
When a client sends an HTTP request, the HTTP virtual server, with an assigned iRule, manages the request as a standard HTTP request. It receives the request on port 80, and sends the request to the appropriate server. When the BIG-IP provides the request to the origin web server, the virtual server's assigned iRule inserts an HTTP header into the request (to inform the client that a SPDY virtual server is available to handle SPDY requests), compresses and caches it, and sends the response to the client.
A client that is enabled to use the SPDY protocol sends a SPDY request to the BIG-IP system, the SPDY virtual server receives the request on port 443, converts the SPDY request into an HTTP request, and sends the request to the appropriate server. When the server provides a response, the BIG-IP system converts the HTTP response into a SPDY response, compresses and caches it, and sends the response to the client.
Summary of SPDY profile functionality
By using the SPDY profile, the BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager system provides the following functionality for SPDY requests.
- Creating concurrent streams for each connection.
- You can specify the maximum number of concurrent HTTP requests that are accepted on a SPDY connection. If this maximum number is exceeded, the system closes the connection.
- Limiting the duration of idle connections.
- You can specify the maximum duration for an idle SPDY connection. If this maximum duration is exceeded, the system closes the connection.
- Enabling a virtual server to process SPDY requests.
- You can configure the SPDY profile on the virtual server to receive both HTTP and SPDY traffic, or to receive only SPDY traffic, based in the activation mode you select. (Note that setting this to receive only SPDY traffic is primarily intended for troubleshooting.)
- Inserting a header into the request.
- You can insert a header with a specific name into the request. The default name for the header is X-SPDY.
Task summary for managing HTTP and SPDY traffic
Perform these tasks to manage HTTP and SPDY requests with the BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager system.