Using HTTP link: header for gateway cache invalidation

Abstract

Gateway caches are intermediary components for reducing demands on destination servers, and therefore operational costs of a system. At scale, particularly with the advent of on-demand infrastructures such as EC2, etc., maximising cache efficiency translates into cost efficiency, resulting in a competitive advantage. In this position paper, we initially discuss advantages and limitations of HTTP caching mechanisms. We then propose to use HTTP Link: headers to maximise the efficiency of gateway (or reverse proxy) caching mechanisms and discuss early findings.