A Distributed System and Method For Prefetching Objects

摘要

In an Internet access system that includes a satellite link, a distributed proxy server 68 is provided that reduces delays associated with in-line entity search of web pages. The distributed proxy server 68 includes an access point component 70 and a satellite gateway component 72. The connection point component 70 is operated on the client (browser) side of the satellite link and communicates with the web browsers 20A-20N. The satellite gateway component 72 is operated on the Internet side of the satellite link and communicates with the web server 26. When the web server is searched over a satellite link, the satellite gateway component 72 analyzes the base file component of the web page to see if there is a reference to the inline object of the web page and prefetch the inline object. The distributed proxy server can thus eliminate (a) the waiting for the web browser to receive the base component and request the entity, and (b) the delay typically associated with the atmosphere in which the browser's entity request is sent over the satellite link. The prefetched entity is transmitted to the access point component 70 via the satellite link and the access point component stores the prefetched entity back into the object cache 71. [ When the web browser 20 requests the inline entity, the connection point component 70 checks the cache 71 and, if the entity exists, gives the entity to the browser 20 without sending the entity request via the satellite link . Thus, the traffic over the satellite link is reduced. The method performed by the distributed proxy server 68 may also be used to reduce delays and traffic in other types of links including wired links.