Range Requests forwarding

[kostasthedelegate]

Hello, 

I have WSA 12.0.2 and I have an issue with windows updates. 

I would like to limit the bw used. 

I see the feature "Range Request Forwarding". As I understand it is used for optimization of bandwidth where big files are concerned. 

Also, I see in the user guide the actions are Block, Restrict, or Throttle

From the user guide:

• Do not forward range requests – Any request for a portion of a file is not forwarded; the entire file is returned.
• Forward range requests – If the requested range is valid, it is forwarded and the target server will return the only requested portion of the desired file.

As I understand in both cases the file will be downloaded, but in the second case the request will not pass from the WSA

1) How we define big files?

2) In my WSA I see only Monitor and Block for Updates category, is that normal?

3) Where do I define the forward server?

Please share your thought and how it works if you have used this feature

Thanks and regards, 

Konstantinos

[Ken Stieers]

Here's a post about how Chrome uses range requests to save bandwidth.

https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/ietf-http-wg/2014AprJun/0112.html



1. The browser decides whether to use range requests, and it could be that it's NOT big at all, but it makes the download recoverable.

2. For the AVC page, some applications don't have bandwidth controls, so yes, you'll only have monitor and block.

3. Assuming you're talking about Range Requests, there are 2 settings:

a. "Forward range requests" means when the browser asks for part of a file, the WSA will ask the website for part of that file.

b. "Do not forward means" that when the browser asks for part of a file, the WSA will ask the website for the WHOLE FILE.



So, when connections are dropped, modern browsers will ask for only the pieces of a file they need... saving bandwidth.

There are a couple of issues with that though...

1. If the WSA is only getting part of a page, it may not be able to properly detect what web application this transaction is.

2. If the WSA never has the whole file, it can't scan the whole file and block it if its malware.