Method and apparatus for providing efficient authorization services in a web cache

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a web cache which caches content from a plurality of origin servers, a first request from a client, wherein the first request results from initial content request from the client to a first origin server;

determining at the web cache whether the first request contains a valid, unexpired master data parcel containing information related to authentication; and

in response to a determination that the first request does not contain a valid, unexpired master data parcel containing information related to authentication,

sending an authentication login request from the web cache to the client,

receiving from the client a response to the authentication login request at the web cache,

using information in the response to the authentication login request to perform an authentication operation at the web cache,

sending a first response from the web cache to the client, to cause the client to send a second content request to the first origin server, the first response causing the master data parcel to be set at the client for subsequent use by the web cache, the first response including an agent data parcel containing information related to authentication, the first response causing the client to include the agent data parcel in the second content request, for use by the first origin server, wherein at least one of the master data parcel or the agent data parcel is included in a URL;

receiving at the web cache a second request from the client, wherein the second request from the client results from an initial content request from the client to a second origin server;

determining at the web cache whether the second request from the client contains a valid, unexpired master data parcel containing information related to authentication; and

in response to a determination that the second request contains a valid, unexpired master data parcel containing information related to authentication, sending a second response from the web cache to the client, to cause the client to send a second content request from the client to the second origin server, the second response from the web cache causing the client to include the agent data parcel in the second content request from the client to the second origin server.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the agent data parcel is set to expire at a time that is earlier than a time at which the master data parcel is set to expire.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the agent data parcel is encrypted by the web cache so that only a corresponding origin server can decrypt the agent data parcel.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the master data parcel includes a plurality of the following information items:

a username;

a source address;

an expiration time;

a time stamp;

a generation number; and

a reference number.

5. A network caching device comprising:

a network interface;

a memory; and

control circuitry coupled to the memory and the network interface and configured to execute operations including:

locally caching content which originates from a plurality of origins servers;

receiving a first request from a client, wherein the first request results from initial content request from the client to a first origin server;

determining whether the first request contains a valid, unexpired master data parcel containing information related to authentication; and

in response to a determination that the first request does not contain a valid, unexpired master data parcel containing information related to authentication,

sending an authentication login request to the client,

receiving from the client a response to the authentication login request,

using information in the response to the authentication login request to perform an authentication operation,

sending a first response to the client, to cause the client to send a second content request to the first origin server, the first response causing the master data parcel to be set at the client for subsequent use by the network caching device, the first response including an agent data parcel containing information related to authentication, the first response causing the client to include the agent data parcel in the second content request, for use by the first origin server, wherein at least one of the master data parcel or the agent data parcel is included in a URL;

receiving a second request from the client, wherein the second request from the client results from an initial content request from the client to a second origin server;

determining whether the second request from the client contains a valid, unexpired master data parcel containing information related to authentication; and

in response to a determination that the second request contains a valid, unexpired master data parcel containing information related to authentication, sending a second response to the client, to cause the client to send a second content request from the client to the second origin server, the second response causing the client to include the agent data parcel in the second content request from the client to the second origin server.

6. A network caching device as recited in claim 5 , wherein the master data parcel includes a plurality of the following information items:

a username;

a source address;

an expiration time;

a time stamp;

a generation number; and

a reference number.

7. A network caching device as recited in claim 5 , wherein the agent data parcel is set to expire at a time that is earlier than a time at which the master data parcel is set to expire.

8. A network caching device as recited in claim 5 , wherein the agent data parcel is encrypted by the network caching device so that only a corresponding origin server can decrypt the agent data parcel.