Abstract: An acceleration engine that stores context data is operatively disposed between a network and at least one web server. Incoming requests from the network are inspected by the acceleration engine and passed on to the web server. If the inspection reveals a reference to context data, the acceleration engine retrieves the context data and asynchronously sends the context data to the web server. The web server synchronizes that request and context data and generates a response message accordingly. The response message is forwarded back to the initiator of the request with or without interception by the acceleration engine. Should context data be generated during processing of the request, such context data is sent to the acceleration engine for updating purposes.

Abstract: A network device located in the data path between a user computer and a server stores application data, processing instructions, and/or rule sets. By storing user computer-specific application data, processing instructions, and/or rule sets in the data path between the user computer and the server, the invention reduces the complexity of the web server, improves the handling of server failure, and increases the overall scalability and performance of the system.

Abstract: A system and method for storing context data in a network device that is in the data path between a user computer and a server, thereby allowing for the secure and ongoing storage of user computer-specific context data without adding unnecessary complexity to existing web server methods, while at the same time supporting redundancy and facilitating effective load-balancing. By storing user computer-specific context data in the data path between the user computer and the server, the invention reduces the complexity of the web server, improves the handling of server failure, and increases the overall scalability of the system.