Abstract: To reduce repetitive data transfers, data content of an outgoing message is stored within cache storage of an intermediate node of a data communications network. A token for identifying the cached data content is stored at the intermediate node and the sender. When a subsequent outgoing message is to be routed from a first network node to a target destination via the intermediate node, a process running at the first node checks whether the content of the message matches data cached at the intermediate node. If there is a match, a copy of the token is sent from the first node to the intermediate node instead of the data content. The token is used at the intermediate node to identify the cached data, and the cached data is retrieved from the cache and forwarded to the target destination as an outgoing message.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, apparatus and computer program product in which a web client request for a web service is intercepted and the target of the request updated according to policy data associated with the client. Further the application layer protocol in which the web client request is specified may be changed. As a result a web client which makes a request for which the target web service is hard-coded may be adapted to take advantage of managed access to web services resulting in access to web services which, for example, provide quality of service characteristics which more appropriately match the requirements of the web client.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, apparatus and computer program product which enables a web service gateway or web service server to provide a document, such as a WSDL, describing a target service to a requesting client which contains details which have been tailored for that client. For example, for a target service which provides access at different qualities of service, a WSDL can be returned in response to a client request, the WSDL containing details of how to access the target service at an appropriate quality of service for a user id which was specified with the client request.