Improving Performance of Dynamic Web Pages

Introduction to the ESI Sample Application

April 2002 (revised August 2002)

Dynamic, personalized Web pages attract users, and that's good for business. However, as site traffic increases, the overhead of generating content on-demand can lead to slower delivery times and frustrated users. If users don't come back, business suffers.

Coping strategies exist at opposite ends of the network. A company can fortify its back-end infrastructure by adding servers, but heavyweight hardware is expensive. Another way to ease the server-side processing load is by caching pre-built versions of frequently-requested pages, but truly dynamic content is by definition uncacheable—for example, you can't cache real-time stock quotes. Client-side processing is an option, but it can lead to compatibility issues, platform dependencies, and other complexities that Web-based e-business promises to eliminate.

This sample application shows how to deliver compelling, dynamic content and still reap the performance benefits of caching. The sample runs on Oracle9i Application Server and takes advantage of the built-in Oracle9iAS Web Cache. The underlying technology is Edge Side Includes (ESI), so-called because pages are assembled not on the client or the server, but between them at the edge of the network. The benefits of Oracle9iAS Web Cache and ESI extend beyond simple Web sites. They can also accelerate performance of e-business applications and improve productivity of employee-facing applications across an intranet.