WCCP packet flow

The following packet flow sequence assumes you have configured a FortiGate unit to be a WCCP server and one or more FortiGate units to be WCCP clients.

1. A user’s web browser sends a request for web content.
2. The FortiGate unit configured as a WCCP server includes a security policy that intercepts the request and forwards it to a WCCP client.

The security policy can apply UTM features to traffic accepted by the policy.

3. The WCCP client receives the WCCP session.
4. The client either returns requested content to the WCCP server if it is already cached, or connects to the destination web server, receives and caches the content and then returns it to the WCCP server.
5. The WCCP server returns the requested content to the user’s web browser.
6. The WCCP router returns the request to the client web browser.

The client we browser is not aware that all this is taking place and does not have to be configured to use a web proxy.