Contents
- HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client
- Finding Feature Information
- Information About the HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client
- About HTTP Server General Access Policies
- How to Configure the HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client
- Configuring the HTTP 1.1 Web Server
- Configuring the HTTP Client
- Configuration Examples for the HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client
- Example Configuring the HTTP 1.1 Web Server
- Example Verifying HTTP Connectivity
- Where to Go Next
- Additional References
- Feature History and Information for the HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client
HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client
The HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client feature provides a consistent interface for users and applications by implementing support for HTTP 1.1 in Cisco IOS software-based devices. When combined with the HTTPS feature, the HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client feature provides a complete, secure solution for HTTP services between Cisco devices.
This module describes the concepts and tasks related to configuring the HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client feature.
- Finding Feature Information
- Information About the HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client
- How to Configure the HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client
- Configuration Examples for the HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client
- Where to Go Next
- Additional References
- Feature History and Information for the HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client
Finding Feature Information
Your software release may not support all the features documented in this module. For the latest caveats and feature information, see Bug Search Tool and the release notes for your platform and software release. To find information about the features documented in this module, and to see a list of the releases in which each feature is supported, see the feature information table at the end of this module.
Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.
Information About the HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client
This feature updates the Cisco implementation of HTTP from 1.0 to 1.1. The HTTP server allows features and applications, such as the Cisco web browser user interface, to be run on your routing device.
The Cisco implementation of HTTP 1.1 is backward-compatible with previous Cisco IOS releases. If you are currently using configurations that enable the HTTP server, no configuration changes are needed because all defaults remain the same.
The process of enabling and configuring the HTTP server also remains the same as in previous releases. Support for Server Side Includes (SSIs) and HTML forms has not changed. Additional configuration options, such as the ip http timeout-policy and ip http max-connections commands, have been added. These options allow configurable resource limits for the HTTP server. If you do not use these optional commands, default policies are used.
Remote applications may require that you enable the HTTP server before using them. Applications that use the HTTP server include the following:
- The Cisco web browser user interface, which uses the Cisco IOS Homepage Server, HTTP-based EXEC Server, and HTTP IOS File System (IFS) Server.
- The VPN Device Manager (VDM) application, which uses the VDM Server and the XML Session Manager (XSM).
- The QoS Device Manager (QDM) application, which uses the QDM Server.
- IP Phone and Cisco IOS Telephony Service applications, which use the ITS Local Directory Search and IOS Telephony Server (ITS).
No Cisco applications use the HTTP Client in Cisco IOS Release 12.2(15)T.
About HTTP Server General Access Policies
The ip http timeout-policy command allows you to specify general access characteristics for the server by configuring a value for idle time, connection life, and request maximum. By adjusting these values, you can configure a general policy; for example, if you want to maximize throughput for HTTP connections, you should configure a policy that minimizes the connection overhead. You can configure this type of policy by specifying large values for the life and request options so that each connection stays open longer and more requests are processed for each connection.
Another example would be to configure a policy that minimizes the response time for new connections. You can configure this type of policy by specifying small values for the life and request options so that the connections are quickly released to serve new clients.
A throughput policy would be better for HTTP sessions with dedicated management applications because it would allow the application to send more requests before the connection is closed, while a response time policy would be better for interactive HTTP sessions because it would allow more people to connect to the server at the same time without having to wait for connections to become available.
In general, you should configure these options as appropriate for your environment. The value for the idle option should be balanced; it should be large enough so as to not cause an unwanted request or response timeout on the connection and small enough so as to not hold a connection open longer than necessary.
Access security policies for the HTTP server are configured using the following commands:
How to Configure the HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client
Configuring the HTTP 1.1 Web Server
Perform this task to enable the HTTP server and configure optional server characteristics. The HTTP server is disabled by default.
Note | If you want to configure authentication (step 4), you must configure the authentication type before you begin configuring the HTTP 1.1 web server. |
1.
enable
2.
configure
terminal
3.
ip
http
server
4.
ip
http
authentication
{aaa |
enable |
local |
tacacs}
5.
ip
http
accounting
commands
level
{default |
named-accounting-method-list}
6.
ip
http
port
port-number
7.
ip
http
path
url
8.
ip
http
access-class
access-list-number
9.
ip
http
max-connections
value
10.
ip
http
timeout-policy
idle
seconds
life
seconds
requests
value
DETAILED STEPS
Configuring the HTTP Client
Perform this task to enable the HTTP client and configure optional client characteristics.
The standard HTTP 1.1 client and the secure HTTP client are always enabled. No commands exist to disable the HTTP client. For information about configuring optional characteristics for the HTTPS client, see the HTTPS-HTTP Server and Client with SSL 3.0 feature module.
1.
enable
2.
configure
terminal
3.
ip
http
client
cache
{ager
interval
minutes |
memory {file
file-size-limit |
pool
pool-size-limit}
4.
ip
http
client
connection
{forceclose |
idle
timeout
seconds |
retry
count |
timeout
seconds}
5.
ip
http
client
password
password
6.
ip
http
client
proxy-server
proxy-name
proxy-port
port-number
7.
ip
http
client
response
timeout
seconds
8.
ip
http
client
source-interface
type
number
9.
ip
http
client
username
username
DETAILED STEPS
Command or Action | Purpose | |
---|---|---|
Step 1 |
enable
Example: Router> enable |
Enables privileged EXEC mode. |
Step 2 |
configure
terminal
Example: Router# configure terminal |
Enters global configuration mode. |
Step 3 |
ip
http
client
cache
{ager
interval
minutes |
memory {file
file-size-limit |
pool
pool-size-limit}
Example: Router(config)# ip http client cache memory file 5 |
Configures the HTTP client cache. |
Step 4 |
ip
http
client
connection
{forceclose |
idle
timeout
seconds |
retry
count |
timeout
seconds}
Example: Router(config)# ip http client connection timeout 10 |
Configures an HTTP client connection. |
Step 5 |
ip
http
client
password
password
Example: Router(config)# ip http client password pswd1 |
Configures the default password used for connections to remote HTTP servers. |
Step 6 |
ip
http
client
proxy-server
proxy-name
proxy-port
port-number
Example: Router(config)# ip http client proxy-server server1 proxy-port 52 |
Configures an HTTP proxy server. |
Step 7 |
ip
http
client
response
timeout
seconds
Example: Router(config)# ip http client response timeout 60 |
Specifies the timeout value, in seconds, that the HTTP client waits for a response from the server. |
Step 8 |
ip
http
client
source-interface
type
number
Example: Router(config)# ip http client source-interface ethernet1/0 |
Configures a source interface for the HTTP client. |
Step 9 |
ip
http
client
username
username
Example: Router(config)# ip http client user1 |
Configures the default username used for connections to remote HTTP servers. |
Configuration Examples for the HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client
Example Configuring the HTTP 1.1 Web Server
The following example shows a typical configuration that enables the server and sets some characteristics:
ip http server ip http authentication aaa ip http accounting commands 15 default ip http path flash: ip access-list standard 20 permit 209.165.202.130 0.0.0.255 permit 209.165.201.1 0.0.255.255 permit 209.165.200.225 0.255.255.255 ! (Note: all other access implicitly denied) end ip http access-class 10 ip http max-connections 10 ip http accounting commands 1 oneacct
In the following example, a throughput timeout policy is applied. This configuration will allow each connection to be idle for a maximum of 30 seconds (approximately). Each connection will remain open (be “alive”) until either the HTTP server has been processing requests for approximately 2 minutes (120 seconds) or until approximately 100 requests have been processed.
ip http timeout-policy idle 30 life 120 requests 100
In the following example, a Response Time timeout policy is applied. This configuration will allow each connection to be idle for a maximum of 30 seconds (approximately). Each connection will be closed as soon as the first request has been processed.
ip http timeout-policy idle 30 life 30 requests 1
Example Verifying HTTP Connectivity
To verify remote connectivity to the HTTP server, enter the system IP address in a web browser, followed by a colon and the appropriate port number (80 is the default port number).
For example, if the system IP address is 209.165.202.129 and the port number is 8080, enter http://209.165.202.129:8080 as the URL in a web browser.
If HTTP authentication is configured, a login dialog box will appear. Enter the appropriate username and password. If the default login authentication method of “enable” is configured, you may leave the username field blank, and use the “enable” password to log in.
The system home page should appear in your browser.
Where to Go Next
For information about secure HTTP connections using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) 3.0, refer to the HTTPS - HTTP with SSL 3.0 feature module.
Additional References
Related Documents
Related Topic |
Document Title |
---|---|
Cisco IOS commands |
|
HTTP commands: complete command syntax, command mode, command history, defaults, usage guidelines, and examples |
|
HTTPS |
Standards and RFCs
Standard/RFC |
Title |
---|---|
No specific standards are supported by this feature. Note that HTTP 1.1, as defined in RFC 2616, is currently classified as a “Standards Track” document by the IETF. |
— |
RFC 2616 |
Hypertext Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.1 |
The Cisco implementation of the HTTP Version 1.1 supports a subset of elements defined in RFC 2616. Following is a list of supported RFC 2616 headers:
MIBs
MIB |
MIBs Link |
---|---|
To locate and download MIBs for selected platforms, Cisco software releases, and feature sets, use Cisco MIB Locator found at the following URL: |
Technical Assistance
Description |
Link |
---|---|
The Cisco Support and Documentation website provides online resources to download documentation, software, and tools. Use these resources to install and configure the software and to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues with Cisco products and technologies. Access to most tools on the Cisco Support and Documentation website requires a Cisco.com user ID and password. |
Feature History and Information for the HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client
The following table provides release information about the feature or features described in this module. This table lists only the software release that introduced support for a given feature in a given software release train. Unless noted otherwise, subsequent releases of that software release train also support that feature.
Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.
Feature Name |
Releases |
Feature Information |
---|---|---|
HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client |
12.2(15)T 12.2(33)SB 12.2(33)SRC 12.4(15)T Cisco IOS XE 3.1.0SG |
The HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client feature provides a consistent interface for users and applications by implementing support for HTTP 1.1 in Cisco IOS software-based devices. When combined with the HTTPS feature, the HTTP 1.1 Web Server and Client feature provides a complete, secure solution for HTTP services between Cisco devices. The following commands were introduced or modified by this feature: debug ip http all, debug ip http client, ip http access-class, ip http authentication, ip http client cache, ip http client connection, ip http client password, ip http client proxy-server, ip http client response timeout, ip http client source-interface, ip http client username, ip http max-connections, ip http path, ip http port, ip http server, ip http timeout-policy, show ip http client, show ip http client connection, show ip http client history, show ip http client session-module, show ip http server, show ip http server secure status. |
HTTP TACACS+ Accounting Support |
12.2(33)SB 12.2(33)SRC 12.2(50)SY 12.4(15)T |
The HTTP TACACS+ Accounting Support feature introduces the ip http accounting commands command. This command is used to specify a particular command accounting method for HTTP server users. Command accounting provides information about commands, executed on a device, for a specified privilege level. Each command accounting record corresponds to one IOS command executed at its respective privilege level, as well as the date and time the command was executed, and the user who executed it. The following commands were introduced or modified by this feature: ip http accounting commands. |