K9660: Configuring the BIG-IP WebAccelerator to recognize iCalendar files

Non-Diagnostic

Original Publication Date: Jan 29, 2009

Update Date: Jul 3, 2018

Topic

The BIG-IP WebAccelerator does not have an object type in the /config/wa/globalfragment. file to support iCalendar files often used by Apple , Google , Mozilla Sunbird, and other calendar programs. These files usually have an .ics or .ifb extension and are labeled with the text/calendar MIME .

F5 Networks Product Development is tracking a request for enhancement to add this functionality as CR113103.

Workaround

To add an object type for iCalendar files to the globalframent.xml file and configure an acceleration policy to use the new object type, perform the following two procedures:

Adding a documents.ical object type for iCalendar files to the globalfragment.xml file Configuring an acceleration policy with an iCal documents node that uses the documents.ical object type

Adding a documents.ical object type for iCalendar files to the globalfragment.xml file

To add a documents.ical object type for iCalendar files to the globalfragment.xml file, perform the following procedure:

1. Log in to the command line. 2. Change directories to the /config/wa directory by typing the following command:

cd /config/wa 3. Back up the original globalfragment.xml file by typing the following command:

cp globalfragment.xml globalfragment.xml.sol9660 4. Open the globalfragment.xml file in a text editor. 5. Add the following objType entry to the end of the objTypes section:

displayName="iCalendar" ext="ics,ifb,ical" mimeType=" text/calendar" compressToClient="policyControlled" /> 6. Save the globalfragment.xml file. 7. Restart the pvac daemon by typing the following command:

Important: Restarting the pvac daemon will briefly disrupt connections, and invalidate objects in the LTM RAM Cache. Restarting the pvac daemon should be scheduled accordingly.

bigstart restart pvac

The documents.ical file can now be used for the Content Type in the Matching Rules section of a WebAccelerator policy.

Configuring an acceleration policy with an iCal documents node that uses the documents.ical object type

To configure an acceleration policy with an iCal documents node that uses the documents.ical object type, perform the following procedure:

Note: Pre-defined Acceleration policies are not modifiable; this procedure must be performed on a User- defined Acceleration policy.

1. Log in to the BIG-IP WebAccelerator Configuration utility. 2. Click WebAccelerator. 3. Click Policies.

A new Policies Configuration window opens. 4. Click on the User-defined Acceleration policy to be configured. 5. Click the plus ( + ) sign to expand the Site nodes. 6. Click the plus sign to expand the Static nodes. 7. Click the plus sign to expand the Documents nodes. 8. Click on the Misc Client Uncompr. node. 9. Click the Copy link at the top of the policy tree. 10. Type iCal in the Name field. 11. Click the Copy button. 12. Click on the new iCal node. 13. Select Matching Rules from the drop-down menu. 14. Click Content Type. 15. Delete the contents of the Value matches text field. 16. Type documents.ical in the Value matches text field. 17. Click the Save button. 18. Click the Publish button. 19. Optionally, type a comment or note in the Comment field. 20. Click the Publish Now button. Applies to:

Product: BIG-IP, BIG-IP WebAccelerator 10.0.1, 10.0.0, 9.4.8, 9.4.7, 9.4.6, 9.4.5, 9.4.4, 9.4.3, 9.4.2, 9.4.1, 9.4.0