Microsoft Application Request Routing (ARR) for IIS 7.0 is a proxy-based routing module that forwards HTTP requests to application servers based on HTTP headers, server variables, and load balance algorithms.  

ARR Version 2 Beta 2 is an incremental release that includes all of the features from Version 1, and adds support for disk-based cache. More specifically, this feature allows IIS to compete as a cache proxy in a whole new market place:

• Enhance ARR Version 1 scenarios with disk cache.
• Use ARR as a cache proxy as a cache node in a CDN/ECN environment.
  • Use ARR as an edge/child cache node.
  • Use ARR as a parent cache node.

Download ARRv2 beta 2 from:

· Microsoft Application Request Routing Version 2 for IIS7 Beta 2 (x86)

· Microsoft Application Request Routing Version 2 for IIS7 Beta 2 (x64)

What’s new in ARRv2 beta 2:

• Disk-based caching (Improved in Beta 2)
  In addition to the kernel memory cache in ARR Version 1, Version 2 Beta 2 adds support for disk-based cache.  This feature is improved in Beta 2 with an introduction to secondary cache concept.

• Cache hierarchy management
  Define and manage relationships between cache nodes, including support for the Cache Array Routing Protocol (CARP).  

• Cache proxy node in CDN/ECN environment   (Improved in Beta 2)
  Because ARR is a proxy-based HTTP request routing module with support for disk cache and CARP, ARR can be used as a cache proxy in a CDN/ECN environment. This feature is improved in Beta 2 with support for more advanced routing rules, such as being able to set host headers to route requests accordingly.

• Caching compressed objects
  Disk-based cache stores compressed objects so that the objects do not have to be compressed in real time for every request.  

• Browse cached contents using IIS manager (New in Beta 2)
  Browse through cached contents across multiple drives in one consolidated graphical view in IIS manager.

• Remove cached contents (Improved in Beta 2)
  Delete cached contents by matching URL patterns.

• Override cache-control directives (New in Beta 2)
  Manually override the cache-control directives in the response header to change the cache behavior.

• Warm up cache node (New in Beta 2)
  Proactively warm up your cache node with contents that will be in demand before they are requested.

• Intelligent byte-range support
  ARR converts the byte-range request into manageable segments to increase cache hit/miss ratio without sacrificing response time.

• Intelligent live request support (New in Beta 2)
  ARR is designed to work with Live Smooth Streaming to support live content requests without over-loading the live streaming server.

• Caching while serving response
  Caching large content, such as a movie clip, may take some time. ARR Version 2 Beta 2 is capable of caching the content while serving the response immediately.

Support:

· Support for the beta release is available only on the forum.