always_direct allow -> Squid MUST go direct never_direct allow -> Squid MUST NOT go direct
both deny (the default) -> Squid will try to use a parent (or sibling) if it is determined that the response may be cached and the client accepts to get cached content. Direct otherwise. For your preference you should use always_direct for the servers you do not want to use any peers (i.e. your local servers) in combination with and prefer_direct off to make squid prefer a bit more to use parents in favor of going direct where possible (except for always_direct). Do not use never_direct unless you have certain sites for which you MUST use a parent, for example the intranet of a partner company etc... The main use of never_direct is when you are inside a firewall and MUST use a parent proxy to reach the Interenet. Regards Henrik On Thursday 20 February 2003 22.17, Christoph Haas wrote: > Henrik, thanks for replying. > > On Thu, Feb 20, 2003 at 09:29:38PM +0100, Henrik Nordstrom wrote: > > If you want Squid to go direct then you cannot use never_direct.. > > See also prefer_direct. > > I have tried various combinations of never_direct and > always_direct. In fact I never really understood why "always_direct > allow" is not the same as "never_direct deny". Do you have any > concrete suggestions on how to write the preference ruleset? > > In human language the rules should be: > - always try to use the parent proxy > - only if there are no parent (because they are declared as dead) > try a direct request to the destination web server > > IMHO there are only few people who have really understood the exact > way that parent selection (or "preference") is decided by squid. > > Christoph
