Hi, I have done URL rewrite in other types of servers, but never for Webspeh
ere. I have this project where the client is using a Commerce suite, but I n
eed to optimize the URLs for search engine friendliness.
Is there something like the .htaccess on apache that would permit this?
Do you have any info on URL rewrite on Websphere?

Thanks so much for helping,
Yan

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URL rewriting is possible with WebSphere Commerce but search engine
friendliness has not been available until just recently (v5.6.1).  I
would suggest you mention to the client that an upgrade will solve the
problem.  URL Rewriting has its disadvantages in the WC world (no
caching of pages, all pages must be served by WebSphere, etc.) so
neither option will be straightforward IMO.

Give me your version of WC and I'll point you to the correct
documentation for your stack.

R

> Hi, I have done URL rewrite in other types of servers, but never for
> Webspehere. I have this project where the client is using a Commerce
> suite, but I need to optimize the URLs for search engine friendliness.
> Is there something like the .htaccess on apache that would permit
> this?
> Do you have any info on URL rewrite on Websphere?
>
> Thanks so much for helping,
> Yan
>
>
>
> --
> skuba
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Posted via http://www.webservertalk.com
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> View this thread: http://www.webservertalk.com/message1204179.html
>

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Hi Yan,

Yes, any URL rewriting should be done in IHS (IBM's version of Apache). Have
 a look at: -

http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/mod/mod_rewrite.html

We use this approach to achieve SEO. Of course you have to change your URLs 
in your JSPs to match to optimisation you are trying to achieve, then build 
your rewrite rules to map the URL back again (so that WC recogises it).

WC 5.6 contains a module for doing much the same thing. You have to construc
t your URLs in a particular format (or run a PERL script to modify the start
er store JSPs automatically). Instead of using rewrite rules to convert the 
URL back again, WC uses a f
ilter servlet that sits in front of the normal request server. The downside 
to this approach is that you can no longer use the WebSphere plugin caching 
on the web server.

Cheers,
Glen.

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

We have been trying some things with URL mapping. Is that what you mean? Or 
is there any SEO feature beyond that in WC newer versions?

Thanks


quote:
Originally posted by  
Hi Yan,

Yes, any URL rewriting should be done in IHS (IBM's version of Apache). Have
 a look at: -

http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/mod/mod_rewrite.html

We use this approach to achieve SEO. Of course you have to change your URLs 
in your JSPs to match to optimisation you are trying to achieve, then build 
your rewrite rules to map the URL back again (so that WC recogises it).

WC 5.6 contains a module for doing much the same thing. You have to construc
t your URLs in a particular format (or run a PERL script to modify the start
er store JSPs automatically). Instead of using rewrite rules to convert the 
URL back again, WC uses a f
ilter servlet that sits in front of the normal request server. The downside 
to this approach is that you can no longer use the WebSphere plugin caching 
on the web server.

Cheers,
Glen. 

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

Hello,

It sounds like the same. The url mapper is a WC component (defined in the in
stance.xml file). It reads in the mapping urls from an XML file on startup. 
At runtime the filter servlet converts the URLs from their static form back 
to their dynamic form based
on the XML rules.

Downsides are: -

1. You have to change the JSPs to build the static appearing URLs.
2. You can no longer use caching on the WebSphere plugin for these pages.

Cheers,
Glen.

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