Patent ID: 8370424

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of serving web content with a cache server, the method comprising: storing a cached version of a web page in memory, the cached version of the web page reflecting a version of the web page as of a particular time or date; receiving a request from a client for a version of the web page; sending a validation request to an origin server, the origin server storing a current version of the web page that reflects a version of the web page that has been modified since the particular date or time of the cached version of the web page; receiving a validation response from the origin server, wherein: if the client is associated with a first category of clients for which cached versions of web pages are to be served, the validation response includes an instruction for the cache server to provide the cached version of the web page to the client; and if the client is associated with a second category of clients for which current versions of web pages are to be served, the validation response includes the current version of the web page and an instruction for the cache server to provide the current version of the web page to the client; and providing the cached version of the web page or the current version of the web page to the client according to the validation response.