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Message-ID: <c94a00600806231135o5862d8ew3fa3f3f00061efff@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:35:22 -0700
From: "Rich Schumacher" <rich.schu@gmail.com>
To: users@httpd.apache.org
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Subject: [users@httpd] Cookie based AB testing with different document roots

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 Hey all,

Here is my dilemma:  I have several web servers that each contain two
versions of our site (skin is different, URLs are the same) located in
different document roots, /var/www/a.example.com and /var/www/b.example.com.
The marketing department wants to compare the versions to see which is more
effective for a number of metrics.  I need to direct 90% of traffic to the
"a" doc root and 10% to the "b" doc root.  This needs to be done via
long-expire cookies since I want users to get the same version of the site
they were originally served.  So, essentially, I need the Apache balancer to
load balance requests to the web servers as well as drop a version cookie if
it does not already exist.  If the Apache balancer encounters a version
cookie that was previously set, it should just direct traffic normally.
Then the request is passed from the balancer to the webserver and I can
rewrite the document root with mod_rewrite based on the cookie set by the
balancer.

Is this possible using mod_proxy_balancer, or am I on the wrong path.  Maybe
there is an easier way to do this?

I've tried searching this list, reading the docs, and Googling but I can't
seem to find anything that will satisfy these requirements.  I know that
this would be much easier to just have separate boxes for each version of
the site; trust me, I've tried suggesting that, but this is currently not an
option.

Thanks in advance,

Rich Schumacher

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&nbsp;Hey all,<br><br>Here is my dilemma:&nbsp; I have several web servers =
that each contain two versions of our site (skin is different, URLs are the=
 same) located in different document roots, /var/www/<a href=3D"http://a.ex=
ample.com">a.example.com</a> and /var/www/<a href=3D"http://b.example.com">=
b.example.com</a>.&nbsp; The marketing department wants to compare the vers=
ions to see which is more effective for a number of metrics.&nbsp; I need t=
o direct 90% of traffic to the &quot;a&quot; doc root and 10% to the &quot;=
b&quot; doc root.&nbsp; This needs to be done via long-expire cookies since=
 I want users to get the same version of the site they were originally serv=
ed.&nbsp; So, essentially, I need the Apache balancer to load balance reque=
sts to the web servers as well as drop a version cookie if it does not alre=
ady exist.&nbsp; If the Apache balancer encounters a version cookie that wa=
s previously set, it should just direct traffic normally.&nbsp; Then the re=
quest is passed from the balancer to the webserver and I can rewrite the do=
cument root with mod_rewrite based on the cookie set by the balancer.<br>
<br>Is this possible using mod_proxy_balancer, or am I on the wrong path.&n=
bsp; Maybe there is an easier way to do this?<br><br>I&#39;ve tried searchi=
ng this list, reading the docs, and Googling but I can&#39;t seem to find a=
nything that will satisfy these requirements.&nbsp; I know that this would =
be much easier to just have separate boxes for each version of the site; tr=
ust me, I&#39;ve tried suggesting that, but this is currently not an option=
.<br>
<br>Thanks in advance,<br><br>Rich Schumacher<br>

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