Cached message distribution via http redirects

Abstract

A method for distributing cached messages in a load-balanced publish/subscribe messaging network using an HTTP redirect in response to an HTTP client message request is disclosed. The redirect response including a URI at which a next message in a list of sequential messages slated for the HTTP client per the request is located, wherein the HTTP client uses the URI to automatically iterate through and receive the entire list of sequential messages. The method includes that a) the HTTP client initiating a request for a next message in a sequence of messages, b) the HTTP server receiving the request and creating and inserting a client cursor in a message cache for the HTTP a cache location of the requested next message, and returning an HTTP redirect response to the HTTP client including the current client cursor cache location for the requested next message in a location field in the redirect response enabling the HTTP client to automatically access each next message in the sequence and c) the HTTP client receiving the redirect response, opens (sends) a new request to the client cursor location in accordance with the URI location field in the redirect response to secure the next message, Steps b) and c) are repeated until the HTTP server returns a response other than a redirect response, or until the HTTP client fails to respond to a redirect response. The method, system and computer program product supports point-to-point messaging.