About HTTP Content Analytics

Applies To: Wi-Fi Cloud-managed Access Points (AP125, AP225W, AP325, AP327X, AP420)

APs support the transfer of client HTTP content analytics or browsing data from clients over HTTP or HTTPS to an external server where this information can be stored. All HTTP requests from clients to a WatchGuard AP can be recorded and sent to an external server at regular intervals. The analytics data is sent in a JSON file format, and any analytics server that supports JSON file format can be used, such as Retailnext.

An AP can store a maximum of 20 MB of client HTTP content. You can choose to include HTTP fields in the JSON file. You an also exclude some HTTP fields from the JSON file.

An AP does not capture incoming HTTP content details from the client when it uploads the HTTP content analytics JSON file to the external server.

This table lists the details of the client HTTP content analytics stored in a JSON file:

Field

Description

 Name in File

Client MAC Address

The MAC address is used to link web activity to an individual client device. MAC

HTTP Method

The HTTP request method is used to identify form posts that indicate actions such as addition of an item to a shopping cart or wish list.

The following methods are supported.

GET, POST, HEAD, POST, PUT,DELETE, UPDATE, MERGE, TRACE, CONNECT

Type

URL accessed by the client

The complete URL is used to identify specific products that are viewed by the user operating the client device.

String length of the field in the JSON file is limited to 256 bytes.

 URL
Referrer

The Referrer header is required to differentiate between the page a user is visiting and the assets loaded by the page (images, CSS, JavaScript) and to differentiate between website and app API traffic.

String length of the field in the JSON file is limited to 128 bytes.

You can include the field into or exclude the field from the JSON file.

 Ref
Timestamp

The time offset value (T2 - T1) where T1 = Time at client has accessed URL, and T2 = Time at File is uploaded to server.

Time computation on Customer's application side will be as follows:

Step 1: Record calendar time (say LT1) in the local time zone (irrespective of the AP time zone).

Step 2: For any line item inside the POST file, subtract the time offset value, in seconds, from LT1, to get the calendar time at which the URL was accessed by the client (or time when the particular reading was taken by the AP).

Tdiff
AP location MAC address of the AP used for location identification. LANMAC
User Agent

The HTTP User-agent header is used to determine the type of client device. String length for the field in the JSON file is limited to 128 bytes.

You can include the field into or exclude the field from the JSON file.

 UA
Request Body

The request body (primarily form posts) is used to identify which products are added to a virtual shopping cart or wish list and to identify search queries.

String length for the field in the JSON filenis limited to 8 KB.

You can include the field into or exclude the field from the JSON file.

REQ_BODY

Sample JSON File

{
	"lanmac": "00:11:74:11:22:33",
	"urldata": [
		{
			"MAC": "FC: F8: AE: 04: 1A: EB",
			"URLs": [
			{
				"URL": "www.flikart.com",
				"Type": "GET",
				"Tdiff": "101",
				"UA": "Mozilla/4.0(compatible;MSIE6.0;DynGate)"
			},
			{
				"URL": "flikart.com/viewcart",
				"Type": "GET",
				"Ref": "flikart.com",
				"Tdiff": "100",
				"UA": "Mozilla/4.0(compatible;MSIE6.0;DynGate)"
			},
			{
				"URL": "flikart.com/addtocart=10",
				"Type": "GET",
				"Ref": "flikart.com",
				"Tdiff": "101",
				"UA": "Mozilla/4.0(compatible;MSIE6.0;DynGate)"
			}
		]
	},
	{
		"MAC": "AC: F8: AE: 04: 1A: EB",
		"URLs": [
		{
				"URL": "flikart.com/viewcart",
				"Type": "GET",
				"Ref": "flikart.com",
				"Tdiff": "200",
				"UA": "Mozilla/4.0(compatible;MSIE6.0;DynGate)"
			},
			{
				"URL": "flikart.com/addtocart=10",
				"Type": "POST",
				"Ref": "flikart.com",
				"Tdiff": "201",
				"UA": "Mozilla/4.0(compatible;MSIE6.0;DynGate)",
				“REQ_BODY”: “add_product_to_FAV_cart=101”
			}
		]
	}
]
}

Configure External Server

You must configure the external server details that specify where the AP sends the JSON file.

To push analytics to third-party server:

  1. Open Discover.
  2. Select Configure > WiFi.
  3. Select an SSID or create a new SSID.
  4. Select the Analytics tab.
  5. Select the Push Analytics to Third-Party Server check box.
  6. Configure these settings:
  • Server URL — URL of the external server.
  • Username — User name to log in to external server.
  • Password — Password for the user to log in to external server.
  • Send Interval Recurrent time interval — Number of seconds, after which the HTTP content analytics JSON file must be sent to the external server.
  • Upload on Memory Threshold — The check box indicates that the JSON file must be sent if it reaches the max size of 20 MB before the send interval. We recommend that you select this check box so that the file is uploaded when the maximum file size is reached to avoid loss of analytics data.

Select the fields related to the HTTP fields to be included or excluded from the JSON file.

  • Post Request Body — Select the check box to include the POST method request body in the JSON file
  • User Agent — Select the check box to include the user agent in the JSON file
  • Referrer — Select the check box to include the HTTP referrer in the JSON file

  1. Click Save.