Configure HTTP compression for a network element

To configure HTTP compression for a network element

In the console tree of ISA Server Management, click General.
In the details pane, click Define HTTP Compression Preferences.
On the General tab, verify that Enable HTTP compression is selected.
On the Return Compressed Data tab, click Add to add the network elements from which clients will be allowed to request compressed HTTP responses.
Under Exceptions, you can click Add to add the network elements that will be exceptions to the client who will be allowed to request compressed HTTP responses.
Click Content Types and define which content types will be compressed. If no content types are defined, compression will not take place.
On the Request Compressed Data tab, click Add to add the network elements from which ISA Server will request compressed HTTP responses.
Under Exceptions, you can click Add to add the network elements that will be exceptions to the the network elements from which ISA Server will request compressed HTTP responses.

Notes

For more information about HTTP compression in ISA Server, see HTTP Compression Concepts in ISA Server 2006 at the Microsoft ISA Server TechCenter Web site (http://www.microsoft.com).
To open ISA Server Management, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft ISA Server, and then click ISA Server Management.
For ISA Server 2006 Enterprise Edition, expand Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2006, expand Arrays, expand Array_Name, expand Configuration, and then click General.
For ISA Server 2006 Standard Edition, expand Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2006, expand Server_Name, expand Configuration, and then click General.

Important

ISA Server will only compress content if you select Compress all content types except selected, and some types are not selected, or Compress the selected content types only, and some types are selected.
If you select Compress all content types except selected, and do not select any types, all traffic will be compressed.
Compression can apply to traffic handled by access rules and publishing rules.
For a client computer to receive compressed content from ISA Server, its browser must be configured to use HTTP 1.1. In Internet Explorer, this setting appears on the Advanced tab of Internet Options.
The list of network entities is ordered, so you can set a preference for compression between the network entities. Use the UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW keys to order the network elements.
Repeat this procedure to add additional network elements.