Can you redirect a 404 error to a different site?

Products

• ProxySG Software - SGOS

Issue/Introduction

 

It is becoming more common for customers to want to have their client browsers redirect errored sessions to an alternate web site. For example, redirecting to one's homepage whenever a 404 error is encountered, instead of having the error appear on the client's browser.

This is relatively simple to configure. It involves creating a single rule in a Web Access layer within the Visual Policy Manager on the ProxySG appliance Management Console.

In the following example, a 404 error will be redirected to the customer's homepage.

1. Open the VPM (Visual Policy Manager) by browsing to the Configuration tab in the Management Console, then browse to Policy > Visual Policy Manager, and click Launch.
2. Within the VPM, choose the Web Access Layer you plan to add this rule, or create a new one. This rule should be at or near the top of the layer you choose, to ensure it is matched.
3. In the Destination Field, right click and choose Set. Select New, and choose Response Code from the List. Provide a Name for the Response Code, then choose 404 Not Found from the list, as seen below. Finish with OK.

 

 

4. In the Action field, right click and choose Set. Select New, and choose Return Redirect from the list.  Ensure 302 is checked, then add the URL of choice in the URL field.

 

Once saved (select OK and Apply as required), this rule will have all users getting the web site you chose whenever a site they are browsing to would return a 404 error. This rule can be created for any of the HTTP Response Codes listed in the rule as well, so it offers some flexibility for the browsing experience.

 

NOTE: This rule assume that every 404 encountered will return the web site chosen. It does not offer the flexibility to set it for specific web sites.