So a client asks me to take a couple of hours to look into the performance of external access to an ASP.NET app I inherited a while back. Caching to the rescue, or so I thought. I setup a caching scheme on the app's primary datatables, datasets, and miscellaneous UI elements, VPN in and the pages load like the wind. Then I hit the same pages externally and my browser--in the HTTP header--asks the server, “I thought this stuff was cached? Where the heck is it?” And the server says, “It's not my problem, dude! Most of these bits are coming out of RAM!”
So now its time to talk to my #1 network admin to see what his take is on it. Fortunately he's very accommodating and an all-around great guy. I'll be interested to know what the heck might be responsible for the slow performance. It's not my problem, after all....