To optimize the space utilizations and file transfer operations in flash: memory, Cisco IOS web server allows files to be served from tar archives stored on flash: (or any other) filesystem. The URL syntax to access a file in a tar archive is /archive/archive-name-without-tar-suffix/file-in-archive.

For example, with the archive command, you can list the common.tar file found on all routers with preinstalled Secure Device Manager (SDM). It contains the following files:

router#archive tar /table flash:common.tar
common/runAPP.shtml (13065 bytes)
common/blank.html (86 bytes)
common/appsupport.js (1690 bytes)
common/common.js (6958 bytes)
common/blank.gif (43 bytes)
common/launcher.html (2534 bytes)
common/home_ui.html (7587 bytes)
common/spacer.gif (43 bytes)
common/Cisco_logo.gif (1098 bytes)
common/launchTask.html (1794 bytes)
common/cisco-logo-clear.gif (641 bytes)
common/error.html (1133 bytes)
common/version.txt (85 bytes)
common/common.sgz (851879 bytes)
common/com/cisco/nm/util/sgz/Loader.class (703 bytes)
common/ieloader.cab (41780 bytes)
common/jploader.jar (61760 bytes)

To access the Cisco_logo.gif file from that archive, use the URL http://router/archive/flash:common/common/Cisco_logo.gif (you can omit the flash: string in the URL).