A method, apparatus and computer program product for reducing the data transmitted over an external communication link using the TCP protocol from a first application resident in a first computer and to a second application resident in a second computer. The method, apparatus and computer program product include establishing a first virtual socket in the first computer in response to each connection request by the first application for receiving request data originated by the first application. A first real socket in the first computer and a second real socket in the second computer are established to connect the first computer to the second computer over the external communication link and are maintained until the request data has been provided to the second application. In the second computer a second virtual socket is established for each connection request by the first application wherein the second virtual socket corresponds to a first virtual socket established in the first computer in response to a connection request by the first application. Request data associated with a first virtual socket is multiplexed onto the first real socket and transmitted over the external communication link utilizing the TCP protocol. The multiplexed request data is received from the external communication link by the second real socket and demultiplexed. The demultiplexed request data is provided to the corresponding second virtual socket which provides the request data to the second application.