Understanding all about the proxy server
If you are regular user of computers, particularly for those in a network, you probably heard of a proxyserver. Despite this, there is only a handful of people that actually understand what a proxy server is and its function in a computer network.
In simple terms, a proxy server usually acts as a link between a client (computer) and other servers. It makes the whole process of getting services from such servers much easier and much faster.
There are three main types of proxy servers. These are; forward proxy servers, reverse proxy servers and performance enhancing proxy servers.
In the forward proxy servers, the client servers are the ones that specify which servers they would like to connect to. This is the main reason as to why such servers are able to connect to virtually all resources over the internet.
In the reverse proxy servers, the response is usually as though it came directly from the proxy server. However, what happens is that once a request is made, it is forwarded to one or more origin servers which handle the request.
For the performance enhancing proxies, there main purpose is to reduce the effect of losses in the network to the client. That is why they are mainly used in wireless networks.
Regardless of the type of proxy server that you are using, there are several purposes that they are meant to fulfill. First of all, they help in making access to the network resources much faster. This is mainly through caching and compression. These proxy servers can also be used to hide your identity. The other purpose is usually to monitor the network. This helps in being able to filter the content and even block some websites.
If you would like to fully utilize the network resources, use the proxy servers.