What is proxy server

A proxy server seats between the client browser and the servers behind it, it intercepts the client request and then connects to the backend server using its own connection pool, forwards clients request to the server, gets response back from the back end server and then returns that response back to the client. A proxy server performs the same basic duties as a web server and in addition to that they perform following things

• Proxy: Accepts requrest from the client, forwards that request to backend, gets response back and forwards that response to client. In doing so it hides the actual back end server information from the client


• Content filtering: They are often used to filter access to internet. The proxy can be configured with rules to reject access to sites that contain objectionable material, preventing users from gaining access to those sites


• Caching: Proxy servers can cache the results of common user requests and next time they get request for that resource, they can server the response from cache instead of sending to the actual backend server


• Security: They terminate the user connection inside the DMZ, they hide server identities by providing thier own domain names in the URL instead of backend server name. Combined with authentication proxy such as TAM, proxies can authenticate the user before forwarding the request to backend