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Many computer users have no idea about what is a proxy server, and how it serves them during their countless browsing sessions. When a computer connects to the internet, the IP address of the user is transmitted to the server to enable it to identify the source of the user's web request.

A unique IP address is like an Identity card, it contains personal information about the user's computer. These details can be viewed by others and can be logged for monitoring, upgrade or auditing purposes. Network owners can also censor certain information for users they deem unauthorised or unwanted or those from certain geographical locations.

What is a proxy server? It is a middleman. It mediates between the user's computer and the remote host computer that the user is attempting to access. Any communication with the user and the remote host computer is now handled by a proxy server. A request is made to the proxy server, and a response of given to the proxy server which then passes it on to the requesting server or user; there is no direct communication. It therefore appears as if the request data is coming from the proxy server.

The only way to track the data sent by the user would be to go through the log files kept by the proxy server, this way the proxy server can hide the identity of the user from the remote server.

The functions of the proxy servers are much.

Time Saving

Proxy servers increase the speed of accessing resources from servers by making cached responses for similar request to clients available. By doing this, it does not have to go to and fro conveying unique responses for the same request by users.

Log Information

Some proxy servers record data about request and response in a file. This file could be used for various book keeping purposes.

Censorship

Network owners always have an ethical need to restrict access to sites that they deem inappropriate. Proxy servers act as a medium to limit or block access to these unwanted or unauthorised sites

Security Over-ride

To access sites are blocked or restricted over a certain network, proxy servers are used to gain access to this sites. The network only sees the IP address of this proxy site hence permits it. These might be suitable for those web pages that are blocked on a school or company websites.  Parental control options could also be over-ridden with proxies.

Access control

Access to regionally restricted resources is enabled if proxy servers are used. For example, some countries might censor certain information available on the web if it deems that it might destabilise or miss-lead her citizens.

Contents Protection

For protect sensitive contents from leaking out of its database, some companies use proxy servers to serve as a gateway for data traffic. This monitors and blocks certain outgoing data.

Identity Protection

For security or personal concerns, users can hide their identity behind a firewall or proxy server to be able to browse the web anonymously.

Malware Filter

There are many unwanted programs that remote host computers send with requested data that could be harmful to destination server, Proxy servers are used to scan and filter malware before delivering requested resources.

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