What is a function of a proxy server?

A primary function of a proxy server is to act as an intermediary that can improve performance and reduce bandwidth consumption through caching. When a user within an organization requests a web page, the proxy server retrieves it from the internet and delivers it to the user. The proxy then stores a copy of this page in its local cache. If another user requests the same page, the proxy can serve it directly from its cache, which is much faster than fetching it from the origin server again. This process effectively creates a shared cache of recently accessed web content for the entire organization.

A. This describes the function of a web server or an application server, which hosts websites and executes server-side scripts to generate dynamic content.

B. This describes a database server, which manages and provides access to a database system in response to client queries (e.g., SQL queries).

D. This describes a file server, a centralized server in a computer network that provides storage space for files accessible by clients on the network.

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1. Kurose

J. F.

& Ross

K. W. (2017). Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach (7th ed.). Pearson. In Section 2.2.4

"Web Caching

" the text states

"A Web cache—also called a proxy server—is a network entity that satisfies HTTP requests on the behalf of an origin Web server. The Web cache has its own disk storage and keeps copies of recently requested objects... in this storage." (p. 107).

2. Saltzer

J. H.

& Kaashoek

M. F. (2009). Principles of Computer System Design: An Introduction. Morgan Kaufmann. Chapter 8

"Performance

" discusses the use of caching to improve system performance. Section 8.2.1 explains

"A proxy may be able to satisfy the request from its own cache of recently fetched Web pages

thus avoiding a network round-trip to the server." (p. 388).

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (2018). 6.033 Computer System Engineering

Spring 2018. MIT OpenCourseWare. In Lecture 15 notes on "The Web

" the role of proxies is discussed

highlighting their function as caches to reduce latency for clients by storing copies of web objects. (Section 15.3.1

"Proxies").