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Networking Intermediate

What is Proxy Server?

An intermediary server that forwards requests between clients and destination servers, providing caching, filtering, or anonymity.

A proxy server acts as a gateway between users and the internet. Forward proxies serve clients (hiding client identity), while reverse proxies serve servers (load balancing, SSL termination, caching).

Use cases include content filtering, bandwidth saving through caching, accessing geo-restricted content, and security monitoring. Nginx and Squid are popular proxy server software.

Related Terms

ARP (Address Resolution Protocol)
A protocol that maps IP addresses to physical MAC addresses on a local network segment.
Network Bridge
A device or software that connects two or more network segments at the data link layer, forwarding traffic based on MAC addresses.
Anycast
A network routing technique where the same IP address is announced from multiple locations, directing users to the nearest server.
ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol)
A network protocol used for diagnostic and error reporting, including ping and traceroute functionality.
Bandwidth
The maximum rate of data transfer across a network connection, measured in bits per second.
TCP vs UDP
Two transport layer protocols: TCP provides reliable, ordered delivery while UDP provides fast, connectionless delivery without guarantees.
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