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What is a Proxy?
A proxy server is a server that serves as a gateway between a
local network (Palnet in this case) and the outside world. The
proxy server allows various services, mainly caching [keeping
a copy of the requested infomation] of the requests.
A proxy cache is a way for a client to get remote pages via the
local server rather than direct from the original site. When the
server gets a request, it either provides it from the cache, or
gets it through the original site (while caching it here). Any
future requests are answered from the local copy of this document,
thus saving multiple page transfers from abroad. Each page is
dowloaded only once, thus saving time and network bandwidth for
any future accesses to the cached documents. The cache will expire
old entries, and will avoid caching results that are actually
from programs (which may change each time called).
Why Should I use Proxy?
The proxy cache will help you work faster and save bandwidth.
If a certain document is in the cache, you wouldn't have to wait
for it to be transfered from abroad (which saves you time, and
helps make the connection faster for you and for other users).
If the document you asked for is not in the cache, it would take
exactly the same amount of time for you (it will be downloaded
from abroad) - but it would save a lot of time for the next user
(who might very well be you) that would download this document.
You have an interest in him getting the document faster - the
international line would be less crowded, and you would get your
transfers faster.
Should I be concerned about this cache as
an invasion of privacy?
No information is saved regarding which specific client(s) requested
which specific document(s).
The cache usage analysis reports will show which clients accessed
the cache, and which URLs the cache fetched data for, but they
do not contain any information regarding which client fetched
which URL. So the cache usage analysis reports cannot be used
to determine what you downloaded.
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