Proxy Server

From Tech-Help

In the Manchester School District, a proxy server is used for a variety of purposes. Primarily, the proxy server controls access to the Internet from within the district’s network, requiring a password, but the proxy server also controls which websites and services can be accessed at all, for compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). For instance, the proxy server restricts access to adult-oriented sites and MySpace. The proxy server also saves a copy of any webpage a district user visits, so that if another user wants that same page soon thereafter (a common occurrence when a whole class is accessing the same website simultaneously), the proxy server can supply the cached page instead of using bandwidth to go out multiple times to the same website, increasing network efficiency.