| In [[computer network]]s, a '''proxy server''' is a [[Server (computing)|server]] (a computer system or an application) that acts as an [[intermediary]] for requests from [[client (computing)|clients]] seeking resources from other servers.<ref>[http://courses.cs.vt.edu/~cs4244/spring.09/documents/Proxies.pdf World-Wide Web Proxies], [[Ari Luotonen]], April 1994</ref> A client connects to the proxy server, requesting some service, such as a file, connection, web page, or other resource available from a different server and the proxy server evaluates the request as a way to simplify and control its complexity. Proxies were invented to add structure and encapsulation to distributed systems.<ref>Structure and Encapsulation in Distributed Systems: the Proxy Principle . Marc Shapiro. Int. Conf. on Dist. Comp. Sys. (ICDCS), Cambridge MA (USA), May 1986.</ref> Today, most proxies are '''web proxies''', facilitating access to content on the [[World Wide Web]] and providing anonymity. | | In [[computer network]]s, a '''proxy server''' is a [[Server (computing)|server]] (a computer system or an application) that acts as an [[intermediary]] for requests from [[client (computing)|clients]] seeking resources from other servers.<ref>[http://courses.cs.vt.edu/~cs4244/spring.09/documents/Proxies.pdf World-Wide Web Proxies], [[Ari Luotonen]], April 1994</ref> A client connects to the proxy server, requesting some service, such as a file, connection, web page, or other resource available from a different server and the proxy server evaluates the request as a way to simplify and control its complexity. Proxies were invented to add structure and encapsulation to distributed systems.<ref>Structure and Encapsulation in Distributed Systems: the Proxy Principle . Marc Shapiro. Int. Conf. on Dist. Comp. Sys. (ICDCS), Cambridge MA (USA), May 1986.</ref> Today, most proxies are '''web proxies''', facilitating access to content on the [[World Wide Web]] and providing anonymity. |