WebSTAR Proxy is a caching HTTP server that runs as a Plug-In to WebSTAR. Unlike a regular web server, a proxy server is intended to reduce bandwidth consumption and improve Net access speed for users within your organization. Your users can receive all HTTP traffic via WebSTAR Proxy (by configuring the proxy settings in their browsers). When they request a URL on the Internet, their connection is actually to WebSTAR Proxy, which then retrieves the page from the target server and relays it to your user. Proxy also improves security by only requiring one IP address on your network to have HTTP access to the outside world (keeping firewall administration simple), and allows you to restrict access from your internal machines to certain sites and locations on the net. WebSTAR Proxy is particularly useful for schools and small- to medium-sized businesses.
The WebSTAR Proxy Server caches web pages in RAM. This means that the first time a page is requested by a user, it is stored in cache, and relayed to the user. On subsequent requests of the same page from any user, WebSTAR Proxy simply retrieves the page out of its local cache, and passes it to the user. These repeat transactions are faster because they take place on your own network instead of going out on the Internet. This is especially helpful if you have a crowded or slow network connection.
See also: WebSTAR Proxy Server .
You can try out your Proxy server right away., as long as it's installed in your Plug-Ins folder. You'll need access to some other machines on your network to test this feature.