CompTIA Network+ (N10-009)Networking ConceptsMedium
A company wants to filter and cache outbound employee web requests, hiding internal client IP addresses from external websites while enforcing content filtering policies. Which device should be deployed?
- AProxy server
- BIDS
- CLayer 2 switch
- DLoad balancer
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Proxy server
A proxy server sits between clients and the internet, forwarding requests on behalf of clients, caching content, hiding internal IP addresses, and enforcing content filtering or access policies.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. An IDS passively monitors traffic for threats but does not forward or cache requests.
- C. A Layer 2 switch forwards frames within a local network and does not filter or cache web traffic.
- D. A load balancer distributes incoming traffic across multiple servers, not for outbound client filtering.
Proxy Server
A proxy server acts as an intermediary between clients and external servers, forwarding requests, caching content, and enforcing filtering policies while masking client IP addresses.
- Hides internal client IP addresses from external servers
- Can cache frequently requested content to save bandwidth
- Often used for content filtering and access control policies
Memory trick: A proxy is a 'stand-in actor' making requests on your behalf.