A Proxy of One

The proxy makes a lot of sense as a security device in the data center, and even at branch offices where there's a direct internet connection. It provides a level of security against malware coming from the Internet, and it enforces corporate policy. The only problem, is that in today's mobile world, almost everyone has a laptop, and more likely than not, the your end-users will be connecting to the Internet from a network that isn't the corporate network. The end result of course is that they won't have the protection of the proxy.

What's the solution? A proxy of one. All the features of the proxy built right into a client that runs directly on the laptop itself. Because the proxy of one has to not only protect the end-user but also enforce corporate policy, it needs to be managed and controlled from the enterprise data center.

While there are plenty of software packages that offer web filtering and protection few do so with the ability to be centrally managed. Blue Coat Systems announced a package that does even one better. In addition to being a centrally managed, distributed proxy of one solution, their ProxyClient solution also offers WAN Acceleration in the same package (See this article regarding WAN Optimization in the proxy).

There's really no reason you can't have the protection of the proxy, even when you're on the road.