The HTTP proxy server comes with the IBM® HTTP Server for iSeries™ server.
The HTTP Server is part of i5/OS™. The proxy server receives HTTP requests from Web browsers and resends them to Web servers. Web servers that receive the requests are only aware of the IP address of the proxy server and cannot determine the names or addresses of the PCs that originated the requests. The proxy server can handle URL requests for HTTP, FTP, Gopher and WAIS.
The proxy server caches returned Web pages from requests made by all proxy server users. Consequently, when users request a page, the proxy server checks whether the page is in the cache. If it is, the proxy server returns the cached page. By using cached pages, the proxy server is able to server Web pages more quickly, which eliminates potentially time-consuming requests to the Web server. The proxy server can also log all URL requests for tracking purposes. You can then review the logs to monitor use and misuse of network resources.
You can use the HTTP proxy support in the IBM HTTP Server to consolidate Web access. Addresses of PC clients are hidden from the Web servers they access; only the IP address of the proxy server is known. Web page caching can also reduce communication bandwidth requirements and firewall workload.