A proxy is any service that requests information on behalf of a client that is surfing the web or using a network. Some proxies for everyday users are for free while others require a service fee. A proxy is not the same as a VPN but can provide more anonymity and buffer from security breaches than a direct connection to the Internet. A terminal proxy is either a proxy that serves a network terminal or else the terminal has a built-in proxy.
There are a lot of devices that protect a company network from the outside world. The first device might be the terminal switch itself, which is where all the wires from the jacks in different cubicles connect on a board and then connect to the terminal computer which has control over the network and its external access to the internet. The terminal might then be connected to a physical firewall, which is a computer dedicated to sniffing web traffic.
Terminal proxies are for networks and involve either a device inside the network station or else an external proxy that serves the business as a remote computing solution. Hiring remote network providers has the advantage of using someone else’s computers and security software but means that the business must pay a monthly or annual fee for assets that they do not own.
The advantage of hiring an external service is that they have IT support around the clock. Since some equipment is still based in the office, being able to call someone or else have them look at systems remotely is still an effective way to save money. A person using this option generally has to have someone at the office that can still check connections and hardware, but many solutions can be provided over the web.
To that end, a remote service provides both security and technology support. Routing traffic from the terminal in the office to the proxy at the service center and then to the web is one way to prevent unwanted packets from entering the business. These services have powerful computers that can sniff malicious code over the web before it comes anywhere near the business terminal.
Of course, the best part of having an entrepreneur-class terminal proxy is that it protects the surfing of employees. There is much less risk that employees will be observed browsing the internet by sharks looking for opportunities to penetrate a company network.
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