etäproxy

Etäproxy, or remote proxy, is a type of proxy server that resides in a separate network location from the client and forwards requests to target resources on behalf of the client. By acting as an intermediary, the remote proxy allows clients to access external services without connecting directly to them, enabling centralized control, logging, and policy enforcement.

Etäproxy can function as a forward proxy or as a reverse proxy. In a forward proxy setup, clients are configured to route outbound traffic through the remote proxy, which fetches resources on their behalf. In a reverse proxy arrangement, the proxy sits in front of one or more services and handles incoming requests from clients, distributing them to back-end systems and sometimes performing TLS termination.

Remote proxies typically support HTTP/HTTPS and SOCKS protocols and may offer features such as access control, authentication, caching, content filtering, and traffic shaping. They can improve performance by caching frequently requested content and reduce bandwidth usage, while a reverse proxy can provide load balancing and protect backend services.

Security and privacy considerations are central to etäproxy deployments. Because a proxy processes user requests and responses, it can observe sensitive data. Organizations should implement strong authentication, encryption, and access controls, along with comprehensive logging and auditing, to comply with regulations and protect user privacy. Performance, reliability, and data residency considerations also influence deployment choices, including geographic distribution of proxy nodes and integration with existing network infrastructure.