RE: [squid-users] Re: Proxy Selection Problem

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004, Adam Aube wrote:

> Merton Campbell Crockett wrote:
>
> > (1) Companies A, B, and C are working on a joint project.
> > (2) Company A is the lead for the joint project and is responsible
> > for maintaining a web-accessible database of information about
> > the project that is accessible to all team members.
> > (3) Private, dedicated links have been established between A, B,
> > and C to allow access to the database.
> > (4) The web server for the database is only accessible through the
> > private network connection and is not visible to the Internet.
> > (5) Company B installs a Squid proxy server to provide restricted
> > access to the web server at company A.
> > (6) All HTTP requests for PROJECT.A.COM need to be forwarded to
> > this Squid proxy server while all other HTTP requests for A.COM
> > are forwarded to the default proxy server that provides
> > Internet access.
>
> This can be done easily with a proxy auto-config script. See the Squid
> FAQ for more details:
>
> http://www.squid-cache.org/Doc/FAQ/FAQ-5.html#ss5.2
>
> Despite the title of the section, it works with most browsers, not
> just Netscape.

I've been using proxy.pac files for this purpose for years. As a result
of corporate acquisitions, there has been an influx of staff into our IT
organisation that simply doesn't understand autoconfiguration. They are
deathly afraid to use it and think that using "intercept proxies" is the
answer.

As you, correctly, point out; an autoconfiguration file provides a simple,
straight forward solution to the problem.

Given the IT organisation's fears, the question is how do you solve the
problem when your only option is to use an intercept proxy?

Merton Campbell Crockett

++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++

Education is the answer. If autoconfiguration is better...why is it? If
intercept proxies are bad, then why is that? Gather some facts and present
your case. Show cost savings, ease of maintenance and technical reasons why
one is better than the other, presentable to the correct level of the
audience. (Unless you did that last week and got chewed out for it:))

Chris
Received on Fri Jul 23 2004 - 05:15:33 MDT