Most people don’t know what proxy servers are and what their purpose is. If you’re not particularly tech-savvy, you might think proxies are tools for accessing blocked content or staying secure when using open WiFi networks. While they can do both, proxies have many other uses and can be a handy tool for businesses.
Three Common Uses of Proxy Servers in Corporate Environments
A proxy is a device that takes all your requests and forwards them to their destination while replacing your IP address with its own. This simple feature opens countless scenarios where a business could benefit from using proxies, from privacy and security purposes to brand protection, customer experience, and everything in between. Here are the top three reasons you should consider adding a proxy service to your corporate network infrastructure.
Improve Security
The number of malwares, ransomware, and other hijacking attacks is on a steady rise. No business is immune – even industry giants like Yahoo, Sony, Adobe, and JP Morgan Chase dealt with data breaches recently. Any data breach can get very expensive for a business while also taking a toll on the brand’s public image.
Using a proxy service adds an extra protection layer between your corporate network and any external traffic. Since a proxy interacts with the rest of the internet on your behalf, it’s an excellent deterrent for different sorts of attacks. It would simply refuse any unauthorized incoming connections.
If a hacker decided to attack your business network, they could gain access to your proxy. However, going beyond that point and finding your servers with sensitive data would be nearly impossible. In other words, all devices on your internal network (along with your data) stay out of reach.
Perform Sensitive Tasks Anonymously
Companies often use proxy servers to keep their presence on the web hidden. Interestingly enough, most business owners aren’t aware of how useful this can be. Security officers often rely on this additional security layer to protect the company, sensitive information of partners and clients, etc.
Also, a proxy server can keep any research and development efforts protected from corporate espionage. If an outsider decides to spy on your corporate traffic and learn what your business is currently working on, they will have a tough time. By anonymizing sensitive online tasks, proxies protect your employees and your intellectual property from any prying eyes.
Optimize Your Marketing Efforts
Proxies also play a crucial role in web scraping and other types of data gathering. Residential proxies can make all corporate traffic look indistinguishable from genuine visitors, which opens endless possibilities. Keeping an eye on the competition, SEO optimization, price tracking, social media management – all these processes can be automated and performed entirely anonymously.
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Smartproxy puts a great emphasis on customer satisfaction – it has an awarded 24/7 live customer service and more than 40 setup guides. Plus, you get your money’s worth and pay only for successful requests. Search Engine Proxies’ plans start at $100 + VAT for 35,000 successful requests and include a 3-day money-back option (terms apply).
A proxy can also help with advertising verification. Marketing frauds are relatively common, so many businesses use proxies to “disguise” themselves as random website visitors. This practice helps prevent marketing fraud by ensuring ads show up correctly and on the right websites.
The same goes for software testing, localization, and other situations where accessing the internet from a specific location is essential. When a business needs to make sure their software, website, or a new service they’re offering in a particular region works as intended, a proxy in that specific location will help test things out from the perspective of a random user.
Other Benefits of Proxies for Businesses
While these three are the most impactful ones, there are a few other benefits worth mentioning. With proxy servers, business owners can limit their employees’ internet usage during work hours on the company network. This keeps them focused on their work and significantly boosts productivity. On top of that, the traffic control that a proxy server provides can also prevent access to insecure websites.
Another way companies often use proxies is by balancing network traffic. This feature is particularly beneficial for large offices where every employee relies on internet access. Proxy servers can balance different web requests and prevent crashes and overload, ensuring the corporate network runs smoothly and every employee has access to critical data when they need it.
By caching often visited websites and files or compressing traffic in general, proxies can also save on precious bandwidth. This practice provides uninterrupted internet access for employees, along with saving time and energy.
Final Thoughts
Proxy servers can do so much more than improve the security of your business. From preventing data breaches and anonymizing your web scraping efforts to advertising strategy optimization and market research, the possibilities are endless. Visit IPRoyal and read more about how a premium proxy can take your business to the next level!
