Both Microsoft's Proxy Server and Netscape's Proxy Server support automatic configuration via a URL. This not only streamlines the configuration process, it gives administrators the ability to easily update each client's configuration.

In addition, make sure that your Web proxy server supports SSL, which allows the use of secure sessions over the Web using a variety of protocols. The SSL tunneling protocol lets SSL traffic be routed through the proxy server. When a client wants to open an SSL connection through the proxy server, the client is granted its own SSL tunnel for future SSL communication. Web proxy servers also support SSL by tunneling it via Socks when that protocol is supported.

When accessing remote networks, secure protocols allow for secure transport of sensitive data. Your Web proxy server should work in conjunction with your existing firewall. This solution will be more convenient than a Web proxy server that requires additional hardware because of incompatible proxy software.

Besides supplying access control, a Web proxy server also can provide security for the clients using it. Java and ActiveX Web content often are integral parts of everyday Web browsing. Web proxy servers that are capable of removing this content can reduce the risks your users take as they browse the Web.

Your Web proxy server also should allow you to configure Web sites that are off-limits to your users. Similarly, proxy servers that scan for and remove words and phrases deemed unacceptable as they pass through the proxy give you even greater control over Web content. If a proxy server doesn't cover most of the security issues discussed here, cross it off your shopping list.

Whether your network is large or small, a scalable solution will save you time and money in the long run. And remember, no single Web proxy server in the world is capable of supporting an unlimited number of clients, so choosing a solution that is capable of some form of clustering is a wise decision.

Gregory Yerxa can be reached at gyerxa@nwc.com.

HTTP-NG: The Next Generation
A lthough it's sad to say, it's time to nurture a replacement for HTTP. Many problems associated with HTTP are directly related to its expanding role in delivering dynamic Web content to the desktops of Web surfers.

Given our haste to adopt and deliver new content and standards such as ActiveX, Java and CGI scripts, HTTP has forgone extensive makeovers in an attempt to keep things simple. HTTP-NG (HTTP Next Generation) is being designed as a soup-to-nuts reengineering of HTTP as we know it.

Elements of HTTP that are under consideration include an SCP (Session Control Protocol) to facilitate multiple sessions over the same TCP connection, as well as other development issues, including modularity and efficiency.

An SCP would allow a client or proxy server to maintain connections to Web servers for longer periods of time, thus taking advantage of the underlying transport protocols. In HTTP-NG's case, TCP's flow-control mechanisms would be allowed to work. TCP flow control was designed for longer connections rather than short ones.