What is the primary function of a proxy server?

The primary function of a proxy server is to mediate connections between multiple computers and the internet. A proxy server acts as an intermediary that facilitates requests from clients seeking resources from other servers. When a client makes a request to access a specific web resource, the request goes to the proxy server first. The proxy then forwards this request to the appropriate destination server, retrieves the response, and sends it back to the client.

This intermediation provides several benefits, including the ability to improve performance through caching, control access to web content, and enhance privacy by masking users' IP addresses. The proxy server can also enable filtering of content, ensuring that clients access only approved resources, and it can keep network traffic organized and secure.

In contrast, while a firewall serves to protect the network by controlling incoming and outgoing traffic based on predetermined security rules, a proxy server's primary role is not as a barrier but rather as a facilitator in communication between clients and servers. The options related to increasing physical security or directly connecting client machines to the internet do not accurately reflect the proxy’s essential function, which is centered on mediation and management of data traffic.