Reverse Proxy – What’s Old is New Again
Reverse Proxy is a technology that has been around for a very long time. However, there has never been a time when it is more relevant than today, with the explosion of BYOD and “untrusted” endpoint access to internal applications. 
A Reverse Proxy is a type of proxy server that sits in a DMZ and retrieves internal content (e.g. web pages) on behalf of a requesting client (e.g. web browser). A single Reverse Proxy can front-end multiple internal web sites acting as an external gateway, providing strong authentication, delivering SSL encryption, allowing access control, and auditing/logging services. The beauty of a Reverse Proxy implementation is that once it is in place, it allows a company to externalize any of their internal web content in a secure fashion. Since endpoints, (define), are not issued internal network addresses there is never a direct connection from an “untrusted” endpoint to the secure network. The Reverse Proxy sits in the middle and hides (blocks) the physical internal network from any connecting endpoint.
For BYOD and remote access, the immediate answer to the problem most network administrators have connecting various personal devices is usually a VPN connection. This requires the installation, administration, and maintenance of a remote client or app on the endpoint. However, the reality is the majority of applications that end users need to access today are web based, which means a VPN connection is not required. A Reverse Proxy can be installed to securely access those web applications from any device capable of running a web browser, without the need for VPN agents or apps. Internal web applications can be accessed directly by a URL or through a customized web portal.
Reverse Proxies even have the ability to protect one of the most common applications, Microsoft Exchange email. Using ActiveSync, a mobile data synchronization protocol from Microsoft, endpoints can easily connect to an internal email system through a Reverse Proxy, without the need for any client software or apps.
A very large computer manufacturer is deploying a Dell SonicWALL reverse proxy solution to allow employee access from personal, home, and corporate devices to key internal web applications. This allows them to quickly give access to thousands of employees worldwide increasing productivity and quickly integrating new acquisitions.
