Re: Choosing proxy on location

On 11-Nov-99 cougar wrote:
> Phillip,
>
> There are a number of solutions to this problem:

There are indeed, but one extremely important one which you missed: the
Proxy Auto-Config file. Have a look at:

http://www.netscape.com/eng/mozilla/2.0/relnotes/demo/proxy-live.html

for more info.

We use a cgi on oour web server to generate the file by looking at the
calling agent/caller's IP address and determining which of our caches
to point it at, and any special restrictions necessary (ie. if they
can't go direct to the origin server). This allows us to specifiy
settings on-the-fly so if, for example, it's a laptop like mine in the
office it will go direct for .ac.uk domains. If I take my laptop to a
residence room and try to use it there I can't go direct so it forces
all traffic through the cache.

It's very neat, it's very easy and above all it doesn't mean any
faffing about with DHCP, routers et al.

Hope that helps

Graeme

PS It works with IE too :) not just Netscape!

-- 
Graeme Fowler
Network Officer, Infrastructure & Networks Group
Loughborough University Computing Services
+44 1509 228426