Proxy caching
Requests and responses may pass through proxies on their way between server and browser. These proxies have the ability to cache content, which can then be used to serve requests from other visitors. For example, your ISP may use a proxy to cache content. Hence, it needs to send fewer requests over the Internet, as shown in the diagram below:
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Having a proxy cache a response for you gives the following advantages:
If a proxy caches your file while it is travelling to one visitor, it can then serve that file in response to a request from an unrelated visitor as well. Double the fun for the same price!
Faster file retrieval"the browser tends to be geographically closer to the proxy than to your web server.
As with browser caching, reduced load on the web server, reduced bandwidth costs, and great scalability.
However, you'll incur these disadvantages as well:
Security risk the proxy could send visitor-specific data to an unrelated visitor
Proxies often do not cache files with a query...
