
Squid Proxy Cache Server
Blocking distracting sites has improved daily security and kept my team focused at work
What is our primary use case?
My main use case for Squid Proxy Cache Server was during the time when I was using pfSense, so I set up a configuration that was very important for me to have Squid Proxy configured.
I used Squid Proxy Cache Server mainly for site blocking to provide complete security coverage, which helped me deal with the issue of access and analysis of different clients within the company, and I used it daily within a scenario together with pfSense.
At the time I used Squid Proxy Cache Server, it was implemented on a local network consisting of a physical machine that had several Docker containers, and inside it, pfSense handled all the ACL control together with Squid Proxy Cache Server.
How has it helped my organization?
What is most valuable?
The features such as the block list via ACL and log recording made my work easier by allowing employees to have better quality of performance in terms of blocking, which helped people stay more focused and integrated in what they had to do without getting distracted by sites or networks they should not access.
What needs improvement?
For how long have I used the solution?
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
How are customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
What other advice do I have?
Daily access control has boosted staff focus and has improved productivity and security
What is our primary use case?
I have been working in my field for more than 15 years. I used Squid Proxy Cache Server for approximately 5 to 7 years, though I am not using it lately. My main use case for Squid Proxy Cache Server was when I used pfSense, and it was very important for me to have Squid Proxy configured. I mainly used it for website blocking to provide full security coverage, particularly focusing on the matter of accesses and analysis of different clients within the company, and I used it daily within a scenario together with pfSense.
How has it helped my organization?
Squid Proxy Cache Server had a positive impact on my organization by being the main factor helping with productivity. By doing this control and handling the quality of accesses, the quality and performance of the staff got much better.
What is most valuable?
I think the best features that Squid Proxy Cache Server offers are the block list via ACL, which helps a lot, the basic installation with pfSense that I used frequently, and the interesting log records, which are very helpful for us. The features such as the block list via ACL and log recording made our work easier by helping to ensure that employees had better quality of performance in terms of blocking, so people stay more focused and more engaged in what they have to do and do not get distracted with sites or networks they should not be accessing.
What needs improvement?
In my opinion, Squid Proxy Cache Server can be improved by covering more issues, having more updates, and providing a slightly more updated version of lists and logs and information that we can distribute to other places for a more complete monitoring of it.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working in my field for more than 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Squid Proxy Cache Server is stable in my experience.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In my opinion, the scalability of Squid Proxy Cache Server is very good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I did not previously use a different solution before Squid Proxy Cache Server.
How was the initial setup?
When I chose Squid Proxy Cache Server, I did not evaluate other options because it came up first during my research, and I already had the integration, which made it much easier to use.
What about the implementation team?
At the time when I used Squid Proxy Cache Server, it was implemented on a local network, on a machine that had several Docker containers, and inside it, there was pfSense which handled all the ACL control along with Squid Proxy Cache Server.
What was our ROI?
I did not observe any practical result in terms of monetary values after implementing Squid Proxy Cache Server because I always used it as open source, together with pfSense, which is also open source. Everything was configured manually, and I did not have much improvement in terms of cost because there were none.
What other advice do I have?
I think the best features that Squid Proxy Cache Server offers are the block list via ACL, which helps a lot, the basic installation with pfSense that I used frequently, and the interesting log records, which are very helpful for us. My advice to other people thinking about using Squid Proxy Cache Server is that you can use it because it is worth it. I would rate this product a 10 out of 10.
Content filtering has strengthened security and has supported compliant, productive browsing
What is our primary use case?
My main use case for Squid Proxy Cache Server is as a filter. I use it as an add-on to pfSense firewall software, where I can create rules to permit users to browse certain content or restrict access. Squid Proxy Cache Server is used not only to cache data but also to restrict permission to content.
How has it helped my organization?
Squid Proxy Cache Server positively impacts my organization because I can filter the internet content that users can access. This content filtering has improved security, increased productivity, secured the connectivity, and helped me meet compliance requirements.
What is most valuable?
The best features that Squid Proxy Cache Server offers may also be useful to other users. I find the access control feature stands out the most for me.
What needs improvement?
Squid Proxy Cache Server can be improved with maintenance packages, updates, and everything related to security. There could be more information, documentation, and support in Spanish regarding the needed improvements.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Squid Proxy Cache Server for approximately twenty years.
What other advice do I have?
I rate this product an eight out of ten. I would have rated it a nine because I did not understand it before; it was a seven at that time. I mean that you need to tell me more about what I did not understand before my seven rating. I encourage you to move forward, but you need to improve your understanding of my pronunciation, as your support should extend beyond American citizens.
Proxy caching has improved browsing speed and delivers a smoother experience for all users
What is our primary use case?
My main use case for Squid Proxy Cache Server is to accelerate users' internet browsing experience. With Squid Proxy Cache Server in place, all users pass through it, and browsers are configured to pass through Squid Proxy Cache Server, which means cached requests on Squid Proxy Cache Server deliver faster browsing experiences.
What is most valuable?
Squid Proxy Cache Server offers flexibility, ease of deployment, and scalability as its best features. Its flexibility and scalability have helped my team by making it easy to set up redundant Squid Proxy Cache Server instances and allowing for quick restoration on the fly. Squid Proxy Cache Server has positively impacted my organization by creating a better user experience. I have noticed the improvement in user experience through user feedback, improved network speed, and better usage of the available bandwidth, which saves company resources.
What needs improvement?
I cannot think of anything to improve about Squid Proxy Cache Server.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Squid Proxy Cache Server for 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Squid Proxy Cache Server is very stable.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used a different solution before Squid Proxy Cache Server, which was Microsoft ISA, and I switched because of the robust features and scalability of Squid Proxy Cache Server.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I evaluated other options before choosing Squid Proxy Cache Server, such as ISA.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate Squid Proxy Cache Server a nine out of ten. I rate it a nine because it is really good, and I have not seen too many other products that compare. Regarding Squid Proxy Cache Server's AI capabilities, I think it is a well-thought-out framework and certainly very useful in its application. In terms of Squid Proxy Cache Server's AI capabilities, I find it very accurate with really good outputs. My overall review rating for Squid Proxy Cache Server is nine.
Controlled internet access for servers has improved bandwidth usage and accelerated patch updates
What is our primary use case?
I have been using Squid Proxy Cache Server for nine years in my current company. Before that, I used it overseas from early 2008 to 2010, so I have approximately ten years of experience overall.
In our infrastructure, the main use case for Squid Proxy Cache Server is serving server-side internet connectivity rather than user connectivity. When a server needs to access the internet, it uses Squid Proxy to do so, and we implement ACLs on the Squid server as well.
For example, we recently built a Microsoft server that needs to access the internet to patch, update, and perform other functions, and this is where Squid Proxy Cache Server really helps my team. We gather the information of the server source IP and the destination they want to access, such as abc.microsoft.com or xyz.microsoft.com. Then we create ACLs in the Squid configuration file with source and destination lists, attach them with the policy, and that is how we use it.
We have hundreds of servers in our environment, and I add to their requirements daily. Each server's requirement with Squid Proxy Cache Server is different, as they want to access different sites. We strictly control them, and it works both ways. It is both cache and internet control, mostly internet control.
In our environment, we use Squid Proxy Cache Server to control server-side access to the internet. On top of that, caching is also a benefit because the same cache is used by other servers. We download images from Microsoft, and if they are in the cache, the next download will be faster.
What is most valuable?
I have experience with Cyberoam as well, which also uses Squid as a caching server. Proxy servers have two components: one is caching, and another is internet access or URL database. The content or destination that has already been used can be saved in the cache. This is the best feature: cache in and cache out.
I used Squid Proxy Cache Server in my previous organization with delay pools to control bandwidth. We reviewed our MRTG or Cacti graphs before and after implementation, and after that implementation, we saw around twenty to twenty-five percent of internet traffic saved.
It is very difficult for us to determine if the twenty to twenty-five percent savings is from caching or from internet control. However, what we found is that before implementing Squid, we had around one hundred Mbps bandwidth utilization on average. I cannot remember the exact figures, but after that implementation, we found around seventy to eighty percent of internet utilization according to the graphs, while the user base and everything else remained the same. There was no degradation or employee shortage. Everything was as usual. Therefore, we feel that we saved around twenty percent bandwidth.
What needs improvement?
I did not use the AI capabilities of Squid Proxy Cache Server, but everything is moving toward AI. There should be some AI capabilities so that we can use delay pools or bandwidth quotas, and based on that, there should be auto-scaling. If the quota is filled, then additional chunks should be added to the quota automatically.
I would rate it ten if we had a dashboard or visible interface with Squid Proxy Cache Server. Because we are using third-party tools such as Cacti and MRTG to see utilization, and other third-party monitoring tools, there should be built-in tools in Squid so that we can measure performance and see results. If that were available, I would give it a ten.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have not encountered any stability issues with Squid Proxy Cache Server so far. It is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In our environment, we implemented scaling differently with Squid Proxy Cache Server. We did not implement anything inside Squid for scaling. Instead, we placed a load balancer in front of Squid Proxy, and when anything requires scaling, we simply add a new Squid Proxy behind the F5 load balancer. That is how we handle scaling. However, I believe there should be automatic scaling with AI. I have not tried that.
How are customer service and support?
We never used the Webmin GUI for Squid Proxy Cache Server, but for a Linux expert, it is easy to control from the command line. I never have experience using the GUI. I have rarely used Webmin, but I did not discover how Webmin is useful. There should be a GUI interface or UI so that administrators can control it more easily.
I always thought Squid Proxy Cache Server is open source, so I never considered that there should be support. However, it would be great to have support similar to Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Before it was open source, but later it became enterprise. Currently, I do not know if there is a professional support team available for Squid Proxy Cache Server, but it would be helpful.
So far, we have not needed to reach out for help regarding support for Squid Proxy Cache Server.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before, we used Blue Coat Proxy, Cyberoam Proxy, Forcepoint, and other solutions. The reason we switched to Squid Proxy Cache Server is cost. Those professional proxy solutions have huge yearly cost involvement, and currently with Squid Proxy Cache Server, we are using it at no cost.
We evaluated a few solutions: Blue Coat, Cyberoam, and Squid, mostly these three. We found that Squid is the lowest-cost option. We also tried Forcepoint. We put Forcepoint, Blue Coat, Cyberoam, and Squid into a matrix and table, and based on all those factors, we found that Squid is good in terms of cost. We also conducted research and found that everybody uses Squid as their backend caching solution.
How was the initial setup?
Squid Proxy Cache Server is deployed on-premises in our organization. We have approximately six Squid Proxy Linux machines, and we have an F5 load balancer that controls those six Squid Proxies. High availability can also be implemented, but we have not tried that.
What was our ROI?
I do not have specific data regarding return on investment with Squid Proxy Cache Server. However, in general, I feel it is useful. Mostly, I do not see any cost involved except for the hardware cost.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
For our environment, we are using the free open source Squid Proxy Cache Server, so there is no licensing cost. Our only cost is for hardware, such as the Linux machine. In terms of costing, we do not feel much impact. It is very minimal.
What other advice do I have?
I advise others looking into using Squid Proxy Cache Server that if they are proficient in Linux and have a good Linux administrator, they should go for it.
Everything is good regarding Squid Proxy Cache Server. I would just advise that there should be a professional web interface for Squid so that we can see the consumption of the proxy. My review rating for this product is eight out of ten.
Web access control has boosted productivity and protects our network from inappropriate content
What is our primary use case?
A good example of how I use Squid Proxy Cache Server in my environment is to create a whitelist of web services and organize different whitelists for different groups, using Active Directory to authenticate users and groups, and make reports of all web access during the month.
In addition, I can mention the possibility to have control over all content that was accessed by everyone in relation to my main use case or how I use Squid Proxy Cache Server in my setup.
What is most valuable?
Regarding how I use these filtering options, for specific types of streams, I can create a specific MIME type filter.
Before moving on, I would like to add that the possibility to create rules based on times is one of the features of Squid Proxy Cache Server.
Squid Proxy Cache Server has impacted my organization positively because a good example is the correct use of the web and to avoid the bad use, such as using the infrastructure to watch movies or pornography.
The specific outcomes or metrics I can share include improved productivity, and it helps to avoid different types of security incidents.
What needs improvement?
For how long have I used the solution?
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
How are customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
How was the initial setup?
What was our ROI?
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
What other advice do I have?
I don't have experience with AI capabilities in relation to Squid Proxy Cache Server, so I don't have a comprehensive answer for this question.
I can help other people with details regarding the squid.conf because that is an important file to configure Squid Proxy Cache Server and there are some important details to make a good configuration.
Squid Proxy Cache Server is a great solution, and when you have a different network, you can combine different Squid Proxy Cache Server instances to increase the capability to control and increase the access for web content.
I rate this review a 10 overall.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Caching and reverse proxy have boosted performance and improved secure web and mail access
What is our primary use case?
My main use case for Squid Proxy Cache Server is that it provides the proxy and also reverse proxy in some cases.
For a quick specific example of how I use Squid Proxy Cache Server as a proxy or reverse proxy in my operations, the forward proxy is basically just NATing so that I can access websites from a particular domain. While for the reverse proxy, it acts as the connectivity for the backend servers which are not exposed to the internet. That is how it is built.
As a reverse proxy, the reverse proxy is basically exposing the IMAP server so that all the mail servers' ports are exposed via the reverse proxy, which are distributed across multiple availability zones.
What is most valuable?
The best features that Squid Proxy Cache Server offers include a lot of caching functionality, which is the best part, and then it is the security. I can also provide clustering between the proxies as caching servers, so multiple Squid Proxy Cache Server instances can act as a load balancer and content cache.
Regarding caching functionality or clustering, in some cases, I am an Internet Service Provider. For a group of customers, it makes sense to have this cached on the server so that all the files which are more or less static stay in the cache. This speeds up or boosts the connectivity and the downloading functionality for any website visiting, so majorly, it's a performance booster.
Squid Proxy Cache Server has positively impacted my organization because first of all, it's an open-source thing, so I don't really have to do anything special to buy the license. It comes default with Red Hat, and that is how we install on the servers. In my previous company, we were installing it on Fedora and Ubuntu. It's completely free and open source. The functionality, such as allowing a group of people to access particular websites and blocking websites, are all interesting for us. Sometimes, the government asks us to block some website pages and some zones, so along with the DNS blocking, we also block the HTTP content.
What needs improvement?
I think Squid Proxy Cache Server can be improved by having a nice front-end, one similar to Blue Coat for access management, view management, and direct configuration instead of doing it all through the CLI. It's best to have everything done through the GUI, which is what I think can improve the product.
I don't want to implement third-party GUIs on Squid Proxy Cache Server. So that's what would be on my wish list—that Squid Proxy Cache Server by itself provides a GUI, which will give more confidence to users.
I haven't actually used AI with Squid Proxy Cache Server, but I think it might be very interesting to have the AI capability built-in. However, I do think we need some GPU or something to boost the performance on Squid Proxy Cache Server as natively running. I think we need to add some GPU cards so that it works more natively with AI.
I don't have experience using AI features yet, but I think it would be great if it could do some live scanning of the websites that are getting blocked on a daily basis and perform some sampling analysis. Especially in the case of reverse proxy, if there are any attacks happening, it would be beneficial if it scrapes through its own log files and provides some nice dashboards showing where the attacks are coming from. That would be really great to have as a handy troubleshooting tool.
One more feature I would ask for is if AI can provide the best possible configuration and do a review of Squid Proxy Cache Server just to make sure that no other ports or anything by default are missed in configuration. It would also be great if the proxy server acts as a load balancer in a cluster mode that shares the cache, and the configuration is best set.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Squid Proxy Cache Server for more than four or five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Squid Proxy Cache Server is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of Squid Proxy Cache Server is that it can be horizontally scaled; you don't always need vertical scaling. Instead of one instance, you can put it behind the load balancer so that it can serve a huge amount of customers.
How are customer service and support?
Customer support for Squid Proxy Cache Server comes from Red Hat, so that's good support for me with the premium support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used a different solution, specifically the Blue Coat proxy, which was end of life. With a lot of cost optimization, I switched to Squid Proxy Cache Server as a solution.
How was the initial setup?
Squid Proxy Cache Server has positively impacted my organization because first of all, it's an open-source thing, so I don't really have to do anything special to buy the license. It comes default with Red Hat, and that is how we install on the servers. In my previous company, we were installing it on Fedora and Ubuntu. It's completely free and open source.
What about the implementation team?
My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer; for example, we are not a partner or reseller.
What was our ROI?
I have seen a return on investment with Squid Proxy Cache Server because money is definitely saved. Also, the enterprise maintenance and having the hardware from the vendors, which is like a lock-in, makes it difficult to replace the hardware proxies nowadays, so it's interesting. If it's container-based, it can add further advantages.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing is that we use it with the Red Hat solution, so it was only the subscription model which I had to take for Red Hat for the enterprise support. That is how it is today. However, since it's open source, it's not backed by an enterprise. Nonetheless, Red Hat support is sufficient as premium support.
I have seen a cost saving since implementing Squid Proxy Cache Server because then I don't have to really go for something such as a Blue Coat proxy. Earlier, I was using a Blue Coat proxy, but later on, I turned to Squid Proxy Cache Server and the cost was reduced. It's very handy for operations, and also the caching has improved, so this is my use case.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Before choosing Squid Proxy Cache Server, I evaluated other options, including NGINX and the Apache solution.
What other advice do I have?
I would advise others looking into using Squid Proxy Cache Server to focus on configuration optimization because there is huge potential when you do the optimization. The better you have configured Squid Proxy Cache Server, the very good potential it has for caching, security, and blocking break-ins. It's very nice. I give this product a rating of 8.
Caching has reduced bandwidth and latency while security and automation still need improvement
What is our primary use case?
I use Squid Proxy Cache Server for traffic by storing frequently accessed web pages and accessing them locally. This helps reduce bandwidth consumption and latency.
The main use case of Squid Proxy Cache Server in terms of IT infrastructure is to provide a stable, secure, and reliable foundation for running an organization's business application and digital services.
Squid Proxy Cache Server can protect corporate assets through threat defense, using firewalls to block unauthorized access. Similarly, it offers identity management, which restricts system entry to verified personnel, and data encryption, which secures sensitive data during network transit.
What is most valuable?
Squid Proxy Cache Server provides cost savings in terms of low latency and bandwidth consumption.
I have noticed specific improvements with lower hardware spend, as cloud infrastructure removes the need to buy expensive physical servers, resulting in reduced facility bills. Consolidating data centers lowers electricity, cooling, and real estate costs, and also minimizes maintenance.
What needs improvement?
I think we can improve Squid Proxy Cache Server by optimizing its caching efficiency, hardware resource allocation, and network configuration, such as increasing the RAM cache. We can achieve optimization by increasing the RAM cache. Additionally, modern storage systems can also optimize Squid Proxy Cache Server by using the rock storage engine for fast, multiple, threaded disk caching and moving to high-speed NVMe SSDs for the physical cache directory.
Centralized administration can be improved by automating configuration deployments and gaining deep visibility through logging and monitoring. Moving away from manual command line tweaks makes it easier to maintain, secure, and scale.
Regarding Squid Proxy Cache Server's AI capabilities, we can improve through automation and must automate tasks to make things easier for system engineers.
I do not think we should inherently trust the accuracy of Squid Proxy Cache Server when it comes to traffic content, security filtering, and logging without additional verification layers. While Squid is highly accurate at routing and caching protocols such as HTTP and FTP, it has specific blind spots that can lead to false data or mis-threats.
By default, Squid cannot see inside HTTPS traffic. It only sees the destination domain name, which poses a risk as users can bypass URL filters or download malware over encrypted connections. Squid's logs only show the traffic as safe or clean since it cannot inspect the payload. The fix should be enabling SSL bump or SSL/TLS decryption to decrypt, inspect, and accurately log encrypted traffic.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Squid Proxy Cache Server since 2022. We migrated our infrastructure and our firewall from SonicWall to pfSense, and after that, I have been using Squid Proxy Cache Server.
What other advice do I have?
I will definitely encourage others to maintain and implement Squid Proxy Cache Server in their infrastructure because I think your team is really working hard to improve it.
I believe the current offering is sufficient, and I would appreciate incentives and gifts.
The service is fine and basically very responsible.
Here is my haiku for this review: Proxy guards our path, speeds and saves with careful eyes. Trust grows, room to grow.
My overall review rating for Squid Proxy Cache Server is seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Open source proxy has supported multi-tenant web access and has improved integration flexibility
What is our primary use case?
My main use case for Squid Proxy Cache Server is that it's an open source application implementation, with a frontend being an Apache server and a backend using MySQL databases. Squid Proxy Cache Server serves as both an internal application as well as for customer-facing needs. I have to use Squid Proxy Cache Server, which is compatible and can support multiple tasks at a time without any limit. It integrates with Postfix email server, and Linux is the main operating system for Squid Proxy Cache Server.
A specific example of how I used Squid Proxy Cache Server in my environment involves a LAMP setup, where the main server functions as a web proxy using Squid Proxy Cache Server. The frontend uses an Apache server for inventory assessment and ticketing with ServiceNow, all configured to require a proxy. The proxy is crucial from a customer point of view, allowing multiple customers to connect to the application effortlessly. There are no limitations on access and I find it to be a user-friendly compatible version, given that it is open source.
What is most valuable?
A specific example of how I used Squid Proxy Cache Server in my environment involves a LAMP setup, where the main server functions as a web proxy using Squid Proxy Cache Server. The frontend uses an Apache server for inventory assessment and ticketing with ServiceNow, all configured to require a proxy. The proxy is crucial from a customer point of view, allowing multiple customers to connect to the application effortlessly. There are no limitations on access and I find it to be a user-friendly compatible version, given that it is open source.
The best features Squid Proxy Cache Server offers include ease of adoption, integration, and cost savings. It is compatible with other operating systems including Red Hat, SUSE Linux, CentOS, Ubuntu, and is easy to install. These advantages make it appealing.
Squid Proxy Cache Server integrates well with community enterprise systems including CentOS and SUSE Linux, aligns with Red Hat-based initiatives, and incorporates multiple functionalities effortlessly given its open-source nature. It is easy to manage, flexible, and ensures cost optimization and savings. Overall, it is a wonderful software service.
What needs improvement?
I believe that Squid Proxy Cache Server could see improvements with updates to incorporate the latest kernel. Nowadays, there are many competitors available, but I want to emphasize that Squid Proxy Cache Server remains easy to adopt, integrate, manage, and is a compatible version that deserves attention.
Furthermore, with the rise of cloud systems and OpenShift, enabling such features in Squid Proxy Cache Server would be very beneficial for customers, allowing for better management.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Squid Proxy Cache Server since around 2009 and 2014, specifically with Squid Proxy Cache Server running on Linux.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Squid Proxy Cache Server has positively impacted my organization over the past 10 plus years by helping resolve any issues that occurred without major outages. It has robust logging capabilities and excellent service once restarted. I have meticulously documented the sources where the internet and admin servers are located, and all issues have been rectified. Importantly, there has been no major outage in the 10 years I have used Squid Proxy Cache Server.
In terms of positive outcomes, Squid Proxy Cache Server once helped us manage a situation where a major server was in a hanging state, preventing end users from accessing the proxy. I entered into Squid Proxy Cache Server, finding that the services had disconnected, making it impossible to restart. I verified and cleared the logs and caches, resulting in increased memory system performance. After restarting Squid Proxy Cache Server, the issue was resolved within 30 minutes without any major outages.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We can increase the number of end users without the limitations found in other proxies, simply by configuring Squid Proxy Cache Server to allow specific users and IP ranges.
What other advice do I have?
I do not have anything specific to add about the features, and I appreciate the opportunity to share my experience. I would rate this product 9 out of 10.
Centralized control has improved internet traffic reporting and optimized shared access
What is our primary use case?
Twenty years ago in my first job, I deployed Squid Proxy Cache Server, which functioned principally to obtain statistics and share the internet connection for our company while making a validation from the final user with Active Directory.
These days my main use case for Squid Proxy Cache Server is more as a transparent proxy to obtain statistics and see graphs of the shared internet usage, and I also use it as a reverse proxy to balance the connections.
I utilize Squid Proxy Cache Server as a transparent proxy or reverse proxy as a load balancer for incoming traffic.
What is most valuable?
The best features Squid Proxy Cache Server offers, in my opinion, include validation with external users, ACLs, and the possibility to generate reports from all traffic.
The external user ACLs help us because different departments or networks may have different external connections and access permissions for the internet, and the reports I find most valuable include logs of connections and various open-source tools to obtain statistics and graphics.
Squid Proxy Cache Server positively impacts my organization because it is a software that has the ability to organize internet connections, sort them, and generate reports.
The improvements our organization has seen include enhanced speed since caching accelerates internet usage because Squid downloads images and avoids re-establishing every connection, loading from the local hard disk, which speeds up the internet connection, while security is strengthened with ACLs, and we achieve cost savings due to lower internet connection costs because of Squid Proxy Cache Server's cache server.
What needs improvement?
Squid Proxy Cache Server can be improved with more integrations with external software, such as ticketing software, to create a broader ecosystem with operators, internal plugins, and easier load connections to external software and applications.
I would like to see integrations with external firewalls and commercial trademarks as well as different kinds of network equipment.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using it for twenty years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In my experience, Squid Proxy Cache Server is stable; I have been using it for twenty years, and it has remained stable throughout that time.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Regarding the scalability of Squid Proxy Cache Server, it possesses the ability to rebalance connections and adjust patterns and zones to enhance internet connection speed.
How are customer service and support?
Customer support for Squid Proxy Cache Server is fine; at this moment, open-source configurations only require changing a few lines in configuration files, which is not difficult, and it is easy software to work with.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have not previously used a different solution before Squid Proxy Cache Server because I have always worked with open source, and Squid Proxy Cache Server is the leader in open source solutions.
What was our ROI?
I have seen a return on investment due to the money saved by allowing more bandwidth for other applications, such as VPNs, since the internet connection is secure with the cache and proxy, which also saves time because we only need to check one proxy server instead of all PCs, enabling centralized administration, and we need fewer employees since only one server handles connectivity and monitoring instead of checking routers and switches.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing involves using an open-source Squid Proxy product, so the costs are low because it is open-source software.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
It is possible for me to evaluate other options before choosing Squid Proxy Cache Server, but at this moment, I do not know of any other options.
What other advice do I have?
Regarding the scalability of Squid Proxy Cache Server, it possesses the ability to rebalance connections and adjust patterns and zones to enhance internet connection speed.
I would advise those considering Squid Proxy Cache Server to consider its easy configuration, the availability of options for sharing internet connections, load balancing, and obtaining reports on traffic statistics.
Squid Proxy Cache Server is good software that I enjoy using, and it provides a stable connection, which makes me happy. I rated this review an eight out of ten.