Proxy Server - HOW IT WORKS

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It is not necessary to understand how the proxy server works to use it; but, if you are interested in the details, here is a comparatively non-technical explanation.

When you "turn on" proxy by following the setup instructions (either Netscape or Internet Explorer)

- - The browser loads a list of "proxied" addresses, in this case, all of the address of the database vendors, e.g.. OCLC, UMI, etc., at the start of each browser session.

• When you try to access one of those sites, be it through SIMON, from the individual database title description web page, or if you type it in directly, the proxy in the browser recognizes this and checks with the proxy server to see if you should be allowed access.
  
  
• If you are "on-campus", you have one of the college's IP numbers and the proxy server allows direct access to all of the databases. (a slight simplification as there are some databases where use is restricted to "in library only" )
  
  
• If you are "off campus", you are prompted for your name and ID number.
  • If you are authorized (faculty, student, or staff with a valid ID), the proxy server intercepts your messages to the database vendor, lets say UMI and repackages it so the message looks like it came from "on campus".
  • When UMI responds, it sends the message to the proxy server. The proxy server removes the information that it added and forwards the results on to your browser.
  • The result is that you may access the database as if you were on campus.

Summation

As a user, you never actually interact with the "proxy server" except when it prompts you for your username and ID number.

Any other interactions are "transparent" to the user. You will not see anything happening outside the normal web pages loading.

By the same token, you do not really need or want to go through SIMON to access the databases (except that it happens to be the proxy server).

Users must follow the instructions for proxy setup. If you do so and access the databases through our Subject and Alphabetic list of databases, the service should work.

[OK, one more caveat, the Netscape browser seems to work better than Internet Explorer with proxy. If you have followed all the instructions very carefully and cannot get IE to work, you might consider downloading the Netscape browser and trying it.]

If you have read this and it still does not make sense, please feel free to contact Librarian for the Sciences and Electronic Resources, [445-4332] who is responsible for making sure that the whole process works.