Saving money with Proxy servers

OK ... here in South Africa we still do not have the right people in charge of our Telecommunications department (ICASA), so we are one of the most expensive broadband countries in the world!

Keeping this in mind, we need to find ways to ensure we use the small caps we have per month to the best way we know. Now this can be done in numerous ways, all with the help of a Linux server you should add between your router and your network.

The main things to look at that will save you money, is to implement a Linux Proxy server to do the following things for you:

1.) Set up a browsing report system, where you can pull a report each month to see exactly who those clowns on the network is that keep downloading heaps of data which is not work related. This will have an immediate impact on saving , since they now know you are watching them ... very closely...

2.) Set up a proper caching server to cache all the bandwidth eating things like videos, pictures and file on frequently accessed sites. This will prevent the situation where each user accessing cnn.com fetching files from the site directly. many files will be drawn from the cache directory on your server, saving you on bandwidth usage! You will see the amount of cached data when you run a report mention in step one.

3.) Set up authentication for browsing. This is a must to have, since each user must log on to browse, which will eliminate those users or kids or friends that is not allowed on your company network in the first place !. This authentication can be done on the server itself with a simple htaccess file or you can authenticate from your AD even. To maintain this solution is as easy as hating Robert Mugabe. Period.

4.) Install a content management program or options in your Squid proxy server. What you can achieve with this is simple, add a list of sites you want to deny access to like video sites, mp3 sites, blogging sites ( not this one ;-) or any other sites you know is not work related, and obviously no need for anyone to go there while at the office. I LOVE Youtube, but having Youtube open on the company network is just asking to fill up your ADSL cap in 3 days time. Block sites like facebook as well, time spent on these sites is as scary as seeing Amy Whinehouse these days.

5.) Implement a bandwidth management device or simple use delay pools that is build in squid proxy server. What this will do is prevent users actually browsing at top speeds. Let say you have a 4MB ADSL line but you only want to let your users browse at a maximum of a 1 MB ADSL line, you can do it with delay pools. On a happy business hours day, you can download at 75 K /sec which will hammer your line. By limiting all browsing users to a 1 MB line, the obvious saving will happen.

Now if you need any additional information, let me know.