As you are aware, SAAS (Software as a service) offers applications that operate over the internet to help users conduct multiple actions. SAAS businesses are multiple to be found in today’s 2019 market. 

With the activity that is growing in abundance with relation to cyber attacks, the SAAS industry stands at a higher risk. Since they deal with online users, they will be having all the contact information which they will be storing, engagement of users online will be tacked and much more. 

All this information is crucial and needs to be safeguarded. Hackers in 2019 are brilliant and know exactly how to get into any systems, sometimes even a minute mistake from our end such as not conducting regular software updates is enough for hackers to storm through your system.

This is exactly why the need for an impactful security measure such as proxy servers can help you.

A proxy server is a middleman where it stands between the user and the website. When you want to access content to a website, you send a request. That request reaches the proxy servers first rather than the website which needs to be accessed.

So what happens is when the proxy server receives the request it changes the IP address and sends the request to the website. Once the website approves the content it is sent back to the proxy server who acts as a protective wall for any risks and then it finally reaches you.

The reasons why a proxy server is a great medium for SAAS business security is because:

1. It helps to balance the traffic that a user and an application will engage in
2. It helps to protect users to access only risk-free information
3. It helps in conducting online activities which are restricted such as geo-locations more effectively
4. Refrains hackers from trying to hack into the system to steal data or information about your products
5. Speeds up your engagement or other activities with your users with a good bandwidth so that business functions without any delays.
6. Proxies are more than just its terminologies, when used in a SAAS business it can contribute to a highly efficient and secure working environment.

1. MANAGING MULTIPLE REQUESTS

As you are aware proxy servers are the tools that will cater to the requests before it even reaches the actual source you wish to retrieve. This is a great medium as all the proxy server serves its purpose well. When a user wants to access a website, the main reason for them getting blocked is because they failed to pass the restriction test. 

Many websites either only let certain locations access or none at all and if you don’t fall under that category, chances are you can get blocked. With proxies, what it does is simply change your IP address so that when the request is sent it displays your identity from that location.

Apart from this at times, proxy servers can receive multiple requests where they then segregate which requests need to go where. For instance, a few requests would be to view all English language requests or some other language so the proxy servers allocate the right application servers to contribute towards fulfilling the request.

2. TAKING CARE OF TLS ACTIVITIES

To conduct any service online the most crucial factor is to always have a secured connection. TLS also referred to as SSL is an example of a secure connection. For TLS, it requires cryptographic verifications and signing. This means that it can take up a lot of computation work in order to process every request. But with proxies, this action is conducted in a better way. 

With proxies, this action can be managed more smoothly. With the help of unencrypted HTTP, they can conduct this action filling the priority that all connections are in a secure environment physically. However, you need to ensure that the proxies are always a part of the LAN or MPIS network.

For the TLS certification there it can be self-signed and also be considered as the only certification required. Always ensure that your TLS software is up to date for a good security measure so that for proxies to limit the internet devices being saved more easily.

3. MANAGING USER’S ACTIVITIES

Another essential factor that requires the assistance of proxy servers is to authenticate user activities. Say if a request has been sent proxy servers ensure that the session has been logged in. If in case the opposite happens, it requires an authorized user to conduct the action then.

One the user is logged in it verified whether the source can perform the action hence if it cannot, an error message is sent. Session timings are always on the lookout for proxies to ensure that less number of people stop forgetting to log out. Conducting such a regular action will only help to avoid any minute mistakes which could spark an opportunity for hackers to intervene in the system.

4. TAKES CARE OF OTHER ONLINE ACTIVITIES

Whether it is compression of responses or redirecting the responses in the right place, proxy servers are well aware of what the action that need assistance. For instance, when you compress responses the bandwidth reduces and there is more room for response times.

As mentioned proxies can also conduct the job of redirecting responses to another location without even taking the assistance of the application server. It can also manage any upgrades taking place between HTTP and HTTPS as well as send responses such as ‘not available’ in the right format.

Proxies also help in enhancing analytic actions as it logs all the requests. It can conduct this analytic job on it's by converting the data into statistics and graphs for insightful actions to be conducted easily.

5. ORGANIZE LOAD BALANCING

A load balancing refers to a balancer who segregates jobs to numerous servers so that every line is managing the processing levels better. The best thing is this load balancer can also be a part of the proxy server's functioning as well.

Some applications require the need of all requests in a session to go to the same server which a proxy server can do exceptionally. Using this method proxy servers can depend on session identifiers and segregate the requests outwards accordingly. At times the requests demand more resources to accompany its existence which a proxy server can successfully cater to.

6. CONDUCTING EFFICIENT SCALING ACTIVITIES

When you distance application servers away from network perimeters, conducting scaling activities becomes much easier. The great thing here is proxy servers have no need to understand anything surrounding the IP address their main focus is with the new servers and what request limitations they have. 

In case of any additional network to be added to the SAAS departments, the change in proxies are not complicated. 

7. CACHES DATA WHEN NEEDED

Caches are conducted when the data required doesn't need to trigger attention to be completed. The purpose of the cache is to store data so that when the user wants to view the same, it doesn’t have to send a request again. 

However, storing data in cache has a time duration which is evident in the server’s response headers. If the need arises to extend the content date, the server will send a request to the caching proxy to fulfill the need.

8. RETAINING STATIC CONTENT

There are times where few data will remain static. What happens is such data doesn’t require the need to be cached it can be easily stored on a proxy server or be managed by another server. The content could be anything from images to CSS and even videos. 

9. EXHIBITS A BETTER PERFORMANCE

What a proxy server does if it was conducted without it the need for multiple hardware additions would cost a lot of revenue for any SAAS business. The great thing is that the proxy server does this all for you without any minimal effort. From monitoring your user's repetitive activities to ensuring that whatever the needs of users are fulfilled more easily and quickly, proxy servers are a great cost-effective method. From ensuring to create a protective wall for no hackers to enter and steal data to also keep an eye that all SAAS activities are being conducted well, a proxy server functions in a manner that can help in the productive growth for any SAAS business.

A proxy server has a higher bandwidth, faster internet speed which is the main ingredient to conduct processing activities quicker, as well as its protective shield, ensures no damages are caused due to unauthorized interruptions. Proxies are very reliable and every step it conducts contributes to a secure SAAS environment.

For instance say if a SAAS business deals with proxy servers they are offering a service which can help many of their users online such as protecting them from accessing harmful data access or hiding their identity to ensure any website can be accessed, a proxy server not only benefits a user it also shares the benefits with a business as well.